Apparatus and method for heart valve repair
A device for transcatheter gathering of tissue of a heart valve leaflet may include an elongated tube extending in a longitudinal direction and having an open distal end, a tissue securing component disposed at the distal end of the elongated tube, and a capture tool movable in the elongated tube between a retracted position and an extended position. The elongated tube may have an inner surface and a lumen extending therethrough. The tissue securing component may include a clip having a roller and a support element. The roller may be rotatable relative to the support element. The capture tool may be operable to capture tissue of the heart valve leaflet and to draw the captured tissue into the tissue securing component. The tissue securing component may be adapted to be applied to the captured tissue to hold the captured tissue in a gathered configuration.
1. A device for transcatheter gathering of tissue of a heart valve leaflet, comprising:
an elongated tube extending in a longitudinal direction and having an open distal end, the elongated tube having an inner surface and a lumen extending therethrough;
a tissue securing component disposed within the distal end of the elongated tube, the tissue securing component comprising a clip including a roller and a support element, the roller being rotatable relative to the support element; and
an actuation shaft movable within the elongated tube in the longitudinal direction, the actuation shaft adapted to translate the tissue securing component therewith in the longitudinal direction relative to the elongated tube,
wherein the tissue securing component is adapted to be applied to the tissue to hold the tissue in a gathered configuration, the tissue securing component being detachable from the elongated tube so as to remain on the tissue as the elongated tube is removed from the tissue.
2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the roller is a first roller and the support element is a second roller, the second roller being rotatable relative to the first roller.
3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the roller is a first roller and the support element is a second roller, the second roller being fixed relative to a rotational axis of the first roller.
4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the support element is fixed relative to a rotational axis of the roller.
5. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a capture tool movable in the elongated tube between a retracted position and an extended position, the capture tool being operable to capture the tissue of the heart valve leaflet and to draw the captured tissue into the tissue securing component.
6. The device of claim 5 , wherein a distal end of the capture tool has a hook shape.
7. The device of claim 6 , wherein the capture tool includes a grasping wire slidably disposed in a containment tube, and a distal portion of the grasping wire is adapted to change from a linear shape to the hook shape when the distal portion of the grasping wire is extended out from the containment tube.
8. The device of claim 7 , wherein the grasping wire is partially or entirely made from a shape-memory material.
9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the tissue securing component includes two coupling plates extending between the roller and the support element.
10. The device of claim 1 , wherein the roller has an outer surface that is roughened, knurled, or having features that protrude from the outer surface.
11. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a drive assembly adapted to rotate the roller relative to the support element.
12. The device of claim 11 , wherein the drive assembly is movable in the elongated tube in the longitudinal direction, the drive assembly being movable between a proximal position in which a distal end of the drive assembly is spaced apart from the roller and a distal position in which the distal end of the drive assembly contacts a portion of the roller.
13. The device of claim 12 , wherein the drive assembly includes a belt extending around two rollers.
14. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a contact plate having a guide surface disposed at an oblique angle relative to the longitudinal direction, the guide surface being adapted to guide motion of the tissue securing component such that the roller pivots relative to the actuation shaft about an axis perpendicular to a rotational axis of the roller when the actuation shaft is moved distally.
15. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a release wire removably coupled to the tissue securing component and extending through the elongated tube to a proximal end of the device.