Granted Patent B2

US 10,039,642 · App. 15/475,845 · Granted Aug 7, 2018

Inventor: Brett Allen Hillukka (Hanover, MN)

Assignee: St. Jude Medical, Cardiology Division, Inc.

A61F2/2436A61F2/2418A61F2002/9522A61F2250/0039

Abstract

Claims (15)

1. A method for loading a self-expanding prosthetic device into a delivery device, the delivery device including a distal tip, a proximal end, a retaining element, a compartment defined between the proximal end and the retaining element and adapted to receive the prosthetic device, and a distal sheath movable between a closed position fully covering the compartment and an open position uncovering the compartment, and the prosthetic device including a stent, and at least one retainer at one end of the stent, the prosthetic device having an expanded condition and a collapsed condition, the method comprising:

placing the prosthetic device in the expanded condition between a support member and a compression member, the compression member having an inner surface which is variable in diameter between a first open end and a second open end;

engaging the support member and the compression member to advance a portion of the prosthetic device through the compression member;

moving the distal sheath of the delivery device into the open position to uncover the compartment;

advancing the delivery device through the first open end of the compression member until the at least one retainer of the prosthetic device is disposed near the retaining element of the delivery device;

attaching the at least one retainer of the prosthetic device to the retaining element of the delivery device;

moving the distal sheath of the delivery device to the closed position; and

removing the delivery device from the compression member.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising filling at least a portion of the compression member with a sterile liquid to remove air from the prosthetic device and the delivery device before moving the distal sheath of the delivery device to the closed position.

3. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising agitating the sterile liquid in the compression member to facilitate removal of air from the prosthetic device and the delivery device.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the agitating step includes moving a syringe in the sterile liquid adjacent the retaining element of the delivery device.

5. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising sealing the sheath of the delivery device to the compression member prior to the filling step.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the delivery device further includes a tube extending to the distal tip and communicating with a space within the sheath adjacent a distal end of the sheath, the method further comprising introducing sterile liquid into the sheath through the tube.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the tube communicates with a passage through the distal tip of the delivery device, coupling a distal plug to the distal tip of the delivery device to seal the passage prior to introducing sterile liquid through the tube.

8. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the sealing step includes assembling a proximal end of a constricting member to the second open end of the compression member and sealing a distal end of the constricting member to the sheath of the delivery device, the step of further advancing the prosthetic device through the second open end of the compression member including advancing the prosthetic device through a lumen in the constricting member.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (5)

Cited By (11)

US 12,232,991 US 12,453,630 US 12,533,233 US 12,544,226 US 12,582,520 US 12,588,988 US 12,588,989 US 12,588,998 US 12,594,164 US 12,599,481 US 12,636,146