CATHETER BASED DEVICE FOR THE TREATMENT OF CALCIFIED VALVE LEAFLET

1 . A calcification treatment device comprising:

a catheter with proximal and distal ends, said catheter having at its distal end a non-occluding expansion element movable from a closed to an open position, wherein in said open position, said expansion element is configured to apply force to leaflets of a valve so as to forcefully open said leaflets, said expansion element being constructed of a mesh or struts with openings formed therein that allow blood and fluids to flow therethrough.

2 . The calcification treatment device according to claim 1 , wherein said catheter comprises at its distal end a locating element which provides axial and/or radial positioning relative to the valve.

3 . The calcification treatment device according to claim 1 , wherein the expansion device comprises an internal valve element, located inwards of said mesh or struts, configured to control valve opening during expansion.

4 . A method of treating calcification of a heart valve comprising:

placing the device of claim 1 near leaflets of a heart valve; and

expanding said expansion element against the leaflets.

5 . The method according to claim 4 , comprising using said expansion element to stretch the leaflets, thereby increasing leaflet compliance by breaking a calcium layer that is on the leaflets.

6 . The method according to claim 4 , wherein said expansion device comprises an internal valve element, located inwards of said mesh or struts, configured to control valve opening during expansion, and the method comprises closing said prosthetic valve element during a diastolic part of a heart cycle and opening said prosthetic valve element during a systolic part of the heart cycle.