Heart valve sealing devices and delivery devices therefor
A pair of paddles are moved laterally away from one another in an exemplary method of repairing a native valve of a patient during a non-open-heart procedure. After the paddles are moved laterally away from one another, first and second gripping members are moved from an open position to a closed position to grasp valve leaflets. The paddles are then moved laterally toward one another. A cam can be used to move the paddles away from one another.
1. A method of repairing a native valve of a patient during a non-open-heart procedure, the method comprising:
moving first and second paddles laterally away from one another without rotating;
rotating the first and second paddles away from one another;
moving a first gripping member from an open position to a closed position to grasp a first valve leaflet;
moving a second gripping member from an open position to a closed position to grasp a second valve leaflet;
moving and rotating the pair of paddles toward one another;
moving the first and second paddles to a closed position; and
pressing the first and second leaflets against a coaption element with the first and second paddles.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first gripping member is attached to the first paddle and the second gripping member is attached to the second paddle.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the first and second paddles are moved laterally away from one another without rotating to form an opening having a first width; and
the first and second paddles are rotated away from one another to form an opening having a second width that is greater than the first width.
4. A method of repairing a native valve of a patient during a non-open-heart procedure, the method comprising:
rotating first and second paddles away from one another;
moving the first and second paddles laterally away from one another without rotating;
moving a first gripping member from an open position to a closed position to grasp a first valve leaflet;
moving a second gripping member from an open position to a closed position to grasp a second valve leaflet;
moving and rotating the pair of paddles toward one another;
moving the first and second paddles to a closed position; and
pressing the first and second leaflets against a coaption element with the first and second paddles.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the first gripping member is attached to the first paddle and the second gripping member is attached to the second paddle.
6. The method of claim 4 , wherein:
the first and second paddles are rotated away from one another to form an opening having a first width; and
the first and second paddles are moved laterally away from one another without rotating to form an opening having a second width that is greater than the first width.
7. A valve repair device for repairing a native valve of a patient, the valve repair device comprising:
first and second paddles configured to rotate relative to each other and, independently, to translate relative to each other without rotating; and
first and second gripping members configured to grasp first and second leaflets, respectively, of the native valve of the patient;
a coaption element disposed between the first and second paddles; and
wherein the first and second paddles press the first and second leaflets against the coaption element when the first and second paddles are in a closed position.
8. The valve repair device of claim 7 , wherein:
the first and second paddles are configured to be rotated away from one another to form an opening having a first width; and
the first and second paddles are moved laterally away from one another without rotating to form an opening having a second width that is greater than the first width.
9. The valve repair device according to claim 7 , wherein the first and second paddles each comprise an inner paddle portion and an outer paddle portion.
10. The valve repair device according to claim 7 , wherein the first and second paddles each comprise a flexible mesh material.
11. The valve repair device of claim 7 , wherein the first and second gripping members each comprise a barbed portion.
12. The valve repair device of claim 7 , wherein the first and second gripping members comprise an extendable portion.
13. A method of repairing a native valve of a patient during a non-open-heart procedure, the method comprising:
moving first and second paddles laterally away from one another without rotating;
rotating the first and second paddles away from one another;
moving a first gripping member from an open position to a closed position to grasp a first valve leaflet;
moving a second gripping member from an open position to a closed position to grasp a second valve leaflet;
moving and rotating the pair of paddles toward one another;
moving the first and second paddles to a closed position; and
biasing the first and second paddles to the closed position.
14. A method of repairing a native valve of a patient during a non-open-heart procedure, the method comprising:
rotating first and second paddles away from one another;
moving the first and second paddles laterally away from one another without rotating;
moving a first gripping member from an open position to a closed position to grasp a first valve leaflet;
moving a second gripping member from an open position to a closed position to grasp a second valve leaflet;
moving and rotating the pair of paddles toward one another;
moving the first and second paddles to a closed position; and
biasing the first and second paddles to the closed position.
15. A valve repair device for repairing a native valve of a patient, the valve repair device comprising:
first and second paddles configured to rotate relative to each other and, independently, to translate relative to each other without rotating;
first and second gripping members configured to grasp first and second leaflets, respectively, of the native valve of the patient; and
first and second paddle frames attached to the first and second paddles, respectively.