Prosthetic closure devices to replace the valves in human hearts

US4263680A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• BEIERSDORF AG · DE

Inventors

• Helmut Reul · St. Blasien, DE
• Ernst-Wilhelm Muller · Bornheim, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 19, 1979
• Grant date: Apr 28, 1981
• Expiry date: Mar 19, 1999

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10T137/7898
• WIPO field: Medical technology
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A prosthetic closure device to replace a human heart valve, in particular the mitral or tricuspid valve, comprises an annular valve body, around the periphery of which a suture ring is provided for attaching the valve body to the heart tissue, and a valve member located in the valve body. The valve member is in the form of a spherical segment having a diameter of 1.058 D.sub.ri and comprising part of the surface of a hollow sphere having a diameter of 2D.sub.ri, where D.sub.ri is the smallest inner diameter of the valve body. The valve member is hinged to the valve body by means of a flap formed integrally with the valve member and which projects through a slot in the valve body, where it is secured by the suture ring, to form a hinge. The inner surface of the valve body narrows conically in the direction of inflow and subsequently widens to provide an annular seating for the valve member.