Ring attachment for heart valve surgery

This technology is a ring attachment for heart valve surgery and valve-in-ring procedures to facilitate mitral valve repair.

Unmet Need: Ring attachment for open/incomplete rings for heart valve repair procedures

Heart valves such as mitral and tricuspid valves can dilate with heart disease or aging, leading to the need for surgical repair. Annuloplasty or valvuloplasty rings made of rigid or semi-rigid material are commonly used as a brace-like device to remodel dilated valves, but as these valves need to retain a certain degree of flexibility for cardiac function, the material, design, and suturing necessary to surgically attach these rings during implantation can negatively impact surgical success and result in the need for further corrective surgical procedures. Furthermore, to facilitate flexibility for valve movement, some rings are designed as incomplete circles, which are also suboptimal as this design leads to weak spots that can further deform with use. These drawbacks necessitate the design of a ring for mitral and tricuspid valve procedures that provides both rigidity and flexibility while also reducing the likelihood of tissue damage and surgical complications to facilitate safe and effective valve repair.

The Technology: Heart valve repair ring attachment with increased support and flexibility

This technology enables heart valve repair by converting an incomplete ring into a complete ring while avoiding the need for further suturing-based damage to the underlying conduction tissue. The flexible attachment patches weak points by anchoring directly to the two ends of an incomplete ring, which corrects valve dilation while still providing sufficient flexibility for cardiac function. The technology can also be used as a modified incomplete ring design with a pre-attached anterior element. The technology will be embedded in the tissue over time, providing additional support to the anterior annulus during valve-in-ring procedures and reducing the likelihood of complications or valve failure.

Applications:

• Annuloplasty ring for heart valve surgery
• Design to support heart valve repair and avoid future dilatation of the annulus
• Technique to provide additional support for mitral valve regurgitation
• Platform to monitor normal movement in the mitral annulus
• Technology for treatment and repair of heart valves due to aging or disease or conditions like blood clots, valve failure, mitral valve stenosis, or mitral valve regurgitation

Advantages:

• Removes the need for suturing
• Reduced rigidity while maintaining flexibility for movement during the cardiac cycle
• Design can be an attachment or a modified incomplete ring design
• Compatible with various anchors
• Suitable for mitral and tricuspid valve repair procedures
• Suitable for valve-in-ring procedures

Lead Inventor:

Vinayak Bapat, MD

Patent Information:

Patent Pending (US20210369457)

Related Publications:

Tech Ventures Reference:

• IR CU19219, CU19218

• Licensing Contact: Jerry Kokoshka