Patent ID: 11963871
Assignee: EDWARDS LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A  B | IPC A  B

Claim 9:
10. A method of crimping a prosthetic heart valve onto a delivery device, comprising:
inserting the valve into a crimping device in a radially expanded state such that the valve is positioned within crimping jaws of the crimping device, the crimping jaws having a proximal end and a distal end;
positioning an inflatable balloon of the delivery device within the valve, the delivery device comprising a proximal shoulder and a distal shoulder positioned within the balloon;
positioning the valve and the delivery device in a first axial position where a first distal portion of the valve and at least part of the distal shoulder are within the jaws between the proximal and distal ends of the jaws, and where a first proximal portion of the valve and the proximal shoulder are outside of the jaws proximal to the proximal end of the jaws;
closing and opening the jaws with the valve and delivery device in the first axial position, such that the valve is partially crimped onto the balloon between the proximal shoulder and the distal shoulder;
repositioning the valve and delivery device from the first axial position to a second axial position where a second distal portion of the valve and at least part of the distal shoulder are within the jaws, and where a second proximal portion of the valve and the proximal shoulder are outside of the jaws proximal to the proximal end of the jaws, wherein the second distal portion is axially shorter than the first distal portion, and the second proximal portion is axially longer than the first proximal portion;
closing and opening the jaws with the valve and delivery device in the second axial position;
repositioning the valve and delivery device from the second axial position to a third axial position where a majority of the valve and at least part of the proximal shoulder of the delivery device are within the jaws, and where the distal shoulder of the delivery device is outside of the jaws distal to the distal end of the jaws; and
closing and opening the jaws with the valve and delivery device in the third position;
wherein closing the jaws with the valve and delivery device in the third axial position compresses a proximal portion of the balloon and causes fluid in the balloon to travel distally into a distal portion of the balloon that is outside of the jaws distal to the distal end of the jaws, wherein fluid travelling distally into the distal portion of the balloon causes the distal portion of the balloon to inflate and expand radially.