Patent ID: 11883295
Assignee: EDWARDS LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 12:
13. A method for sizing a heart valve annulus, comprising:
preparing a sizing device including a proximal handle having an actuator, a shaft coupled to and extending in a distal direction from the handle, a C-shaped annuloplasty ring replica having a first free end and a second free end and coupled to a distal end of the shaft, the annuloplasty ring replica being adjustable from a maximum size to smaller sizes, the annuloplasty ring replica comprising a plurality of articulating segments serially coupled to one another and configured to pivot relative to each other, and further including at least one flexible extension wire extending through aligned extension wire channels in the articulating segments that biases the annuloplasty ring replica to the maximum size;
reducing the size of the adjustable ring replica to less than the maximum size using the actuator;
positioning the adjustable ring replica at or near a patient's native valve annulus;
enlarging the size of the adjustable ring replica using the actuator until an outer surface contacts the valve annulus; and
determining an appropriate size of prosthetic annuloplasty ring for the valve annulus.