Patent ID: 8632559
Filing Date: 2014-01-21
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. A device for treating cardiac valve stenoses, said device comprising: a shaft having proximal and distal ends; an expansible shell carried on a distal region of the shaft; a plurality of nondeployable scoring elements coupled to said shaft but not attached to the expansible shell; wherein the expansible shell has a length and expanded diameter selected to fully occupy an adult human cardiac valve annulus and said scoring elements have flat radially outward surfaces; wherein the shaft is a catheter shaft adapted to be introduced over the aortic arch to position the expansible shell in the cardiac valve annulus; wherein the expansible shell is a nondistensible inflatable balloon having an inflated diameter in the range from 20 mm to 30 mm; wherein the inflatable balloon has a length in the range from 2 cm to 4 cm; wherein from 5 to 20 scoring elements extend from a proximal end to a distal end of the balloon and are evenly circumferentially spaced apart over an exterior balloon surface; wherein the scoring elements are struts in an elastic metal cage structure and parallel to its axis, wherein the cage structure is coupled to the catheter shaft but not attached to the balloon, wherein the cage is elastically biased to contract when the balloon is not inflated; wherein the elastic metal cage structure comprises circumferentially arranged elongated hexagonal cells which are parallel to the axis, wherein each cell has a proximal connection point to a proximal ring and a distal connection point to a distal ring and where the struts extend between said connection points; wherein the cage further comprises distal connector links which extend between the distal connection point and the catheter shaft to secure the cage to the catheter shaft; and further comprising a compliance tube having a distal end coupled to proximal connector links of the cage and a proximal end attached to the catheter shaft, wherein the compliance tube is adapted to accommodate axial elongation and circumferential rotation of the cage structure.