US 12,232,991 B2
Loading systems for collapsible prosthetic heart valve devices and methods thereof
Jason S. Diedering, Minneapolis, MN (US); and Saravana B. Kumar, Minnetonka, MN (US)
Assigned to 4C Medical Technologies, Inc., Maple Grove, MN (US)
Filed by 4C Medical Technologies, Inc., Maple Grove, MN (US)
Filed on Aug. 23, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/893,446.
Application 17/893,446 is a continuation of application No. 16/848,328, filed on Apr. 14, 2020, granted, now 11,452,628.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/833,862, filed on Apr. 15, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0401243 A1, Dec. 22, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A61F 2/95 (2013.01); A61F 2/24 (2006.01)
CPC A61F 2/9525 (2020.05) [A61F 2/243 (2013.01); A61F 2/2436 (2013.01); A61F 2/2439 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A loading system for an expandable and collapsible prosthetic heart valve device, comprising:
a loading funnel shaped to hold the prosthetic heart valve device therein;
a receptacle configured to be coupled to the loading funnel to define a watertight interior;
a fluid infusion line, wherein, in operation, biocompatible fluid is transmitted to the watertight interior through the fluid infusion line to fill the watertight interior with biocompatible fluid to immerse the prosthetic heart valve device and to eliminate air from the watertight interior;
a delivery catheter configured to be removably engaged with the loading funnel to position a lumen of the delivery catheter in fluid communication with a lumen of the loading funnel; and
a pull wire configured to be removably connected with the prosthetic heart valve device, wherein, in operation, the pull wire extends through the lumen of the delivery catheter and beyond a distal end of the delivery catheter;
wherein:
the pull wire is configured to pull the prosthetic heart valve device through the lumen of the loading funnel and into the lumen of the delivery catheter.