US 12,290,439 B2
Cardiac valve leaflet enhancer devices and systems
Sai Muralidhar Padala, Atlanta, GA (US); and Eric Leo Sarin, Atlanta, GA (US)
Assigned to Emory University, Atlanta, GA (US)
Filed by Emory University, Atlanta, GA (US)
Filed on Mar. 22, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/614,081.
Application 18/614,081 is a continuation of application No. 18/089,127, filed on Dec. 27, 2022.
Application 18/089,127 is a continuation of application No. 16/634,107, granted, now 11,571,305, issued on Feb. 7, 2023, previously published as PCT/US2018/043307, filed on Jul. 23, 2018.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/536,446, filed on Jul. 24, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2024/0245512 A1, Jul. 25, 2024
Int. Cl. A61F 2/24 (2006.01)
CPC A61F 2/2466 (2013.01) [A61F 2/246 (2013.01); A61F 2/2463 (2013.01); A61F 2220/0016 (2013.01); A61F 2250/0098 (2013.01)] 30 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method comprising:
delivering to a native heart valve of a patient an implant having a first arm and a second arm each integrally formed with and extending from a leaflet section, the leaflet section resiliently biasing the first arm and second arm towards a closed configuration in which the first and second arms are proximate to each other, the leaflet section being resiliently deformable to permit the first and second arms to be displaced into an open configuration in which the first and second arms are spaced from each other a sufficient distance to permit at least an edge portion of a first native valve leaflet of the native heart valve to be received therebetween, the implant including a cover coupled to the leaflet section;
during at least a portion of the delivering, applying tension to a tether that is coupled to the implant and removable from the implant while the implant is disposed in the native heart valve, to urge the first arm and second arm away from each other into the open configuration;
positioning the implant with at least the edge portion of the first native valve leaflet at least partially disposed in a space between the first arm and the second arm; and
allowing the leaflet section to urge the first arm and second arm towards the closed configuration to clamp the first native valve leaflet therebetween,
the implant being disposed on the first native valve leaflet in a position in which the cover can engage with a portion of a second native valve leaflet of the native heart valve during a systolic portion of a cardiac cycle of the native heart valve and to be spaced from the portion of the second native valve leaflet during a diastolic portion of the cardiac cycle of the native heart valve,
the first arm and the second arm clamping the first native valve leaflet with a force sufficient to retain the implant on the first native valve leaflet throughout the cardiac cycle of the native heart valve.