US 12,295,842 B2
Loader and retriever for transcatheter heart valve, and methods of crimping transcatheter heart valve
Asher L. Metchik, Rolling Hills Estates, CA (US); Thanh V. Nguyen, Irvine, CA (US); Raz Biran, Menashe (IL); Arvin T. Chang, Yorba Linda, CA (US); Tarannum Ishaq Gutierrez, Ladera Ranch, CA (US); and Jeff Lindstrom, Coto de Caza, CA (US)
Assigned to EDWARDS LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION, Irvine, CA (US)
Filed by EDWARDS LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION, Irvine, CA (US)
Filed on Dec. 11, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/535,242.
Application 18/535,242 is a continuation of application No. 17/338,535, filed on Jun. 3, 2021, granted, now 11,957,579.
Application 17/338,535 is a continuation of application No. 15/238,605, filed on Aug. 16, 2016, granted, now 11,026,788, issued on Jun. 8, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/207,879, filed on Aug. 20, 2015.
Prior Publication US 2024/0099838 A1, Mar. 28, 2024
Int. Cl. A61F 2/24 (2006.01); A61F 2/00 (2006.01); A61F 2/95 (2013.01)
CPC A61F 2/2433 (2013.01) [A61F 2/0095 (2013.01); A61F 2/2436 (2013.01); A61F 2/9522 (2020.05); A61F 2250/0039 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method comprising:
inserting a loader assembly through a hub of a delivery sheath device, wherein the delivery sheath device includes an expandable sheath that extends into a blood vessel of a patient;
advancing the loader assembly in a distal direction relative to the delivery sheath device until a distal section of the loader assembly extends into the expandable sheath of the delivery sheath device, wherein the expandable sheath is attached to a distal end of the hub, wherein the distal section of the loader assembly has a larger inner diameter than a middle tube section of the loader assembly;
retracting a delivery catheter to move a prosthetic valve attached thereto in a proximal direction until the prosthetic valve is received within the distal section of the loader assembly, wherein the prosthetic valve has been previously inserted into the blood vessel of the patient; and
removing the loader assembly and the delivery catheter from a proximal end of the hub while the prosthetic valve is retained within the distal section of the loader assembly;
after the act of removing, reinserting the loader assembly into the hub of the delivery sheath device so that a distal end of the distal section of the loader assembly is adjacent to the distal end of the hub but does not extend into the expandable sheath.