FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a device for implanting a prosthesis for a heart valve and an assembly procedure.

The invention has been developed with particular regard, though in a non-limiting manner, for a device for use during a procedure for implanting a heart prosthesis for replacing the physiological function of a malfunctioning heart valve and in particular a heart prosthesis for an atrio-ventricular heart valve.

TECHNOLOGICAL BACKGROUND

Heart valves are complex and delicate organs which govern the correct function of the human heart. The main objective thereof is to make the blood flow inside the cardiac cavities unidirectional, being essential both in the filling phase of the cavity, the diastolic phase, and in the discharge phase of the blood, the systolic phase.

In order to optimize the efficiency of the pumping action of the blood, the heart is structured in two different compartments, right and left, respectively, each of which is in turn subdivided into two chambers, the atrium and ventricle, respectively. The right compartment of the heart, which is composed by the right atrium and ventricle, returns the blood from the peripheral circulation and directs it towards the pulmonary circulation for oxygenation thereof. The left compartment, which is similarly subdivided into left atrium and ventricle, supplies the peripheral vascularization, returning the oxygenated blood from pulmonary circulation and pumping it towards the systemic circulation.

In order to make the blood flow unidirectional inside the heart, a valve is positioned at the outlet of each chamber. The valves which are positioned at the outlet of the atria are the atrio-ventricular valves because they connect the atrial chamber to the ventricular chamber of each side of the heart. At the right side of the heart, this valve is also referred to as the tricuspid valve, at the left side it is usually indicated as the mitral valve. Finally, the valve which is positioned at the outlet from the right ventricle is called the pulmonary valve while the valve at the outlet from the left ventricle is called the aortic valve.

Pathologies which affect the function of a heart valve are among the most serious in the cardiovascular field. Among these, the insufficiency of the mitral valve, that is to say, the incapacity thereof to close completely, is a valve pathology which is highly impairing because it reduces the efficiency of the pumping action at the left side of the heart, which is responsible for blood circulation for the entire body.

In the current prior art, the standard therapy for treating severe valve malfunctions is the replacement of the valve with an implantable prosthesis. In other cases, mainly in the case of malfunctions of the mitral valve, there is provision for the repair thereof. In both cases, it is provided via an open-heart surgical procedure which affords direct access to the malfunctioning valve. This procedure requires the temporary arrest of the heart and the creation, by means of suitable pumps and oxygen exchangers, of an extracorporeal artificial blood circulation. Notwithstanding the refinement of the techniques for managing the cardiac arrest and improving the extracorporeal circulation systems, the therapy in open heart conditions presents risks as a result of the invasive nature thereof and the duration of the procedure. In fact, the implantable prostheses, both for repairs and for replacements, commonly used during the conventional surgery usually require a long operation for fixing at the location of the implantation by means of specific suture techniques. In some cases, it is not even possible to intervene surgically as a result of the general conditions of the patient, for example, due to advanced age or the presence of concomitant pathologies.

In order to overcome these limitations, there have recently been developed procedures with interventions of reduced invasiveness, so-called transcatheter procedures. To this end, radially collapsible prostheses which can self-anchor at the implantation site are used. The prostheses can be implanted by means of catheters which are capable of navigating inside the vascular system and releasing the heart prosthesis by reaching the implantation site from a remote access created, for example, in a peripheral vessel, such as a femoral vein or artery. The valve malfunctions can thus be corrected with a beating heart and with limited use of surgical practices. In the current state, transcatheter techniques are clinical standard of care only for treating the aortic valve.

The situation is different with regard to the treatment of malfunctions of the atrio-ventricular valves, in particular the treatment of mitral insufficiency. The complex anatomical configuration of the valve and of the structures which surround it, the variability of the pathologies, also very different from each other, which affect the valve directly or indirectly, make it extremely difficult to comply with the requirements for a reliable and effective implantation in a mitral valve via the transcatheter route.

In the variety of single designs developed, the main technologies developed for transcatheter prostheses for atrio-ventricular valves provide for apical access to the heart. The procedure requires a thoracic incision in order to expose the apex of the left ventricle. Subsequently, the cardiac apex is punctured in order to be able to insert an apical port. Via the apical port, the catheters necessary to complete the procedure are inserted successively.

A problem of this approach is that it brings about damage to the heart in a rather delicate portion, such as the apex, with consequences that can be detrimental to the patient, such as bleeding, aneurisms, etc.

STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION

An object of the invention is to solve the problems of the prior art and in particular to provide a procedure for implanting a heart prosthesis which is transcatheter and which does not damage the apex of the heart. Another object is to provide a procedure which is even safer for the patient. In particular, an object is to provide a guidewire introducer device and a device for implanting a heart prosthesis which are reliable during use and safe in order to allow such a procedure to be carried out. Another object is to provide a procedure for assembling a heart prosthesis using such a device for implantation.

An embodiment relates to a guidewire introducer device and a device for implanting a heart prosthesis which are developed specifically for allowing a transcatheter implantation procedure with transseptal access. With transseptal access it is intended to be understood an access to the mitral valve which, starting from a peripheral femoral vein, navigates in the inferior vena cava up to the right atrium and finally arrives at the left atrium through an aperture which is created, with interventional methods, in the septum between the two atria. The left atrium affords anterograde access to the mitral valve to be treated. In this manner, damage, that is to say perforation, of the left ventricle which is associated with the transapical procedure, that provides access to the mitral valve from the ventricular side, that is to say retrograde, is prevented.

According to a first aspect, there is described herein a guidewire introducer device for positioning at least one guidewire around a heart valve. The device may be capable of deploying guidewires through transseptal access. The device may comprise a first catheter which may be provided with at least one distal deflection system. The device may comprise a second catheter which may be inserted inside the first catheter. The second catheter may comprise a lumen which is suitable for having a guidewire sliding therein. The second catheter may be provided with a distal deflection system for deflecting the end thereof, preferably through an angle greater than 90° in order to allow the zone immediately under the leaflets of the native valve to be best reached. The device may comprise a third catheter. The third catheter may be inserted inside the first catheter. The third catheter may have therein a device for capturing the guidwires. The third catheter may be provided with a distal deflection system. The deflection system of the second catheter may comprise a wire.

According to another aspect, there is described herein a guidewire introducer device for deploying at least two guidewires around a heart valve. The second catheter may comprise two lumens which are suitable for having guidewires sliding therein. The two lumens may terminate so as to face in substantially mutually opposite directions.

According to an advantageous aspect, a guidewire introducer device comprises a second catheter. The guidewire introducer device is provided with a radiopaque and/or echo-opaque element. The radiopaque/echo-opaque element may be positioned on a distal tip of the second catheter, preferably embedded therein.

According to another aspect, a guidewire introducer device may comprise a first catheter with a single lumen.

According to another aspect, there is described herein a procedure for positioning at least one guidewire around a heart valve; the procedure may comprise the step of providing access for a first catheter through a vein, preferably the femoral vein. The first catheter may be introduced inside the right atrium, through the inferior vena cava IVC. There may be produced a puncture in the septum between the two atria in order to access the left atrium. The procedure may comprise the step of inserting a guidewire introducer device in the left ventricle, passing though the mitral valve, and deploying one or more guidewires around the native valve.

According to a preferred aspect, there is described herein a procedure for positioning at least one guidewire around a heart valve, the procedure comprising the steps of:providing access for a first catheter through a vein,inserting the first catheter inside the right atrium, through the inferior vena cava and entering the left atrium through a puncture of the septum between the two atria,inserting a guidewire introducer device into the left ventricle, passing through the mitral valve, and positioning one or more guidewires around the native valve.

According to another aspect, there is described herein a device for implanting a heart prosthesis. The heart prosthesis may comprise a central body and a containment portion. The containment portion may be subdivided into one or more sub-components. The device for implanting a heart prosthesis may comprise a release device for the central body. The release device may be capable of being inserted into a catheter. The device for implanting a heart prosthesis may comprise a device for assisting the connection operation between the central body and the sub-components of the containment portion. The device for assisting the connection operation between the central body and the sub-components of the containment portion may comprise an assembly of catheters. There may be at least two catheters for each sub-component of the containment portion. The catheters may be joined to each other via a portion thereof and may each have at least one free end. The catheters may be grouped together in the same sheath. The sheath may group together the catheters along a portion thereof. The sheath may leave free at least one end for each catheter. The sheath may further comprise an additional lumen for a guidewire, preferably a central one. Advantageously, the catheters which constitute the assembly of catheters may be steadily joined to each other.

According to another aspect, a device for assisting the connection operation between the central body and the sub-components of the containment portion may comprise an assembly of catheters which are incompressible in a longitudinal direction. In this manner, during use, they form an incompressible abutment channel for a guidewire. Preferably, the catheters which constitute the assembly of catheters may be flexible.

According to another aspect, there is described herein a procedure for assembling a heart prosthesis. The heart prosthesis may comprise a central body and a containment portion. The containment portion may be subdivided into one or more sub-components. The procedure described may comprise the step of inserting a guidewire into each sub-component of the containment portion. It may comprise the step of sliding the sub-components in such a manner that both the ends of the guidewire are outside the sub-component itself. The procedure may comprise the step of inserting, for each sub-component of the containment portion, each end of the guidewire in a corresponding connecting element, for the connection of the central body and the containment portion. The procedure may comprise the step of inserting each end of the guidewire into a corresponding catheter of the assembly of catheters. It may comprise the step of drawing the ends of each guidewire in order to connect the central body and the sub-components of the containment portion.

According to another aspect, there is also described herein a procedure for implanting a heart prosthesis. The heart prosthesis may comprise a central body and a containment portion, which is sub-divided into one or more sub-components. The procedure may comprise the step of affording access for a first catheter through a vein. Preferably, the access may be afforded in the femoral vein. The procedure may comprise the step of inserting the first catheter through the inferior vena cava IVC. The first catheter may be inserted up to inside the right atrium. There may be created a puncture in the septum between the two atria. Through this puncture, it is possible to access the left atrium. The procedure may comprise the step of providing one or more guidewires around the native valve; this operation may be carried out by means of a guidewire introducer device. It is possible to insert the sub-components of the containment portion. The procedure may comprise the step of inserting a device for implanting a heart prosthesis. It is then possible to connect the central body to the sub-components22of the containment portion18. The release in position of the central body may be brought about by pushing the central body out of the device for implantation.

According to another aspect, the procedure for implanting a heart prosthesis provides for the step of inserting each sub-component into the heart by guiding it with at least one guidewire which is arranged around the native valve, preferably sliding each sub-component over the at least one guidewire (over the wire).

According to another aspect, the procedure for implanting a heart prosthesis may provide for using a device for implanting a heart prosthesis comprising a device for assisting the operation of connecting the central body and the sub-components of the containment portion which may comprise an assembly of catheters; the procedure may comprise the steps of inserting each end of the guidewire into a corresponding connecting element for the connection of the central body and the containment portion and inserting each end of the guidewire into a corresponding catheter of the assembly of catheters, in the free end thereof. The procedure may further comprise the step of acting on the ends of the guidewire in order to establish the connection between the central body and the sub-component of the containment portion.

According to another aspect, there is described herein a procedure for implanting a heart prosthesis comprising a central body for prosthetic leaflets and a containment portion which is subdivided into one or more sub-components, the procedure comprising the steps of:providing access for a first catheter through a vein,inserting the first catheter inside the right atrium, though the inferior vena cava and accessing the left atrium through a puncture of the septum,providing one or more guidewires around the native valve,inserting the sub-components of the containment portion,inserting a device for implantation of a heart prosthesis,connecting the central body to the sub-components of the containment portion, andpushing the central body until it is caused to be released in position.

There is further described herein a procedure for implanting a heart prosthesis, in which each sub-component is inserted by sliding it over one of the guidewires which are arranged around the native valve.

Advantageously, a procedure for implanting a heart prosthesis uses a device for implanting a heart prosthesis with all or some of the above-described features; according to the procedure, after inserting the sub-components, for each sub-component of the containment portion there are carried out the steps of:inserting each end of the guidewire into a corresponding connecting element, for the connection of the central body and the containment portion,inserting each end of the guidewire in a corresponding catheter of the assembly of catheters, at the free end thereof, andtensioning the ends of the guidewire, bringing about the connection between the central body and the sub-component of the containment portion. Preferably, the access is brought about by means of a femoral vein.

