Implant valve for implantation in a blood vessel

Abstract

An implant valve for implantation in a blood vessel is comprised of a flexible tube and a hollow, substantially cylindrical support with a casing, expandable in diameter from an initial position to an implantation position. The support extends substantially coaxially over a part of the length of the tube along the inner wall of the tube. The casing of the support cooperates with the inner wall of the tube such that, in the implantation position, a first part of the tube can be formed into a rigid shell, which can be clamped substantially coaxially along the inner wall of a blood vessel. A second, axially contiguous part of the tube can then form a flexible, tubular valve body, which can extend substantially clear in the blood vessel. In an advantageous embodiment, the flexible tube comprises a vein turned inside out and the ends of the tube are connected to form a ring embracing the support.

1 . An implant valve for implantation in a blood vessel, comprising a flexible tube and a hollows, substantially cylindrical support with a casing which is expandable in diameter from an initial position into an implantation position, the support extending over a part of the length of the tube substantially coaxially along the wall of the tube, the casing of the support cooperating with the wall of the tube and, in the implantation position, forming a first part of the tube into a rigid shell which, in use, is clamped substantially coaxially along the inner wall of a blood vessel, while a second, axially contiguous part of the tube forms a flexible tubular valve body, which in use extends substantially clear in the blood vessel, characterized in that the casing of the support cooperates with the inner wall of the tube and in that the support is provided with axially extending support means for supporting, along a part of its circumference, the inner wall of the second part of the tube of the flexible, tubular valve body formed in the implantation position. 
     
     
         2 . An implant valve according to  claim 1 , wherein the support means comprise a finger-shaped extension of the casing of the support. 
     
     
         3 . An implant valve according to  claim 2 , wherein the support means comprise two or three finger-shaped extensions interspaced along the circumference of the casing. 
     
     
         4 . An implant valve according to  claim 1 , wherein the tube is folded double so that the inner wall of the tube extends from the outer surface of the casing while forming the second tube part to the inner surface of the casing of the support. 
     
     
         5 . An implant valve according to  claim 4 , wherein the ends of the tube are connected to form a ring surrounding the support. 
     
     
         6 . An implant valve according to  claim 5 , wherein the connected ends of the tube are situated at the outer surface of the casing. 
     
     
         7 . An implant valve according to  claim 6 , wherein the tube comprises a part of a vein which has been turned inside out, such that the endothelium of the vein forms the outer surface of the tube. 
     
     
         8 . A support, such as a stent, comprising a hollow, substantially cylindrical support with a casing expandable in diameter from an initial position to an implantation position, the support being provided with axially extending support means comprising a finger-shaped extension of the casing of the support. 
     
     
         9 . A method for implanting an implant valve according to  claim 1 , wherein the implant valve, with the support in initial position, is placed in a blood vessel and wherein the implant valve, with the aid of a transport device, is transported through the blood vessel to a location of implantation, wherein, subsequently, the diameter of the casing of the support is brought into the implantation position, so that a first part of the tube is clamped as a rigid shell, substantially coaxially along the inner wall of the blood vessel, and a second, axially contiguous part of the tube forms a flexible tubular valve body extending substantially clear in the blood vessel. 
     
     
         10 . A method for manufacturing an implant valve for implantation in a blood vessel, preferably an implant valve according to  claim 7 , from a tubular part of a vein and a hollow, substantially cylindrical support with a casing expandable in diameter from an initial position to an implantation position, wherein the part of the vein is turned inside out and wherein the ends of the tube are connected to form a ring embracing the support, and wherein the original outer wall, while forming a flexible, tubular valve body, axially contiguous to the support, is connected to the inner surface and the outer surface of the casing. 
     
     
         11 . A method for manufacturing an implant valve for implantation in a blood vessel, preferably an implant valve according to  claim 8 , from a tubular part of a vein and a hollow, substantially cylindrical support with a casing expandable in diameter from an initial position to an implantation position, wherein the part of the vein is turned inside out and wherein the ends of the tube are connected to form a ring embracing the support, and wherein the original outer wall, while forming a flexible, tubular valve body, axially contiguous to the support, is connected to the inner surface and the outer surface of the casing.