Cardiac Valve Replacement

Abstract

A heart valve annulus repair device having a tissue engaging member and a plurality of anchors. The tissue engaging member includes a loop of wire. Each of the anchors has a pointy front end and a back end and a slot that runs in a front-to-back direction. The anchors are distributed about the loop of wire with the front ends of the plurality of anchors facing the heart valve annulus and with the loop of wire passing through the slots. The device further includes means for implanting the anchors into the heart valve annulus tissue so that the tissue engaging member becomes affixed to the heart valve annulus.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for replacing a native cardiac valve located between a ventricle and an atrium, the native valve having leaflets, the method comprising:
 attaching a loop of material to the leaflets of the native valve so that the loop of material is suspended from the leaflets of the native valve within the ventricle;   after the loop of material is attached to the leaflets of the native valve, advancing a prosthetic valve through a delivery catheter; and   after the prosthetic valve has been advanced through the delivery catheter, expanding the prosthetic valve into the loop of material so that an interaction between the loop of material, the leaflets of the native valve, and the prosthetic valve secures the prosthetic valve in place at an operative position between the ventricle and the atrium.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein after the attaching and prior to the advancing, the loop of material is affixed to the leaflets of the native valve and is retained in place without conforming to a shape of an annulus of the native valve, until such time as the prosthetic valve is deployed into the loop of material. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the interaction between the loop of material, the leaflets of the native valve, and the prosthetic valve that secures the prosthetic valve in place comprises friction. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein after the expanding, pressure in the ventricle enhances anchoring of the prosthetic valve to the leaflets of the native valve. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the loop of material is a closed loop. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the loop of material comprises a closed loop of metal wire. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the loop of material comprises a closed loop of non-elastic material. 
     
     
         8 . An apparatus for replacing a native cardiac valve located between a ventricle and an atrium, the native cardiac valve having leaflets, the apparatus comprising:
 a loop of material configured for affixation to the leaflets such that the loop of material is positioned within the ventricle and suspended from the leaflets of the native valve; and   a prosthetic valve configured to move between a collapsed state and an expanded state,   wherein the loop of material and the prosthetic valve are configured so that after the loop of material is affixed to the leaflets such that the loop of material is positioned within the ventricle and suspended from the leaflets of the native valve, and the prosthetic valve is subsequently expanded within the loop of material from the collapsed state to the expanded state, an interaction between the loop of material, the leaflets of the native valve, and the prosthetic valve secures the prosthetic valve in place at an operative position between the ventricle and the atrium.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the leaflets have a ventricle side and an atrium side, and the loop of material is configured for affixation to the ventricle side of the leaflets. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the interaction between the loop of material, the leaflets of the native valve, and the prosthetic valve that secures the prosthetic valve in place comprises friction. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the loop of material is a closed loop. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the loop of material comprises a closed loop of metal wire. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the loop of material is non-elastic. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the loop of material comprises a closed loop of non-elastic material. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the ventricle is a left ventricle, the atrium is a left atrium, and the native cardiac valve is a mitral valve. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the ventricle is a right ventricle, the atrium is a right atrium, and the native cardiac valve is a tricuspid valve.