Cardiac valve commissure brace

Abstract

A brace for mounting to an annulus of a cardiac valve, the brace comprising: first and second bottom gripping wings for gripping the annulus; first and second top gripping wings for gripping the annulus; and a support bridge that connects the top wings to the bottom wings; wherein the brace is formed from a shape memory alloy and is deformable from a delivery configuration to a deployed configuration and in the delivery configuration the top wings are oriented substantially back to back along an axis and the bottom wings are oriented substantially back to back along the same axis, and in the deployed configuration the first top and first bottom gripping wings face each other to grip the annulus between them and the second top and second bottom gripping wings face each other to grip the annulus between them.

1 . A brace for mounting to an annulus of a cardiac valve, the brace comprising:
 first and second bottom gripping wings for gripping the annulus;   first and second top gripping wings for gripping the annulus; and   a support bridge that connects the top wings to the bottom wings;   wherein the brace is formed from a shape memory alloy and is deformable from a delivery configuration to a deployed configuration and in the delivery configuration the top wings are oriented substantially back to back along an axis and the bottom wings are oriented substantially back to back along the same axis, and in the deployed configuration the first top and first bottom gripping wings face each other to grip the annulus between them and the second top and second bottom gripping wings face each other to grip the annulus between them.   
     
     
         2 . The brace according to  claim 1  wherein the brace comprises a wireform having first and second wire-loops connected by the support bridge. 
     
     
         3 . The brace according to  claim 2  wherein the support bridge comprises at least one wire segment. 
     
     
         4 . The brace according to  claim 2  wherein the first top and first bottom gripping wings are wireform gripping wings comprised in the first wire-loop. 
     
     
         5 . The brace according to  claim 2  wherein the second top and second bottom gripping wings are wireform gripping wings that are comprised in the second wire-loop. 
     
     
         6 . The brace according to  claim 2  wherein the first and second top gripping wings are wireform gripping wings comprised in the first wire-loop. 
     
     
         7 . The brace according to  claim 2  wherein the first and second bottom gripping wings are wireform gripping wings comprised in the second wire-loop. 
     
     
         8 . Apparatus for treating prolapse of a leaflet of a cardiac valve comprising an annulus that supports at least two leaflets that meet at least two commissures, the apparatus comprising:
 a first brace according to any of the preceding claims configured to be mounted to the annulus in a region of a first commissure of the at least two commissures;   a second brace according to any of the preceding claims configured to be mounted to the annulus in a region of a second commissure of the at least two commissures; and   at least one restraining strut mountable to the first and second braces after the braces are mounted to the annulus.