Stefan M Schreck

6454799, Sep 24, 2002

Apr 6, 2000

09/549413

Stefan Schreck - Vista CA

Edwards Lifesciences Corporation - Irvine CA

A61F 224

623 218, 623 21, 623 214, 623 217, 623 228, 623 233

Expandable heart valves for minimally invasive valve replacement surgeries are disclosed. In a first embodiment, an expandable pre-assembled heart valve includes a plastically-expandable annular base having plurality of upstanding commissure posts. A tubular flexible member including a prosthetic section and a fabric section is provided, with the prosthetic section being connected to the commissure posts and defining leaflets therebetween, and the fabric section being attached to the annular base. In a second embodiment, an expandable heart valve includes an annular tissue-engaging base and a subassembly having an elastic wireform and a plurality of leaflets connected thereto. The annular base and subassembly are separately stored and connected just prior to delivery to the host annulus. Preferably, the leaflet subassembly is stored in its relaxed configuration to avoid deformation of the leaflets. The expandable heart valves may be implanted using a balloon catheter.

6558418, May 6, 2003

Jun 14, 1999

09/332759

Alain F. Carpentier - Paris, FR
Stefan G. Schreck - Vista CA
Richard S. Rhee - Diamond Bar CA
Hung Ly Lam - Norco CA
William Recktenwald - Clarence Ctr. NY

Edwards Lifesciences Corporation - Irvine CA

A61F 224

623 214, 623 218

A highly flexible tissue-type heart valve is disclosed having a structural stent in a generally cylindrical configuration with cusps and commissures that are permitted to move radially. The stent commissures are constructed so that the cusps are pivotably or flexibly coupled together at the commissures to permit relative movement therebetween. The stent may be cloth-covered and may be a single element or may be made in three separate elements for a three cusp valve, each element having a cusp portion and two commissure portions; adjacent commissure portions for each pair of adjacent stent element combining to form the stent commissures. If the stent has separate elements their commissure portions may be pivotably or flexible coupled, or may be designed to completely separate into independent leaflets at bioresorbable couples. The cloth covering may have an outwardly projecting flap that mates with valve leaflets (e. g. , pericardial leaflets) along the cusps and commissures.

6767362, Jul 27, 2004

Jun 28, 2002

10/185812

Stefan Schreck - Vista CA

Edwards Lifesciences Corporation - Irvine CA

A61F 224

623 211, 623 214, 623 218, 623900

Expandable heart valves for minimally invasive valve replacement surgeries are disclosed. In a first embodiment, an expandable pre-assembled heart valve includes a plastically-expandable annular base having plurality of upstanding commissure posts. A tubular flexible member including a prosthetic section and a fabric section is provided, with the prosthetic section being connected to the commissure posts and defining leaflets therebetween, and the fabric section being attached to the annular base. In a second embodiment, an expandable heart valve includes an annular tissue-engaging base and a subassembly having an elastic wireform and a plurality of leaflets connected thereto. The annular base and subassembly are separately stored and connected just prior to delivery to the host annulus. Preferably, the leaflet subassembly is stored in its relaxed configuration to avoid deformation of the leaflets. The expandable heart valves may be implanted using a balloon catheter.

7094244, Aug 22, 2006

Mar 26, 2002

10/106583

Stefan Schreck - Vista CA, US

Edwards Lifesciences Corporation - Irvine CA

A61B 17/04

606139, 606144, 606148, 128898

A heart valve and tissue repair device for independently, selectively and sequentially grasping heart valve leaflets and independently, selectively and sequentially applying one or more fasteners thereto is disclosed. The device includes a leaflet engaging tip having one or more graspers capable of individually and sequentially grasping leaflets, and one or more deployable fasteners capable of fastening the leaflets. An actuation system for the device individually and selectively controls the graspers and deploys the one or more fasteners. Vacuum pressure from an external vacuum source can be used to grasp the leaflets via a selector system that controls the actuation system so as to individually and sequentially apply vacuum force to the graspers.

7137184, Nov 21, 2006

Apr 24, 2003

10/423019

Stefan Schreck - Vista CA, US

Edwards Lifesciences Corporation - Irvine CA

B23P 11/02
A61F 2/24

29447, 29464, 29469, 294695, 29557, 623 242, 140 71 R

Methods for forming a support frame for flexible leaflet heart valves from a starting blank include converting a two-dimensional starting blank into the three-dimensional support frame. The material may be superelastic, such as NITINOL, and the method may include bending the 2-D blank into the 3-D form and shape setting it. A merely elastic material such as ELGILOY may be used and plastically deformed in stages, possibly accompanied by annealing, to obtain the 3-D shape. Alternatively, a tubular blank could be formed to define a non-tubular shape, typically conical. A method for calculating the precise 2-D blank shape is also disclosed. A mandrel assembly includes a mandrel and ring elements for pressing the blank against the external surface of the mandrel prior to shape setting.

7381218, Jun 3, 2008

Jan 28, 2004

10/766139

Stefan Schreck - Vista CA, US

Edwards Lifesciences Corporation - Irvine CA

A61F 2/24

623 126, 623 218

Expandable heart valves for minimally invasive valve replacement surgeries are disclosed. In a first embodiment, an expandable pre-assembled heart valve includes a plastically-expandable annular base having plurality of upstanding commissure posts. A tubular flexible member including a prosthetic section and a fabric section is provided, with the prosthetic section being connected to the commissure posts and defining leaflets therebetween, and the fabric section being attached to the annular base. In a second embodiment, an expandable heart valve includes an annular tissue-engaging base and a subassembly having an elastic wireform and a plurality of leaflets connected thereto. The annular base and subassembly are separately stored and connected just prior to delivery to the host annulus. Preferably, the leaflet subassembly is stored in its relaxed configuration to avoid deformation of the leaflets. The expandable heart valves maybe implanted using a balloon catheter.

7481838, Jan 27, 2009

Dec 5, 2003

10/729035

Alain F. Carpentier - Paris, FR
Stefan G. Schreck - Vista CA, US
Richard S. Rhee - Diamond Bar CA, US
Hung Ly Lam - Norco CA, US
William Recktenwald - Clarence Ctr. NY, US

Edwards Lifesciences Corporation - Irvine CA

A61F 2/24

623 218

A highly flexible tissue-type heart valve is disclosed having a structural stent in a generally cylindrical configuration with cusps and commissures that are permitted to move radially. The stent commissures are constructed so that the cusps are pivotably or flexibly coupled together at the commissures to permit relative movement therebetween.

8092518, Jan 10, 2012

Apr 8, 2008

12/099566

Stefan Schreck - Vista CA, US

Edwards Lifesciences Corporation - Irvine CA

A61F 2/24

623 126, 623 218

Expandable heart valves for minimally invasive valve replacement surgeries are disclosed. In a first embodiment, an expandable pre-assembled heart valve includes a plastically-expandable annular base having plurality of upstanding commissure posts. A tubular flexible member including a prosthetic section and a fabric section is provided, with the prosthetic section being connected to the commissure posts and defining leaflets therebetween, and the fabric section being attached to the annular base. In a second embodiment, an expandable heart valve includes an annular tissue-engaging base and a subassembly having an elastic wireform and a plurality of leaflets connected thereto. The annular base and subassembly are separately stored and connected just prior to delivery to the host annulus. Preferably, the leaflet subassembly is stored in its relaxed configuration to avoid deformation of the leaflets. The expandable heart valves may be implanted using a balloon catheter.