ROBERT W FRATER, MD
Radiology at Blondell Ave, Bronx, NY

2004022, Nov 11, 2004

May 9, 2003

10/434879

Robert Frater - Bronxville NY, US

A61F002/24

623/002140, 623/002110

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. A connecting band may be provided that follows the cusps and commissures and extends outwardly. The valve is connected to the natural tissue along the undulating connecting band using conventional techniques, such as sutures. The connecting band may be a cloth-covered silicon member and attaches to the underside of the valve at the cusps to provide support to the stent and to the outer side of the valve at the commissures. A multi-legged holder is used to implant the valve, with the legs serving to maintain an implant shape to the valve. The holder may have six legs with one releasably connected to each cusp and one releasably connected to each commissure. A method of implantation of the flexible valve using the holder is also disclosed.

7993393, Aug 9, 2011

Sep 10, 2009

12/557404

Alain F. Carpentier - Paris, FR
Stefan G. Schreck - Fallbrook CA, US
Richard S. Rhee - Anaheim Hills CA, US
Hung Ly Lam - Norco CA, US
William J. Recktenwald - Clarence Ctr. NY, US
Robert Frater - Bronxville NY, US

Edwards Lifesciences Corporation - Irvine CA

A61F 2/24

623 214, 623 24

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.

4185636, Jan 29, 1980

Dec 29, 1977

5/865481

Shlomo Gabbay - Bronx NY
Robert Frater - Bronxville NY

Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University - Bronx NY

A61B 1704

128334R

A plurality of organizers each formed with an arcuate support member upon which a selected number of suture holding devices are positioned in spaced relationship one to the other, are each designed to be disposed proximate an area of a body upon which surgery is to be performed to faciliate speedy and orderly control of interrupted sutures and needles utilized during the surgical procedure. Each holding device includes a pair of spaced wall members and a resilient holding member disposed in compression therebetween in such a manner that sutures can be releasably held between the resilient member and the adjacent wall member surface. Additional valuable time for surgical procedures involving insertion of artificial heart valves can be saved by utilizing a heart valve holder having a plurality of circumferentially spaced legs, to which an artificial heart valve can be releasably held by sutures. The legs which depend from an internally threaded holder formed for co-action with a rod slidably positioned in a holding disk which carries spring clips about its circumferential edge for releasable coaction with the sutures utilized to secure the valve in place.