ANNULOPLASTY RING WITH DIRECTIONAL FLEXIBILITIES AND RIGIDITIES TO ASSIST THE MITRAL ANNULUS DYNAMICS

摘要

A prosthetic ring (1) with directional flexibilities and rigidities for use in minimally invasive or standard mitral valve repair includes an anterior segment, a posterior segment, a left lateral segment, and a right lateral segment. The anterior and posterior segments each have an arch, and the arch of the posterior segment is more pronounced than the arch of the anterior segment. The prosthetic ring is formed in a continuous D shape, with an inner body that generally comprises a flexible or semi-flexible material, such as polyethylene or nitinol or other biocompatible material. The inner core, when made of a plastic material, may be reinforced by arched strips of nitinol in the anterior and posterior segments. The lateral segments are thin and fully flexible to allow passive deformation that follows the normal physiological dynamics of the native annulus during the cardiac cycle. The ring is provided with slits (45) providing flexibility.