Importance

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Abstract

This invention relates to an implant, implant tools, and an implant technique for the interposition of an extracardiac conduit between the left ventricle of a beating heart and the aorta to form an alternative one-way blood pathway thereby bypassing the native diseased aortic valve. The implant consists of a hollow conduit having a first end opening, a second end opening, and a one-way valve located between the end openings. The valve is biased to allow one-way flow from the second end opening to the first end opening. A first slit opening is located between the first end opening and the valve and a second slit opening is located between the second end opening and the heart valve. The implant tools consist of a vessel wall cutting tool and a heart wall piercing and dilating tool. The vessel wall cutting tool is sized to closely fit through the implant's first slit opening and the first end opening. The heart wall piercing and dilating tool is sized to closely fit through the implant's second slit opening and the second end opening. The implant technique allows the surgeon to safely connect the implant between a heart chamber and a blood vessel without stopping the heart or impeding flow in the blood vessel.

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First Claim