ALEXANDRIA, Va., June 25 -- United States Patent no. 12,336,908, issued on June 24, was assigned to EDWARDS LIFESCIENCES Corp. (Irvine, Calif.).
"Pre-constricted prosthetic heart valves" was invented by Louis A. Campbell (Santa Ana, Calif.) and Andrew Phung (Brea, Calif.).
According to the abstract* released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "An improved holder and storage system for prosthetic heart valves that pre-shields or pre-constricts the commissure posts of the valve to prevent suture looping. Pre-shielding and pre-constriction mean at the time of manufacture, so that the valves are stored with the commissure posts shielded and/or constricted. The holders may have solid legs that directly contact and constrict and hold the co...