Leaflet attachment frame for a prosthetic valve
First Claim
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1. An implantable prosthetic valve, comprising:
- a radially collapsible and expandable annular frame comprising a plurality of struts and having an upper end and a lower end, wherein the struts are arranged to form a plurality of circumferentially extending rows of closed cells, including an uppermost row of closed cells defining the upper end of the frame; and
a leaflet structure positioned within the frame, the leaflet structure comprising a plurality of leaflets each comprising two opposing leaflet side portions, each leaflet side portion being paired with an adjacent leaflet side portion of an adjacent leaflet to form commissures of the leaflet structure;
wherein the frame comprises a pair of vertical posts adjacent each of the commissures, the vertical posts of each pair being parallel to each other and spaced apart from each other so as to define an opening therebetween, wherein the vertical posts of each pair are connected to each other at their upper ends, and wherein the pairs of vertical posts have respective lower ends that are axially spaced from the lower end of the frame;
wherein the pairs of vertical posts are positioned axially along the frame entirely within the uppermost row of closed cells, and the pairs of vertical posts are circumferentially spaced apart from each other by a plurality of closed cells of the uppermost row of closed cells;
wherein the uppermost row of closed cells is formed partly by an uppermost, circumferentially extending row of angled struts of the frame interconnecting adjacent pairs of vertical posts, wherein the angled struts of the uppermost row of angled struts are connected to each other at their upper ends by U-shaped connection portions, and wherein each U-shaped connection portion forms a gap between adjacent upper ends of a corresponding pair of angled struts;
wherein each pair of leaflet side portions extends radially outwardly through the opening of a respective pair of vertical posts, with one of the leaflet side portions wrapping around at least a portion of one of the vertical posts at a location outside of the frame and the other leaflet side portion wrapping around at least a portion of the other vertical post at a location outside of the frame; and
wherein each commissure comprises a cloth portion positioned radially outward of the frame at each pair of vertical posts and radially outward of the leaflet side portions that are wrapped around the vertical posts, the cloth portion also being sutured to the leaflet side portions that are wrapped around the vertical posts.
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Abstract
An implantable prosthetic valve has an upper frame section and a lower frame section. The upper frame section has a plurality of struts and a first leaflet receiving surface at a lower portion of the upper frame section. The lower frame section has a second leaflet receiving surface at an upper portion of the lower frame section. An edge of a flexible leaflet is disposed between the first and second leaflet receiving surfaces to attach the leaflet to the upper and lower frame sections.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. An implantable prosthetic valve, comprising:
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a radially collapsible and expandable annular frame comprising a plurality of struts and having an upper end and a lower end, wherein the struts are arranged to form a plurality of circumferentially extending rows of closed cells, including an uppermost row of closed cells defining the upper end of the frame; and a leaflet structure positioned within the frame, the leaflet structure comprising a plurality of leaflets each comprising two opposing leaflet side portions, each leaflet side portion being paired with an adjacent leaflet side portion of an adjacent leaflet to form commissures of the leaflet structure; wherein the frame comprises a pair of vertical posts adjacent each of the commissures, the vertical posts of each pair being parallel to each other and spaced apart from each other so as to define an opening therebetween, wherein the vertical posts of each pair are connected to each other at their upper ends, and wherein the pairs of vertical posts have respective lower ends that are axially spaced from the lower end of the frame; wherein the pairs of vertical posts are positioned axially along the frame entirely within the uppermost row of closed cells, and the pairs of vertical posts are circumferentially spaced apart from each other by a plurality of closed cells of the uppermost row of closed cells; wherein the uppermost row of closed cells is formed partly by an uppermost, circumferentially extending row of angled struts of the frame interconnecting adjacent pairs of vertical posts, wherein the angled struts of the uppermost row of angled struts are connected to each other at their upper ends by U-shaped connection portions, and wherein each U-shaped connection portion forms a gap between adjacent upper ends of a corresponding pair of angled struts; wherein each pair of leaflet side portions extends radially outwardly through the opening of a respective pair of vertical posts, with one of the leaflet side portions wrapping around at least a portion of one of the vertical posts at a location outside of the frame and the other leaflet side portion wrapping around at least a portion of the other vertical post at a location outside of the frame; and wherein each commissure comprises a cloth portion positioned radially outward of the frame at each pair of vertical posts and radially outward of the leaflet side portions that are wrapped around the vertical posts, the cloth portion also being sutured to the leaflet side portions that are wrapped around the vertical posts. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of assembling an implantable prosthetic valve comprising:
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providing a radially collapsible and expandable annular frame comprising a plurality of struts and having an upper end and a lower end, wherein the struts are arranged to form a plurality of circumferentially extending rows of closed cells, including an uppermost row of closed cells defining the upper end of the frame, the frame comprising a plurality of circumferentially spaced pairs of vertical posts, the vertical posts of each pair being parallel to each other and spaced apart from each other so as to define an opening therebetween, wherein the vertical posts of each pair are connected to each other at their upper ends, wherein the pairs of vertical posts have respective lower ends that are axially spaced from the lower end of the frame, wherein the pairs of vertical posts are positioned axially along the frame entirely within the uppermost row of closed cells and the pairs of vertical posts are circumferentially spaced apart from each other by a plurality of closed cells of the uppermost row of closed cells, wherein the uppermost row of closed cells is formed partly by an uppermost, circumferentially extending row of angled struts of the frame interconnecting adjacent pairs of vertical posts, wherein the angled struts of the uppermost, circumferentially extending row of angled struts are connected to each other at their upper ends by U-shaped connection portions, wherein each U-shaped connection portion forms a gap between adjacent upper ends of a corresponding pair of angled struts; providing a leaflet structure comprising a plurality of leaflets each comprising two opposing leaflet side portions; inserting a pair of adjacent leaflet side portions through the opening of each pair of vertical posts in a radially outward direction; wrapping one leaflet side portion of each pair of adjacent leaflet side portions at least partially around one of the vertical posts and wrapping the other leaflet side portion of each pair of adjacent leaflet side portions at least partially around the other vertical post; and suturing a cloth portion to each pair of adjacent leaflet side portions at a location outside of the frame and radially outward of the adjacent leaflet side portions that are wrapped around the vertical posts. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An implantable prosthetic valve, comprising:
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a radially collapsible and expandable annular frame comprising a plurality of struts and having an upper end and a lower end, wherein the struts are arranged to form a plurality of circumferentially extending rows of closed cells, including an uppermost row of closed cells defining the upper end of the frame; and a leaflet structure positioned within the frame, the leaflet structure comprising a plurality of leaflets each comprising two opposing leaflet side portions, each leaflet side portion being paired with an adjacent leaflet side portion of an adjacent leaflet to form commissures of the leaflet structure; wherein the frame comprises a pair of vertical posts adjacent each of the commissures, the vertical posts of each pair being parallel to each other and spaced apart from each other so as to define an opening therebetween, wherein the vertical posts of each pair are connected to each other at their upper ends, wherein the pairs of vertical posts have respective lower ends that are axially spaced from the lower end of the frame; wherein the pairs of vertical posts are positioned axially along the frame entirely within the uppermost row of closed cells and the pairs of vertical posts are circumferentially spaced apart from each other by a plurality of closed cells of the uppermost row of closed cells; wherein the uppermost row of closed cells is formed partly by an uppermost, circumferentially extending row of angled struts of the frame interconnecting adjacent pairs of vertical posts, wherein the angled struts of the uppermost, circumferentially extending row of angled struts are connected to each other at their upper ends by U-shaped connection portions, wherein each U-shaped connection portion comprises two vertical portions and a lateral portion extending between the two vertical portions, wherein the vertical portions are parallel to a central longitudinal axis of the prosthetic valve, wherein the lateral portion extends between and interconnects upper ends of the vertical portions, and wherein the vertical portions are spaced apart from each other to define a gap between the upper ends of a corresponding pair of adjacent angled struts; and wherein each pair of leaflet side portions extends radially outwardly through the opening of a respective pair of vertical posts and are secured to the vertical posts outside of the frame. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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Specification