Flexible heart valve leaflets with concave free edges
First Claim
1. A tissue-type heart valve adapted to have reduced stress risers in the leaflets, comprising:
- three leaflets each having arcuate cusp edges on their inflow ends, free edges on the outflow ends, and two side tabs, the free edges extending between the side tabs in a concave fashion.
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Abstract
A flexible prosthetic tissue-type heart valve having commissures that are substantially decoupled from a cusp support structure. The valve includes three leaflets having arcuate cusp edges and opposed concave shaped free edges, with outwardly-directed attachment tabs therebetween. A cusp support structure in either one or more pieces attaches to the leaflet cusp edges. Three commissures are each formed partly with an axially-extending insert member to which two adjacent leaflet tabs attach. An inverted V-shaped clip maintains close contact between the adjacent leaflet tabs and provides a stress-relieving clamping action in conjunction with the insert member. The insert member attaches about its lower end to base sections of the cusp support structure, or to an intermediate sewing ring, so that the commissures may pivot about the cusp support structure. The sewing band is scalloped and enables attachment of the valve along the scalloped aortic root so as to couple the valve to the natural motion of the aorta. Increased vibrational damping results from this biomechanical coupling.
107 Citations
6 Claims
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1. A tissue-type heart valve adapted to have reduced stress risers in the leaflets, comprising:
three leaflets each having arcuate cusp edges on their inflow ends, free edges on the outflow ends, and two side tabs, the free edges extending between the side tabs in a concave fashion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
Specification