SUTURELESS HEART VALVE ATTACHMENT
First Claim
1. A non-expandable prosthetic heart valve for implantation at a heart valve annulus, comprising:
- a non-expandable heart valve frame defining an orifice around an axis;
a valve member including at least one leaflet mounted to the frame and extending within the orifice, wherein the valve member permits blood flow in one axial direction through the orifice and occlude flow in the opposite direction; and
two axially spaced-apart flanges each surrounding the frame each at least partly made of a material that increases in size due to absorption of body fluids, wherein the flanges are configured with sufficient mechanical strength to provide the primary means for anchoring the prosthetic heart valve to the annulus.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A prosthetic heart valve having spaced apart anchoring flanges that change shape when the valve is implanted and contact the surrounding annulus to prevent migration of the valve. The heart valve may be non-expandable and the anchoring flanges may provide the primary anchoring structure of the valve. Alternatively, the valve may be expandable wherein the anchoring flanges supplement the inherent anchoring capacity of the valve structure. The anchoring flanges are at least partly made of a material that increases in size, i.e., swells, due to absorption of body fluids. For instance, the anchoring flanges may be formed of an inner material that swells upon contact with body fluids enclosed by a cover. The anchoring flanges may be provided on an anchoring sleeve that changes shape to provide the spaced apart annular flanges for securing the valve around a fibrous annulus. An anchoring sleeve for a prosthetic heart valve having an expandable frame surrounds a majority of the frame and may define an external hourglass configuration.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A non-expandable prosthetic heart valve for implantation at a heart valve annulus, comprising:
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a non-expandable heart valve frame defining an orifice around an axis; a valve member including at least one leaflet mounted to the frame and extending within the orifice, wherein the valve member permits blood flow in one axial direction through the orifice and occlude flow in the opposite direction; and two axially spaced-apart flanges each surrounding the frame each at least partly made of a material that increases in size due to absorption of body fluids, wherein the flanges are configured with sufficient mechanical strength to provide the primary means for anchoring the prosthetic heart valve to the annulus. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An expandable prosthetic heart valve for implantation at a heart valve annulus, comprising:
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an expandable heart valve frame defining an orifice around an axis, the frame being convertible between a first compressed state and a second expanded state sized to contact a heart valve annulus; a valve member including at least one leaflet mounted to the frame and extending within the orifice, wherein the valve member permits blood flow in one axial direction through the orifice and occludes flow in the opposite direction when the frame is in its second, expanded state; and a pair of axially spaced apart annular flanges surrounding the frame each at least partly made of a material that increases in size due to absorption of body fluids, wherein the flanges are configured with sufficient mechanical strength to assist the frame in anchoring the prosthetic heart valve to the annulus. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of anchoring a prosthetic heart valve to a heart valve annulus, comprising:
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providing a prosthetic heart valve including a heart valve frame defining an orifice and a one-way valve member mounted to the frame and extending within the orifice, the prosthetic heart valve further including a pair of axially spaced ribs surrounding the frame each at least partly made of a material that increases in size due to absorption of body fluids and being configured with sufficient mechanical strength to assist the frame in anchoring the prosthetic heart valve to the annulus; and delivering the prosthetic heart valve to a heart valve annulus and maintaining a desired position of the prosthetic heart valve long enough for the anchoring sleeve to increase in size from absorption of body fluids and anchor the prosthetic heart valve to the annulus. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification