Prosthetic heart valve
First Claim
1. A stentless prosthetic heart valve, comprising:
- a first thin, flexible leaflet and a second thin, flexible leaflet, each of the leaflets having an inner face, an outer face, an in-flow edge, an out-flow edge, side edges, and a plurality of tab portions, the plurality of leaflets being sewn directly together along at least a portion of their side edges so as to form a substantially tubular valve structure having an in-flow end and an out-flow end, adjacent leaflets being arranged so that their side edges are substantially aligned and the inner faces of the leaflets engage each other adjacent the side edges, and a width of the in-flow edge of the first leaflet is greater than a width of the out-flow edge of the second leaflet,wherein the valve structure is movable between a closed position in which the out-flow edges of adjacent leaflets engage each other, and an open position in which the out-flow edges of adjacent leaflets are separated from each other except along the side edges, the sewn portions of the side edges of the leaflets biasing the leaflets toward a partially closed position.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A tubular prosthetic semilunar or atrioventricular heart valve is formed by cutting flat, flexible leaflets according to a pattern. The valve is constructed by aligning the side edges of adjacent leaflets so that the leaflet inner faces engage each other, and then suturing the leaflets together with successive stitches along a fold line adjacent the side edges. The stitches are placed successively from a proximal in-flow end of each leaflet toward a distal out-flow end. During operation, when the leaflets open and close, the leaflets fold along the fold line. Distal tabs extend beyond the distal end of each leaflet. The successive stitches terminate proximal of the distal tab portion so that no locked stitches are placed along the distal portion of the fold line. The tab portions of adjacent leaflets are folded over each other and sewn together to form commissural attachment tabs. The commissural tabs provide commissural attachment points to accommodate sutures and the like in order to secure the tab to a vessel wall, if a semilunar valve, and papillary muscles and/or chordae tendineae if an atrioventricular valve.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. A stentless prosthetic heart valve, comprising:
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a first thin, flexible leaflet and a second thin, flexible leaflet, each of the leaflets having an inner face, an outer face, an in-flow edge, an out-flow edge, side edges, and a plurality of tab portions, the plurality of leaflets being sewn directly together along at least a portion of their side edges so as to form a substantially tubular valve structure having an in-flow end and an out-flow end, adjacent leaflets being arranged so that their side edges are substantially aligned and the inner faces of the leaflets engage each other adjacent the side edges, and a width of the in-flow edge of the first leaflet is greater than a width of the out-flow edge of the second leaflet, wherein the valve structure is movable between a closed position in which the out-flow edges of adjacent leaflets engage each other, and an open position in which the out-flow edges of adjacent leaflets are separated from each other except along the side edges, the sewn portions of the side edges of the leaflets biasing the leaflets toward a partially closed position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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Specification