Low profile transcatheter heart valve

• US 7,993,394 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2009
• Issued: 08/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Edwards Lifesciences Corporation
• Original Assignee: Edwards Lifesciences Corporation
• Inventors: Benichou, Netanel, Nguyen, Son, Khanna, Rajesh, Nitzan, Yaacov, Nguyen-Thien-Nhon, Diana, Levi, Tamir, Pelled, Itai, Hariton, Ilia, Felsen, Bella
• Primary Examiner(s): GHERBI, SUZETTE JAIME J
• Application Number:
  US12/480,603
• Publication Number:
  US 20100036484A1
• Time in Patent Office: 792 Days
• Field of Search: 623 214- 219
• US Class Current: 623/2.17
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2412 with soft flexible valve members, e.g. tissue valves shaped like natural valves check valves with flexible valve members in general F16K15/14
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2418 Scaffolds therefor, e.g. support stents
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2433 using balloon catheter
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2475 Venous valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/95 Instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/9522 Means for mounting a stent or stent-graft onto or into a placement instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0033 made by longitudinally pushing a protrusion into a complementary-shaped recess, e.g. held by friction fit
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/005 using adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0075 sutured, ligatured or stitched, retained or tied with a rope, string, thread, wire or cable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0054 V-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/185 characterised by their outlet element; Mounting arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/025 Water supply lines as such, e.g. shower hoses
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/066 allowing height adjustment of shower head
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49863 with prestressing of part

Abstract

An implantable prosthetic valve, according to one embodiment, comprises a frame, a leaflet structure, and a skirt member. The frame can have a plurality of axial struts interconnected by a plurality of circumferential struts. The leaflet structure comprises a plurality of leaflets (e.g., three leaflets arrange to form a tricuspid valve). The leaflet structure has a scalloped lower edge portion secured to the frame. The skirt member can be disposed between the leaflet structure and the frame.

Claims

1. An implantable prosthetic valve comprising:

a radially collapsible and expandable annular frame, the frame having a plurality of angularly spaced commissure attachment posts;

an annular skirt member positioned inside of and secured to the frame; and

a leaflet structure comprising a plurality of leaflets, the leaflet structure having a scalloped lower edge portion secured to an inner surface of the skirt member, each leaflet having an upper edge, a curved lower edge and two side flaps extending between respective ends of the upper edge and the lower edge, wherein each side flap is secured to an adjacent side flap of another leaflet to form commissures of the leaflet structure, each commissure being attached to one of the commissure attachment posts; and

a reinforcing bar positioned against each side flap for reinforcing the attachments between the commissures and the commissure attachment posts;

wherein the frame comprises a plurality of axial struts and a plurality of rows of circumferential struts extending between and interconnecting the axial struts;

wherein the rows of circumferential struts includes at least a first row of circumferential struts adjacent the inflow end of the valve and a second row of circumferential struts adjacent the outflow end of the valve, wherein the struts of the first row are thicker than the struts of the second row.

2. The prosthetic valve of claim 1, wherein the commissures are attached to the commissure attachment posts with sutures extending through the side flaps, the reinforcing bars and the commissure attachment posts.

3. The prosthetic valve of claim 1, further comprising an elastomeric sleeve disposed on the outside of the frame.

4. The prosthetic valve of claim 1, further comprising an annular elastomeric layer encapsulating at least a portion of the frame.

5. The valve of claim 1, wherein at least one row of circumferential struts includes pairs of circumferential struts extending between two axial struts, the struts of each pair having adjacent ends interconnected by a generally U-shaped crown portion defining a gap between the adjacent ends.

6. The valve of claim 5, wherein an angle between each pair of struts is between about 90 and 110 degrees.

7. The valve of claim 1, wherein the frame comprises a nickel cobalt chromium alloy.

8. The valve of claim 7, wherein the nickel cobalt chromium alloy comprises MP35N.

9. The valve of claim 1, wherein each leaflet has a curved lower edge portion comprising a scallop extending between two commissures, the curved lower edge portions of the leaflets collectively defining the scalloped lower edge portion of the leaflet structure.

10. The valve of claim 9, wherein the lower edge portion of the leaflet structure is secured to the inside of the skirt member.

11. The valve of claim 10, further comprising a reinforcing strip, separate from the skirt member, that is secured to an inner surface of the lower edge portion of the leaflet structure.