Collapsible prosthetic heart valves
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A prosthetic heart valve comprising:
- an annularly collapsible and re-expandable supporting structure;
a sheet-like, flexible, leaflet mounted inside the supporting structure so that a free edge portion of the leaflet forms a flexible chord across an interior of the supporting structure, material of the leaflet beyond an end of the chord forming a flap that is folded to lie, at least in part, in a cylindrical surface defined by one of the inner and outer surfaces of the supporting structure;
and a sheet-like, flexible, buffer material between the supporting structure and the leaflet.
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Abstract
Prosthetic heart valves, which are collapsible to a relatively small circumferential size for less invasive delivery into a patient and which then re-expand to operating size at an implant site in the patient, include a collapsible/expandable stent-like supporting structure and various components of flexible, sheet-like material that are attached to the supporting structure. For example, these sheet-like other components may include prosthetic valve leaflets, layers of buffering material, cuff material, etc. Improved structures and techniques are provided for securing such other components to the stent-like supporting structure of the valve.
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Citations
35 Claims
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1. A prosthetic heart valve comprising:
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an annularly collapsible and re-expandable supporting structure; a sheet-like, flexible, leaflet mounted inside the supporting structure so that a free edge portion of the leaflet forms a flexible chord across an interior of the supporting structure, material of the leaflet beyond an end of the chord forming a flap that is folded to lie, at least in part, in a cylindrical surface defined by one of the inner and outer surfaces of the supporting structure; and a sheet-like, flexible, buffer material between the supporting structure and the leaflet. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A leaflet structure for a prosthetic heart valve comprising:
- a sheet of flexible leaflet material having a central opening with three sides, each of the sides being shaped to form the free edge of a respective one of three operating leaflet portions of the leaflet structure, the sheet additionally having three secured line portions, each secured line portion being radially outward from a respective, associated one of the free edges, and each secured line portion being arcuate so that it is radially farther from a midpoint of the associated free edge than from endpoints of the associated free edge, wherein the sheet continues radially outwardly beyond at least a portion of at least one of the secured line portions to form a flap.
- View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A prosthetic heart valve comprising:
- an annular, annularly collapsible and re-expandable supporting structure, the supporting structure including a plurality of members disposed in a zig-zag pattern that extends in a direction that is annular of the supporting structure, at least two of the members meeting at an apex that points away from the supporting structure parallel to an axis about which the supporting structure is annular;
a sheet of flexible material secured to the supporting structure; and
a plurality of flexible leaflets disposed inside the supporting structure and at least partly secured to the sheet, wherein the sheet is at least partly secured to the supporting structure via a suture attachment at the apex, and the apex includes an eyelet through which the suture attachment passes, and wherein the apex includes an enlarged head on the end of a reduced neck that extends in the direction in which the apex points, and wherein the suture attachment is wound around the neck.
- an annular, annularly collapsible and re-expandable supporting structure, the supporting structure including a plurality of members disposed in a zig-zag pattern that extends in a direction that is annular of the supporting structure, at least two of the members meeting at an apex that points away from the supporting structure parallel to an axis about which the supporting structure is annular;
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33. A prosthetic heart valve comprising:
- an annular, annularly collapsible and re-expandable supporting structure, the supporting structure including a plurality of members disposed in a zig-zag pattern that extends in a direction that is annular of the supporting structure, at least two of the members meeting at an apex that points away from the supporting structure parallel to an axis about which the supporting structure is annular;
a sheet of flexible material secured to the supporting structure; and
a plurality of flexible leaflets disposed inside the supporting structure and at least partly secured to the sheet, wherein the sheet is at least partly secured to the supporting structure via a suture attachment at the apex, and wherein the apex is shaped to prevent the suture attachment from moving away from the apex in a direction opposite to a direction in which the apex points, wherein the apex comprises a notch that opens in the direction in which the apex points, and wherein the suture attachment is wound around the inside of the apex and the inside of the notch. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35)
- an annular, annularly collapsible and re-expandable supporting structure, the supporting structure including a plurality of members disposed in a zig-zag pattern that extends in a direction that is annular of the supporting structure, at least two of the members meeting at an apex that points away from the supporting structure parallel to an axis about which the supporting structure is annular;
Specification