Prosthetic aortic heart valves
First Claim
1. A prosthetic aortic valve, comprising:
- an annular stent frame including (1) an annulus inflow portion configured for disposition, in use, adjacent a patient'"'"'s native aortic valve annulus, (2) an aortic outflow portion configured for disposition, in use, in the patient'"'"'s native aorta downstream from at least a portion of the patient'"'"'s native valsalva sinus, and (3) a plurality of connecting struts connecting the annulus inflow portion to the aortic outflow portion, each of the connecting struts, in use, having a shape that is bulged radially outwardly into the sinus of valsalva between the annulus inflow portion and the aortic outflow portion, the annulus inflow portion defining a plurality of commissure tips that are spaced from one another in an annular direction around the annulus inflow portion, each of the commissure tips having a free end, the free ends being features of the annulus inflow portion that are closest to the aortic outflow portion, each of the connecting struts being connected to the annulus inflow portion only at points that are farther from the aortic outflow portion than each of the commissure tips, each of the commissure tips having;
a pair of the connecting struts associated with the commissure tip including a first connecting strut disposed on one side of the commissure tip in the annular direction and a second connecting strut disposed on another side of the commissure tip in the annular direction, so that the first connecting strut and the second connecting strut are spaced apart from one another by a distance in the annular direction that is less than the distance in the annular direction between the first connecting strut and a next adjacent connecting strut not in the pair and the second connecting strut is not between the first connecting strut and the next adjacent connecting strut, each of the distances being measured at the free end of each of the commissure tips; and
a plurality of valve leaflets supported by the annulus inflow portion.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A prosthetic aortic valve includes an annular, annulus inflow portion that is designed to reside in or near the patient'"'"'s native aortic valve annulus, and an annular, aortic outflow portion that is designed to reside in the patient'"'"'s aorta downstream from at least a portion of the valsalva sinus. The annulus inflow portion and the aortic outflow portion are connected to one another by a plurality of connecting struts that are confined to regions near the commissures of the patient'"'"'s native aortic valve. The connecting struts are designed to bulge out into the valsalva sinus to help anchor the prosthetic valve in place. The valve is circumferentially collapsible to a relatively small diameter for less-invasive delivery into the patient. The valve circumferentially expands to a larger operational diameter when deployed at the implant site.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A prosthetic aortic valve, comprising:
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an annular stent frame including (1) an annulus inflow portion configured for disposition, in use, adjacent a patient'"'"'s native aortic valve annulus, (2) an aortic outflow portion configured for disposition, in use, in the patient'"'"'s native aorta downstream from at least a portion of the patient'"'"'s native valsalva sinus, and (3) a plurality of connecting struts connecting the annulus inflow portion to the aortic outflow portion, each of the connecting struts, in use, having a shape that is bulged radially outwardly into the sinus of valsalva between the annulus inflow portion and the aortic outflow portion, the annulus inflow portion defining a plurality of commissure tips that are spaced from one another in an annular direction around the annulus inflow portion, each of the commissure tips having a free end, the free ends being features of the annulus inflow portion that are closest to the aortic outflow portion, each of the connecting struts being connected to the annulus inflow portion only at points that are farther from the aortic outflow portion than each of the commissure tips, each of the commissure tips having; a pair of the connecting struts associated with the commissure tip including a first connecting strut disposed on one side of the commissure tip in the annular direction and a second connecting strut disposed on another side of the commissure tip in the annular direction, so that the first connecting strut and the second connecting strut are spaced apart from one another by a distance in the annular direction that is less than the distance in the annular direction between the first connecting strut and a next adjacent connecting strut not in the pair and the second connecting strut is not between the first connecting strut and the next adjacent connecting strut, each of the distances being measured at the free end of each of the commissure tips; and a plurality of valve leaflets supported by the annulus inflow portion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification