Methods of delivery of flexible heart valves
First Claim
1. A method of implanting a flexible prosthetic heart valve, comprising:
- radially compressing a prosthetic heart valve to a compressed configuration, wherein the prosthetic heart valve comprises a valve portion formed by a self-expanding leaflet-supporting structure and flexible leaflets supported thereby and a plastically-expandable stent portion connected to and extending from an inflow end of the leaflet-supporting structure, the stent portion being configured to anchor the prosthetic heart valve to a patient'"'"'s native valve annulus;
delivering the compressed prosthetic heart valve to or near a patient'"'"'s native valve annulus;
positioning the leaflet-supporting structure of the prosthetic heart valve on a first side of a patient'"'"'s native valve annulus and the stent portion on a second side opposite the first side; and
expanding the prosthetic heart valve to an expanded configuration, wherein in the compressed configuration at least an inflow portion of the leaflet-supporting structure is positioned within a lumen of the stent portion, and in the expanded configuration the inflow portion of the leaflet-supporting structure is positioned externally to the lumen of the stent portion so as to rest on the first side of the annulus and present an impediment to the valve migrating through the annulus in a first direction, and wherein the stent portion expands into contact with the second side of the annulus and presents an impediment to the valve migrating through the annulus in a second direction opposite the first direction.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A prosthetic heart valve can include a valve frame having a wireform portion and a stent portion. The wireform and stent portions can be undetachably coupled together via a plurality of upright struts so as to form a one-piece prosthetic heart valve frame. Alternatively, a self-expanding wireform portion and a balloon-expandable stent portion can be coupled together via one or more leaflets and a subassembly having a flexible leaflet support stent and a sealing ring. The wireform portion can include cusps and commissures configured to support a plurality of leaflets. The prosthetic valve can be radially collapsible for minimally invasive and/or transcatheter delivery techniques. Disclosed embodiments can also provide flexion of the wireform portion (e.g., of the commissures) in response to physiologic pulsatile loading when the valve is implanted in a patient'"'"'s native valve annulus. Methods of making and using prosthetic heart valves are also disclosed.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of implanting a flexible prosthetic heart valve, comprising:
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radially compressing a prosthetic heart valve to a compressed configuration, wherein the prosthetic heart valve comprises a valve portion formed by a self-expanding leaflet-supporting structure and flexible leaflets supported thereby and a plastically-expandable stent portion connected to and extending from an inflow end of the leaflet-supporting structure, the stent portion being configured to anchor the prosthetic heart valve to a patient'"'"'s native valve annulus; delivering the compressed prosthetic heart valve to or near a patient'"'"'s native valve annulus; positioning the leaflet-supporting structure of the prosthetic heart valve on a first side of a patient'"'"'s native valve annulus and the stent portion on a second side opposite the first side; and expanding the prosthetic heart valve to an expanded configuration, wherein in the compressed configuration at least an inflow portion of the leaflet-supporting structure is positioned within a lumen of the stent portion, and in the expanded configuration the inflow portion of the leaflet-supporting structure is positioned externally to the lumen of the stent portion so as to rest on the first side of the annulus and present an impediment to the valve migrating through the annulus in a first direction, and wherein the stent portion expands into contact with the second side of the annulus and presents an impediment to the valve migrating through the annulus in a second direction opposite the first direction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of implanting a flexible prosthetic heart valve, comprising:
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radially compressing a prosthetic heart valve to a compressed configuration, wherein the prosthetic heart valve comprises a plastically-deformable stent portion on an inflow end configured to anchor the prosthetic heart valve to a patient'"'"'s native valve annulus and a self-expanding leaflet-supporting structure on an outflow end and flexible leaflets supported thereby, the stent portion and leaflet-supporting structure being connected in series, and the stent portion has sufficient rigidity to maintain the inflow end of the leaflet-supporting structure in its compressed configuration while an outflow end of the leaflet-supporting structure is held in a compressed configuration by an external restraint, wherein the leaflet-supporting structure includes a wireform having alternating arcuate cusps on an inflow end thereof and upstanding commissures projecting toward an outflow end thereof together defining an undulating structure, and wherein the flexible leaflets attach along the undulating structure of the wireform, and wherein when compressed the cusps of the wireform are positioned within the lumen of the stent portion, and when expanded the cusps of the wireform are positioned externally to the lumen of the stent portion; delivering the compressed prosthetic heart valve to a patient'"'"'s native valve annulus; positioning the leaflet-supporting structure of the prosthetic heart valve on a first side of a patient'"'"'s native valve annulus and the stent portion on a second side opposite the first side; plastically expanding the stent portion outward into contact with surrounding anatomical structure; and removing the external restraint to permit the outflow end of the leaflet-supporting structure to self-expand outward into contact with surrounding anatomical structure. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification