Prosthetic heart valve with slit stent

• US 20020173842A1
• Filed: 05/17/2001
• Published: 11/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: St Jude Medical Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: St Jude Medical Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Buchanan, Eric S.
• Granted Patent: US 6,936,067 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/2.14
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2409 Support rings therefor, e.g. for connecting valves to tissue annuloplasty rings A61F2/2442
• 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

Abstract

A valve prosthesis includes a plurality of flexible leaflets and a stent having a central lumen. A slit in the stent extends from the central lumen to an outer surface. An occluding portion of the flexible leaflets extends across the central lumen and an attachment portion extends from the central lumen through the slit and forms a sewing cuff for attachment to a patient'"'"'s tissue. The attachment portion forms a sewing cuff for attachment to native heart tissue.

Claims

1. A valve prosthesis comprising a plurality of flexible leaflets and a stent having a central lumen, an outer surface and a slit extending from the central lumen to the outer surface, an occluding portion of the flexible leaflets extending across the central lumen, wherein the flexible leaflets are supported by the stent and an attachment portion of a flexible leaflet extends from the central lumen through the slit proximate to the outer surface.

2. The valve prosthesis of claim 1 wherein the plurality of flexible leaflets comprises three leaflets.

3. The valve prosthesis of claim 1 wherein the flexible leaflets comprise tissue.

4. The valve prosthesis of claim 1 wherein the flexible leaflets comprise crosslinked tissue.

5. The valve prosthesis of claim 1 wherein the flexible leaflets comprise a polymer.

6. The valve prosthesis of claim 1 wherein the stent comprises a polyacetal.

7. The valve prosthesis of claim 1 wherein the stent comprises a polymer.

8. The valve prosthesis of claim 1 wherein the stent comprises a metal or metal alloy.

9. The valve prosthesis of claim 1 wherein the stent has a plurality of commissure posts connected by scallops.

10. The valve prosthesis of claim 9 wherein the slit extends at least about 95 percent of the distance along a scallop between two adjacent commissure posts.

11. The valve prosthesis of claim 1 further comprising a sewing cuff around at least a portion of the circumference of the valve.

12. The valve prosthesis of claim 1 wherein the attachment portion of the leaflet extending through the slit on the outer portion of the stent is folded on itself and secured to itself to thereby form a suture cuff.

13. The valve prosthesis of claim 1 wherein the attachment portion of the leaflet extending through the slit is wound around a core to thereby form a suture cuff.

14. The valve prosthesis of claim 13 wherein the core comprises a polymer.

15. The valve prosthesis of claim 13 wherein the core comprises fabric.

16. The valve prosthesis of claim 13 wherein the core comprises silicone.

17. The valve prosthesis of claim 1 wherein the attachment portion of the leaflet is configured to attach to a tissue annulus of the heart and distribute stress during valve operation to the aortic wall.

18. The valve prosthesis of claim 1 wherein the stent provides support to the leaflets during implantation.

20. The method of claim 19 including securing of the attachment portion of the flexible leaflets by rolling the leaflet portion on itself.

21. The method of claim 19 including securing of the attachment portion of the flexible leaflets by rolling the leaflet portion around a core.

22. The method of claim 19 including securing of the attachment portion of the flexible leaflets by suturing the attachment portion.

23. The method of claim 19 including securing of the attachment portion of flexible leaflet by applying adhesive to the attachment portion.

24. The method of claim 19 including securing of the attachment portion of flexible leaflet by applying staples to the attachment portion.

25. The method of claim 19 wherein the plurality of leaflets comprise tissue.

26. The method of claim 19 wherein the plurality of leaflets comprise synthetic polymer.

27. A valve prosthesis made in accordance with the method of claim 19.

19. A method for assembling a valve prosthesis comprising a plurality of flexible leaflets and a stent having a central lumen, an outer surface and a slit extending from the central lumen to the outer surface, the method comprising sliding the flexible leaflet through the slit to position an attachment portion of the flexible leaflet on an outer surface and a valve portion of the leaflet in the central lumen.

28. A valve prosthesis comprising:

a stent having a central lumen and an outer surface;

leaflet means for blocking blood flow in one direction through the stent; and

attachment means formed from the leaflet means for attaching the leaflet means to a native tissue annulus of a heart.