Supported bioprosthetic heart valve with compliant orifice ring
First Claim
1. A supported bioprosthetic heart valve comprising a stent and a valvular graft secured thereto, said stent having an annular frame consisting essentially of a single piece of preformed spring wire, said wire frame being formed to define a triad of axially-projecting circumferentially-spaced commissure supports, each commissure support being of inverted U-shaped configuration having wire legs spaced substantially apart and merging smoothly at their lower ends with arcuate connecting portions extending circumferentially between and joining the legs of adjacent commissure supports, each of said arcuate connecting portions having a major part of the length thereof extending along a plane normal to the axis of said valve.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A supported bioprosthetic heart valve in which the supporting stent is capable of annular deformation and also of limited perimetric expansion and contraction during heart operation. The stent includes a wire frame composed of a single flexible wire preformed to define inverted U-shaped commissure supports merging smoothly with arcuate portions connecting such supports.
1180 Citations
29 Claims
- 1. A supported bioprosthetic heart valve comprising a stent and a valvular graft secured thereto, said stent having an annular frame consisting essentially of a single piece of preformed spring wire, said wire frame being formed to define a triad of axially-projecting circumferentially-spaced commissure supports, each commissure support being of inverted U-shaped configuration having wire legs spaced substantially apart and merging smoothly at their lower ends with arcuate connecting portions extending circumferentially between and joining the legs of adjacent commissure supports, each of said arcuate connecting portions having a major part of the length thereof extending along a plane normal to the axis of said valve.
- 3. A supported bioprosthetic heart valve comprising a stent and a valvular graft secured thereto, said stent having an annular frame consisting essentially of a single piece of preformed spring wire, said wire frame being formed to define a triad of axially-projecting circumferentially-spaced commissure supports, each commissure support being of inverted U-shaped configuration having wire legs meging smoothly at their lower ends with arcuate connecting portions extending circumferentially between and joining the legs of adjacent commissure supports, said stent including insert elements extending between said commissure supports and having upper margins disposed above said connecting portions of said frame.
- 14. A supported bioprosthetic heart valve comprising a stent and a valvular graft secured thereto, said stent having an annular frame consisting essentially of a single piece of preformed spring wire, said wire frame being formed to define a triad of axially-projecting circumferentially-spaced commissure supports, each commissure support being of inverted U-shaped configuration having wire legs merging smoothly at their lower ends with arcuate connecting portions extending circumferentially between and joining the legs of adjacent commissure supports, said wire of said frame having end portions joined together at a point intermediate the length of one of said arcuate connecting portions, said end portion being joined together by a tubular sleeve extending over and joined to both of said end portions.
- 16. A flexible stent for supporting a valvular graft, said stent having an annular frame formed of spring wire, said frame including a triad of axially-projecting circumferentially-spaced commissure supports, each commissure support being of inverted U-shaped configuration having wire legs normally spaced substantially apart, the lower end portions of said legs merging smoothly with arcuate connecting segments of said frame extending circumferentially between and joining the adjacent legs of adjoining commissure supports, said U-shaped commissure supports and said connecting segments being formed integrally from the same piece of spring wire, each of said arcuate connecting segments having a major portion of the length thereof extending along a plane normal to the axis of said stent.
- 18. A flexible stent for supporting a valvular graft, said stent having an annular frame formed of spring wire, said frame including a triad of axially-projecting circumferentially-spaced commissure supports, each commissure support being of inverted U-shaped configuration having wire legs normally spaced apart at their lower end portions, said lower end portions of said legs merging smoothly with arcuate connecting segments of said frame extending circumferentially between and joining the adjacent legs of adjoining commissure supports, said U-shaped commissure supports and said connecting segments being formed integrally from the same piece of spring wire, and insert elements extending between said commissure supports, said insert elements being flexible and having upper margins disposed above said connecting segments of said frame.
- 28. A flexible stent for supporting a valvular graft, said stent having an annular frame formed of spring wire, said frame including a triad of axially-projecting circumferentially-spaced commissure supports, each commissure support being of inverted U-shaped configuration having wire legs normally spaced apart at their lower end portions, said lower end portions of said legs merging smoothly with arcuate connecting segments of said frame extending circumferentially between and joining the adjacent legs of adjoining commissure supports, said U-shaped commissure supports and said connecting segments being formed integrally from the same piece of spring wire, said wire of said frame having end portions joined together at a point intermediate the length of one of said arcuate connecting segments, said end portions being joined together by a tubular sleeve extending over and joined to both of said end portions.
Specification