Mitral valve prosthesis

A heart valve prosthesis delivery system comprising:

• a heart valve prosthesis comprising an upper support having a D-shaped ring component, a lower support separate from the upper support, a flexible connector coupling the upper support to the lower support, and a valve component coupled to the lower support via a coupler component having a first end portion attached to the lower support and a second end portion attached to the valve component, the coupler component providing a range of free relative movement between the valve component and the lower support, the upper support being configured to be positioned adjacent to a native valve structure of a patient, the lower support being configured to engage the native valve structure from a ventricular side, the valve component being radially expandable within the lower support to abut the native valve structure wherein the range of free relative movement includes (i) a range of free relative rotation between the valve component and the lower support, and (ii) a range of free relative longitudinal displacement between the valve component and the lower support;
• and
• a delivery device comprising a core member, a first sheath coupled to the core member, and a second sheath extending over the core member, proximal to the first sheath,
• wherein the delivery device can maintain the valve prosthesis in a collapsed configuration with the first sheath enclosing at least a portion of the valve component and the second sheath enclosing at least a portion of the upper and lower supports, and
• wherein the first and second sheath are movable to expose the upper and lower supports to anchor the valve prosthesis within the patient and thereafter release the valve component within the lower support.

A heart valve prosthesis comprising:

• an upper support, configured to be positioned adjacent to a native valve structure of a patient, comprising a D-shaped ring component having an anterior portion and a posterior portion;
• a lower support, separate from the upper support, configured to engage the native valve structure from a ventricular side, comprising at least two engagement members, the upper support and the lower support collectively forming an anchoring element;
• a flexible connector comprising an upper end portion coupled to the upper support and a lower end portion coupled to the lower support;
• a valve component comprising an outer surface and a central orifice, the valve component being disposable intermediate the upper and lower supports, the valve component being radially expandable within the lower support to abut the native valve structure and to permit one-way flow therethrough along a central axis of the prosthesis upon expansion of the valve component;
• and
• a coupler component having a first end portion attached to the anchoring element and a second end portion attached to the valve component, the coupler component providing a range of free relative movement between the valve component and the anchoring element, wherein the coupler component comprises a suture having a fixed length between the first end portion and the second end portion that determines the range of free relative movement and permits the valve component and the anchoring element to be longitudinally displaced from each other when interconnected.

A heart valve prosthesis comprising:

• an upper support, configured to be positioned adjacent to a native valve structure of a patient, comprising a D-shaped ring component having an anterior portion and a posterior portion;
• a lower support, separate from the upper support, configured to engage the native valve structure from a ventricular side, comprising at least two engagement members, the upper support and the lower support collectively forming an anchoring element;
• a flexible connector comprising an upper end portion coupled to the upper support and a lower end portion coupled to the lower support;
• a valve component comprising an outer surface and a central orifice, the valve component being disposable intermediate the upper and lower supports, the valve component being radially expandable within the lower support to abut the native valve structure and to permit one-way flow therethrough along a central axis of the prosthesis upon expansion of the valve component;
• and
• a coupler component having a first end portion attached to the anchoring element and a second end portion attached to the valve component, the coupler component providing a range of free relative movement between the valve component and the anchoring element, wherein the coupler component comprises a tubular fabric sheet having a fixed length between the first end portion and the second end portion that determines the range of free relative movement and permits the valve component and the anchoring element to be longitudinally displaced from each other when interconnected.

A heart valve prosthesis comprising:

• an upper support, configured to be positioned adjacent to a native valve structure of a patient, comprising a D-shaped ring component having an anterior portion and a posterior portion;
• a lower support, separate from the upper support, configured to engage the native valve structure from a ventricular side, comprising at least two engagement members, the upper support and the lower support collectively forming an anchoring element;
• a flexible connector comprising an upper end portion coupled to the upper support and a lower end portion coupled to the lower support;
• a valve component comprising an outer surface and a central orifice, the valve component being disposable intermediate the upper and lower supports, the valve component being radially expandable within the lower support to abut the native valve structure and to permit one-way flow therethrough along a central axis of the prosthesis upon expansion of the valve component;
• and
• a coupler component having a first end portion attached to the anchoring element and a second end portion attached to the valve component, the coupler component providing a range of free relative movement between the valve component and the anchoring element, wherein the upper support, the lower support, and the valve component are each independently expandable, rotatable, and longitudinally movable relative to each other when interconnected via the flexible connector and the coupler component.