Collapsible leaflets for prosthetic heart valves

A prosthetic heart valve, comprising:

• a collapsible and expandable stent having a proximal end, a distal end, an annulus section adjacent the proximal end, and a plurality of cells connected to one another in a plurality of annular rows around the stent;
• a cuff attached to the annulus section of the stent;
• and
• a plurality of leaflets attached to at least one of the cuff or the stent within an interior region of the stent, the leaflets together having a coapted position occluding the interior region of the stent and an open position in which the interior region is not occluded, each leaflet comprising a wire frame defining a periphery of the leaflet and a central flexible body affixed to the frame, the flexible body consisting essentially of a polymer web having a plurality of pores extending therethrough, the leaflets being devoid of biological material at a time of implantation in a patient.

A mechanical heart valve, comprising:

• a frame defining a central opening;
• a sewing cuff affixed to and extending around an exterior periphery of the frame;
• and
• one or more leaflets each pivotably coupled to the frame, the leaflets together having a closed position substantially occluding the central opening and an open position in which the central opening is not substantially occluded, each leaflet comprising a flat mesh of braided wire material having a plurality of pores extending therethrough, the leaflets being devoid of biological material at a time of implantation in a patient.

A mechanical heart valve, comprising:

• a frame defining a central opening;
• a sewing cuff affixed to and extending around an exterior periphery of the frame;
• and
• one or more leaflets each pivotably coupled to the frame, the leaflets together having a closed position substantially occluding the central opening and an open position in which the central opening is not substantially occluded, each leaflet comprising a wire frame defining a periphery of the leaflet and a central flexible body affixed to the frame, the flexible body having a plurality of pores extending therethrough, the leaflets being devoid of biological material at a time of implantation in a patient.