Connecting skirt for attaching a leaflet to a frame of a prosthetic heart valve

A prosthetic heart valve comprising:

• an annular frame comprising an inflow end and an outflow end and being radially collapsible and expandable between a radially collapsed configuration and a radially expanded configuration, wherein the frame comprises a plurality of struts;
• and
• a valvular structure mounted within the frame and comprising a plurality of leaflets, wherein each leaflet comprises opposing tabs on opposite sides of the leaflet and a cusp edge portion between the tabs;
• wherein the cusp edge portion of each leaflet is connected to the frame by a connecting skirt, wherein each connecting skirt comprises a central portion and opposing side base portions on opposite sides of the central portion that are connected to each of and disposed between the frame and the cusp edge portion of the leaflet, and wherein each connecting skirt further comprises side extension portions that extend outward from the cusp edge portion of the leaflet and across struts of the frame that are disposed between cusp edge portions of adjacent leaflets;
• and
• wherein each side extension portion is secured to an adjacent side extension portion of an adjacent connecting skirt.

A method of assembling a prosthetic heart valve comprising a plurality of leaflets, comprising:

• forming a plurality of leaflet assemblies with the plurality of leaflets, wherein each leaflet assembly is formed by:
• securing a central portion and side base portions of a connecting skirt to a cusp edge portion of a leaflet, wherein each connecting skirt comprises two side portions, one arranged on either side of the central portion, and wherein each side portion comprises a corresponding side base portion of the side base portions and a side extension portion extending outward and away from the corresponding side base portion;
• securing each connecting skirt to a frame of the prosthetic heart valve, the frame comprising a plurality of interconnected and angled struts, the securing including:
• securing the central portion and side base portions of the connecting skirt to a first portion of struts of the plurality of struts;
• and
• extending each side extension portion of the connecting skirt across a second portion of struts of the plurality of struts that are disposed between cusp edge portions of adjacent leaflets and securing each side extension portion to an adjacent side extension portion of an adjacent connecting skirt.

A prosthetic heart valve comprising:

• an annular frame comprising an inflow end and an outflow end and being radially collapsible and expandable between a radially collapsed configuration and a radially expanded configuration, wherein the frame comprises a plurality of struts;
• a valvular structure mounted within the frame and comprising a plurality of leaflets, wherein each leaflet comprises opposing tabs on opposite sides of the leaflet and a cusp edge portion between the tabs, wherein each tab is paired with an adjacent tab of an adjacent leaflet to form a plurality of commissures that are connected to the frame;
• a plurality of connecting skirts, each connecting skirt comprising a base portion connected to each of the cusp edge portion of a corresponding leaflet of the plurality of leaflets and struts of the frame, each connecting skirt further comprising extension portions that extend outward and away from the cusp edge portion and cover inner surfaces of struts of the frame disposed between cusp edge portions of adjacent leaflets;
• and
• an outer sealing member mounted around an outer surface of the frame and secured to the struts of the frame and the plurality of connecting skirts, the plurality of connecting skirts mounted around an inner surface of the frame.