Leaflet attachment in prosthetic heart valves using buckle commissure clamps

A prosthetic heart valve comprising:

• a frame that is radially collapsible and expandable between a radially-compressed configuration and a radially-expanded configuration, the frame having an inflow end and an outflow end separated from the inflow end along an axial direction of the frame;
• a plurality of buckle commissure clamps coupled to the frame, each buckle commissure clamp having one or more gaps;
• and
• a valvular structure formed by a leaflet assembly, the leaflet assembly comprising a plurality of leaflets, each leaflet having a pair of tabs, each leaflet tab being coupled to a respective one of the buckle commissure clamps by being wrapped around at least a portion of the buckle commissure clamp,
• wherein each buckle commissure clamp comprises first and second arms, first and second end portions, and first, second, and third bent portions,
• the first and second arms are connected together by the third bent portion at a second end of the buckle commissure clamp,
• the first and second arms and the third bent portion define a central gap therebetween that opens to a first end of the buckle commissure clamp,
• the first end portion is connected to the first arm by the first bent portion,
• the second end portion is connected to the second arm by the second bent portion,
• the first end portion, the first arm, and the first bent portion define a first gap therebetween that opens to the second end of the buckle commissure clamp, and
• the second end portion, the second arm, and the second bent portion define a second gap therebetween that opens to the second end of the buckle commissure clamp, and
• wherein, for each buckle commissure clamp, the respective first and second arms and the respective first and second end portions extend along respective directions parallel to the axial direction of the frame.

A prosthetic heart valve comprising:

• a frame that is radially collapsible and expandable between a radially-compressed configuration and a radially-expanded configuration, the frame having an inflow end and an outflow end separated from the inflow end along an axial direction of the frame;
• a plurality of buckle commissure clamps coupled to the frame, each buckle commissure clamp having one or more gaps;
• and
• a valvular structure formed by a leaflet assembly, the leaflet assembly comprising a plurality of leaflets, each leaflet having a pair of tabs, each leaflet tab being coupled to a respective one of the buckle commissure clamps by being wrapped around at least a portion of the buckle commissure clamp,
• wherein each buckle commissure clamp comprises first and second arms, first and second end portions, and first, second, and third bent portions,
• the first and second arms are connected together by the third bent portion at a second end of the buckle commissure clamp,
• the first and second arms and the third bent portion define a central gap therebetween that opens to a first end of the buckle commissure clamp,
• the first end portion is connected to the first arm by the first bent portion,
• the second end portion is connected to the second arm by the second bent portion,
• the first end portion, the first arm, and the first bent portion define a first gap therebetween that opens to the second end of the buckle commissure clamp, and
• the second end portion, the second arm, and the second bent portion define a second gap therebetween that opens to the second end of the buckle commissure clamp, and
• wherein, for each buckle commissure clamp:
• the first and second leaflet tabs extend through the central gap from a first side of said buckle commissure clamp to a second side of the buckle commissure clamp;
• and
• free ends of the first and second leaflet tabs at said second side are coupled to each other.

A prosthetic heart valve comprising:

• a frame that is radially collapsible and expandable between a radially-compressed configuration and a radially-expanded configuration, the frame having an inflow end and an outflow end separated from the inflow end along an axial direction of the frame;
• a plurality of buckle commissure clamps coupled to the frame, each buckle commissure clamp having one or more gaps;
• and
• a valvular structure formed by a leaflet assembly, the leaflet assembly comprising a plurality of leaflets, each leaflet having a pair of tabs, each leaflet tab being coupled to a respective one of the buckle commissure clamps by being wrapped around at least a portion of the buckle commissure clamp,
• wherein each buckle commissure clamp comprises first and second arms, first and second end portions, and first, second, and third bent portions,
• the first and second arms are connected together by the third bent portion at a second end of the buckle commissure clamp,
• the first and second arms and the third bent portion define a central gap therebetween that opens to a first end of the buckle commissure clamp,
• the first end portion is connected to the first arm by the first bent portion,
• the second end portion is connected to the second arm by the second bent portion,
• the first end portion, the first arm, and the first bent portion define a first gap therebetween that opens to the second end of the buckle commissure clamp, and
• the second end portion, the second arm, and the second bent portion define a second gap therebetween that opens to the second end of the buckle commissure clamp, and
• wherein, for each buckle commissure clamp:
• the first and second leaflet tabs extend through the central gap from a first side of said buckle commissure clamp to a second side of the buckle commissure clamp;
• and
• one or more coupling members extend between and are attached to respective ends of the first and second leaflet tabs at the second side of the buckle commissure clamp.