Stent and replacement heart valve prosthesis with improved fixation features

A heart valve prosthesis, comprising:

• an inner stent carrying a replacement heart valve, the inner stent having an inner proximal area and an inner distal area;
• and
• an outer stent having an outer proximal area, an outer distal area, and a middle area between the outer proximal area and the outer distal area, wherein each of the outer proximal area and the outer distal area has a diameter greater than a diameter of the middle area, forming a groove at the middle area, the groove configured to support fixation of the outer stent at an annulus of an endogenous heart valve,
• wherein the outer stent is radially outward of the inner stent to form an annular space between the inner stent and the outer stent,
• wherein the inner stent includes (1) inner connecting struts and (2) all other inner stent structure other than the inner connecting struts, each inner connecting strut having a free point of connection unconnected to the all other inner stent structure,
• wherein the outer stent includes (1) outer connecting struts and (2) all other outer stent structure other than the outer connecting struts, each outer connecting strut having (a) a first end connected to the all other outer stent structure between a proximalmost end and a distalmost end of the outer stent, and (b) a free point of connection unconnected to the all other outer stent structure, proximal of the first end, and between the proximalmost end and the distalmost end of the outer stent,
• wherein the free point of connection of each inner connecting strut of the inner connecting struts is fixed to the free point of connection of a corresponding outer connecting strut of the outer connecting struts, to connect the inner stent to the outer stent,
• wherein the proximalmost end of the outer stent is proximal of a proximalmost end of the inner stent,
• wherein the only portions of the inner stent and the outer stent that are within the annular space are one or both of the inner connecting struts and the outer connecting struts, and
• wherein the free point of connection of each inner connecting strut is at the proximalmost end of the inner stent, proximal of the all other inner stent structure, and radially outward of the all other inner stent structure.

A heart valve prosthesis, comprising:

• an inner stent carrying a replacement heart valve, the inner stent having an inner proximal area and an inner distal area;
• and
• an outer stent having an outer proximal area, an outer distal area, and a middle area between the outer proximal area and the outer distal area, wherein each of the outer proximal area and the outer distal area has a diameter greater than a diameter of the middle area, forming a groove at the middle area, the groove configured to support fixation of the outer stent at an annulus of an endogenous heart valve,
• wherein the outer stent is radially outward of the inner stent to form an annular space between the inner stent and the outer stent,
• wherein the inner stent includes (1) inner connecting struts and (2) all other inner stent structure other than the inner connecting struts, each inner connecting strut having a connecting end unconnected to the all other inner stent structure,
• wherein the outer stent includes (1) outer connecting struts and (2) all other outer stent structure other than the outer connecting struts, each outer connecting strut having (a) a first end connected to the all other outer stent structure between a proximalmost end and a distalmost end of the outer stent, and (b) a connecting end unconnected to the all other outer stent structure, proximal of the first end, and between the proximalmost end and the distalmost end of the outer stent,
• wherein the connecting end of each inner connecting strut of the inner connecting struts is fixed to the connecting end of a corresponding outer connecting strut of the outer connecting struts, to connect the inner stent to the outer stent,
• wherein the proximalmost end of the outer stent is proximal of a proximalmost end of the inner stent,
• wherein the only portions of the inner stent and the outer stent that are within the annular space are one or both of the inner connecting struts and the outer connecting struts,
• wherein the connecting end of each inner connecting strut is at the proximalmost end of the inner stent and proximal of the all other inner stent structure, and
• wherein at least one of i) the connecting end of each inner connecting strut is wider than other portions of the inner connecting strut, or ii) the connecting end of each outer connecting strut is wider than other portions of the outer connecting strut.