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US 12,727,994 B1Granted
Prosthetic heart valve leaflet commissure assemblies and methods
AssigneeEdwards Lifesciences Corporation
InventorsTamir S. Levi, Ziv Yohanan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A prosthetic heart valve can comprise an annular frame and a leaflet assembly. The frame can be radially expandable and compressible between a radially compressed state and a radially expanded state. The leaflet assembly can comprise a plurality of leaflets coupled to each other to form commissures, which can be coupled to the frame using a plurality of commissure attachment members. The commissure attachment members can be mounted on respective commissure support portions for axial sliding movement between the commissure attachment members and the commissure support portions when the frame is radially compressed and expanded.
Claims16
A prosthetic heart valve comprising:
- an annular frame comprising a plurality of interconnected struts, wherein the frame is radially compressible and expandable between a radially compressed state and a radially expanded state, wherein the frame comprises a plurality of commissure support portions;
- a plurality of leaflets situated within the frame, each leaflet comprising a body and two opposing commissure tabs arranged on opposite sides of the body;
- and
- a plurality of commissure attachment elements, wherein each commissure tab of a leaflet is paired with an adjacent commissure tab of an adjacent leaflet and the pair of commissure tabs are connected to one of the commissure attachment elements to form a plurality of commissures;
- wherein each commissure attachment element is slidably mounted on one of the commissure support portions such that the commissures can slide axially relative to the commissure support portions when the frame is radially expanded and compressed between the radially compressed state and the radially expanded state;
- wherein the frame comprises a plurality of actuators, each comprising first and second members that are axially moveable relative to each other to produce radial expansion and compression of the frame, wherein commissure support portions are the first members of the actuators;
- wherein the struts comprise a plurality of first struts overlapping and pivotably connected to a plurality of second struts at a plurality of pivot joints, and for each actuator, the first member is connected to a first pivot joint and the second member is connected to a second pivot joint axially spaced from the first pivot joint and each commissure attachment element is connected to a third pivot joint positioned axially between the first pivot joint and the second pivot joint such that the commissure attachment element is retained against axial movement relative to the third pivot joint upon radial expansion and compression of the frame.
4 more elements
A prosthetic heart valve comprising:
- an annular frame comprising a plurality of first struts overlapping and pivotably connected to a plurality of second struts at a plurality of pivot joints, wherein the frame is radially compressible and expandable between a radially compressed state and a radially expanded state;
- wherein the frame comprises a plurality of actuators, each comprising first and second members that are axially moveable relative to each other to produce radial expansion and compression of the frame;
- a plurality of leaflets situated within the frame, each leaflet comprising a body and two opposing commissure tabs arranged on opposite sides of the body;
- and
- a plurality of commissure attachment elements, wherein each commissure tab of a leaflet is paired with an adjacent commissure tab of an adjacent leaflet and the pair of commissure tabs are connected to one of the commissure attachment elements to form a plurality of commissures;
- wherein each commissure attachment element is slidably mounted on the first member of one of the actuators such that the commissures can slide axially relative to the first members when the frame is radially expanded and compressed between the radially compressed state and the radially expanded state;
- wherein each pivot joint comprises a pin coupling one of the first struts with one of the second struts and each commissure attachment element is retained by one of the pins;
- wherein each commissure attachment element comprises a commissure window frame portion that retains a pair of commissure tabs of a corresponding commissure and two free end portions that are disposed on the pin at a corresponding pivot joint.
5 more elements
A prosthetic heart valve comprising:
- an annular frame comprising a plurality of first struts overlapping and pivotably connected to a plurality of second struts at a plurality of pivot joints, wherein the frame is radially compressible and expandable between a radially compressed state and a radially expanded state;
- wherein the frame comprises a plurality of actuators, each comprising first and second members that are axially moveable relative to each other to produce radial expansion and compression of the frame;
- a plurality of leaflets situated within the frame, each leaflet comprising a body and two opposing commissure tabs arranged on opposite sides of the body;
- and
- a plurality of commissure attachment elements, wherein each commissure tab of a leaflet is paired with an adjacent commissure tab of an adjacent leaflet and the pair of commissure tabs are connected to one of the commissure attachment elements to form a plurality of commissures;
- wherein each commissure attachment element is slidably mounted on the first member of one of the actuators such that the commissures can slide axially relative to the first members when the frame is radially expanded and compressed between the radially compressed state and the radially expanded state;
- wherein each pivot joint comprises a pin coupling one of the first struts with one of the second struts and each commissure attachment element is retained by one of the pins;
- and
- an inner skirt connected to the frame, and each leaflet has a cusp edge portion stitched to the skirt along a scallop line having a plurality of peaks located at the pivot joints retaining the commissure attachment elements;
- wherein the skirt has an outflow edge portion that is stitched to struts forming the pivot joints retaining the commissure attachment elements.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.