Prosthetic heart valve with slit stent
AssigneeSt. Jude Medical, Inc.
InventorEric S. Buchanan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A valve prosthesis includes a plurality of flexible leaflets and a stent having a central lumen. A slit in the stent extends from the central lumen to an outer surface. An occluding portion of the flexible leaflets extends across the central lumen and an attachment portion extends from the central lumen through the slit and forms a sewing cuff for attachment to a patient's tissue. The attachment portion forms a sewing cuff for attachment to native heart tissue.
Claims28
A valve prosthesis comprising a plurality of flexible leaflets and a stent having a central lumen, an outer surface and a slit extending from the central lumen to the outer surface, an occluding portion of the flexible leaflets extending across the central lumen, wherein the flexible leaflets are supported by the stent and an attachment portion of a flexible leaflet extends from the central lumen through the slit proximate to the outer surface.
A method for assembling a valve prosthesis comprising a plurality of flexible leaflets and a stent having a central lumen, an outer surface and a slit extending from the central lumen to the outer surface, the method comprising sliding the flexible leaflet through the slit to position an attachment portion of the flexible leaflet on an outer surface and a valve portion of the leaflet in the central lumen.
A valve prosthesis comprising:
- a stent having a central lumen and an outer surface;
- leaflet means for blocking blood flow in one direction through the stent;
- and
- attachment means formed from the leaflet means for attaching the leaflet means to a native tissue annulus of a heart.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.