Prosthetic Valve For Transluminal Delivery

A prosthetic valve assembly, the valve assembly comprising:

• a valve having a plurality of leaflets and commissure points;
• and
• a valve support including a first zone and a second zone, the first zone being formed of a radially repeating shape of a first size and the second zone being formed of a radially repeating shape of a second size,
• wherein the shape of the first size is smaller than the shape of the second size such that the radial expansion force in the first zone is greater than the radial expansion force in the second zone, and
• wherein the first zone is a support zone including three commissure attachment holes, the commissure points of the valve being secured to the commissure attachment holes.

A prosthetic valve assembly, the valve assembly comprising:

• a valve having a plurality of leaflets and commissure points;
• and
• a valve support including a first zone with a first radial expansion force and a second zone with a second radial expansion force less than the first radial expansion force;
• wherein the diameter of the second zone is configured to be larger than the diameter of the first zone, and
• wherein the first zone is a support zone including three commissure attachment holes, such that the commissure points of the valve are secured to the commissure attachment holes.

A method for replacing a deficient native valve comprising:

• providing a prosthetic valve assembly, the assembly comprising a valve having a plurality of leaflets and commissure points and a valve support including a first zone formed of a radially repeating shape of a first size and a second zone formed of a radially repeating shape of a second size larger than the first size, such that the radial expansion force is greater in the first zone than in the second zone, and commissure attachment holes in the first zone, the commissure points of the valve secured to the commissure attachment holes;
• collapsing the valve support to fit on a distal portion of a catheter;
• advancing the catheter to the deficient native valve to a position within the annulus of the deficient native valve and adjacent to deficient native valve leaflets;
• deploying the prosthetic valve assembly within the deficient native valve, whereby the valve support expands against the leaflets of the deficient native valve;
• and
• withdrawing the catheter, leaving the valve assembly to function in place of the deficient native valve.