# US 2014/0194980 A1 · Reinforced Commissural Support Structure > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0194980 A1 - Document ID: US20140194980A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/203,396 - Filed: 2014-03-10 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2010-08-11 - Assignees: HLT, Inc. - Applicants: HLT, Inc. - Inventors: John Gainor - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140194980A1 ## CPC - A61F 2/2412: {with soft flexible valve members, e.g. tissue valves shaped like natural valves} - A61F 2/2418: {Scaffolds therefor, e.g. support stents} - A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C) ## Abstract A device and method for controlling commissural tip deflection of a prosthetic valve, thereby both preventing failure due to repeated movement and/or uneven loading of the commissural points and also improving coaptation of the valve leaflets, including connecting reinforcing material between the commissural points so a spring-like span is created across the points. The spanning material may be in the form of a ring that is lashed, sewn or otherwise connected to the commissural points. The reinforcing material may form curved segments between the commissural points that extend outwardly to form sinuses behind the leaflets of the prosthetic valve. The reinforcing material may also extend in an upstream direction to avoid interfering with blood flowing out of the prosthetic valve. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A prosthetic valve assembly comprising: a support structure having an upstream portion and a downstream portion; a wireform having commissural points separated by arcuate portions, said arcuate portions connected to said downstream portion of said support structure such that said commissural points are downstream of a downstream end of said support structure; said wireform defining a central longitudinal axis; flexible material connected to said wireform to form valve leaflets between said commissural points; reinforcement material extending from and spanning between said commissural points, said reinforcement material controlling flexure of said commissural points; wherein said reinforcement material spanning said commissural points extends radially outwardly of said longitudinal axis. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The prosthetic valve of claim 1 wherein said support structure comprises a Nitinol braid. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The prosthetic valve of claim 2 wherein said flexible material comprises tissue. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The prosthetic valve of claim 3 wherein said tissue comprises biological tissue. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The prosthetic valve of claim 4 wherein said biological tissue comprises porcine tissue. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The prosthetic valve of claim 1 wherein said reinforcement material comprises a reinforcement ring that connects each of said commissural points. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The prosthetic valve of claim 6 wherein said reinforcement ring comprises a single wire ring. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The prosthetic valve of claim 1 wherein said reinforcement material comprises Nitinol. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The prosthetic valve of claim 6 wherein said reinforcement ring comprises a seamless loop cut from a tube. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The prosthetic valve of claim 1 wherein said reinforcement material spanning said commissural points defines sinus space outside of said flexible material. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The prosthetic valve of claim 1 wherein said reinforcement material spanning said commissural points does not extend downstream of said commissural points. ### Claim 12 A method of controlling flexure of a wireform for a prosthetic valve having a plurality of commissural points comprising connecting said commissural points together with reinforcement material extending radially outwardly of a longitudinal axis of said wireform. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 wherein connecting said commissural points together with reinforcement material comprises connecting a reinforcement ring to said commissural points. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 wherein connecting said commissural points together with reinforcement material comprises connecting said commissural points with Nitinol reinforcements. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 wherein connecting said commissural points together with reinforcement material comprises lashing said reinforcements to each of said commissural points. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 wherein connecting said commissural points together with reinforcement material comprises defining sinus spaces radially outward of said valve leaflets. ### Claim 17 A method of controlling inward flexure of commissural tip deflection of a prosthetic valve assembly comprising extending reinforcement material from commissural points of a wireform such that said reinforcement material extends radially outwardly from said a longitudinal axis of said prosthetic valve assembly. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17 wherein extending reinforcement material from commissural points of a wireform comprises connecting a reinforcement ring to said commissural points. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17 wherein extending reinforcement material from commissural points of a wireform defines sinus spaces radially outward of said valve leaflets. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17 wherein extending reinforcement material from commissural points of a wireform comprises lashing said reinforcements to each of said commissural points.