Valve prosthesis and kit

A delivery kit for a valve prosthesis including:

• an unexpanded expandable member carrying a valve radially contracted thereon, wherein the valve comprises:
• an annular structure with an axial blood flow lumen and a plurality of valve leaflets movable under the action of blood between an open position and a closed position to permit and to impede, respectively, blood flow through said axial blood flow lumen, and
• a plurality of anchoring members attached around the annular structure, the anchoring members including:
• a web portion coupled to the annular structure and extending axially thereto, the web portion having at least one width, and
• two end portions at axially opposed sides of the web portion, the end portions having:
• at least one width, an insertion condition for insertion of the prosthesis, wherein the end portions are aligned to the web portion and extend axially with respect to the annular structure;
• and an anchoring condition for anchoring the prosthesis, wherein the end portions are shaped asymmetrically and wherein a width of at least one end portion differs from a width of the web portion and extend at an angle to the web portion radially outwardly of the annular structure to provide anchoring of the prosthesis proximally and distally, respectively, of the annulus, and wherein one end portion forms an obtuse angle with the web portion;
• and
• a sheath member arranged around the expandable member and radially constricting to the insertion condition, the end portions of the anchoring members of the valve prosthesis radially contracted on the expandable member, the sheath member slidable over the expandable member to sequentially disengage the end portions of the anchoring members to permit the end portions to assume the anchoring condition with the annular structure radially expanded due to expansion of the expandable member.

A method of implanting a valve prosthesis at a valve annulus, comprising the steps of:

• providing a delivery sleeve;
• providing a valve prosthesis within the delivery sleeve, wherein the valve prosthesis comprises:
• an annular structure with an axial blood flow lumen and a plurality of valve leaflets movable under the action of blood between an open position and a closed position to permit and to impede, respectively, blood flow through said axial blood flow lumen, and
• a plurality of anchoring members attached around the annular structure, the anchoring members including:
• a web portion coupled to the annular structure and extending axially thereto, the web portion having at least one width, and
• two end portions at axially opposed sides of the web portion, the end portions having:
• at least one width, an insertion condition for insertion of the prosthesis, wherein the end portions are aligned to the web portion and extend axially with respect to the annular structure;
• delivering the delivery sleeve and valve prosthesis together to the valve annulus;
• and
• retracting the delivery sleeve, wherein the end portions of the valve prosthesis have an anchoring condition for anchoring the prosthesis, in which the end portions are shaped asymmetrically and wherein a width of at least one end portion differs from a width of the web portion and extend at an angle to the web portion radially outwardly of the annular structure to provide anchoring of the prosthesis proximally and distally, respectively, of the annulus, and wherein one end portion forms an obtuse angle with the web portion.