CPC A61F 2/2418 (2013.01) [A61F 2/2433 (2013.01); A61F 2/2436 (2013.01); A61F 2/88 (2013.01); A61F 2/90 (2013.01); A61F 2220/0016 (2013.01); A61F 2220/005 (2013.01); A61F 2220/0075 (2013.01); A61F 2230/005 (2013.01); A61F 2230/0054 (2013.01); A61F 2250/0039 (2013.01); A61F 2250/0063 (2013.01)] | 17 Claims |
1. An expandable docking station frame comprising:
an annular valve seat having an end;
an annular outer wall comprising struts disposed around the valve seat; and
links that connect the end of the annular valve seat to the annular outer wall;
wherein each of the links extends from the struts of the annular outer wall directly toward a longitudinal axis that runs longitudinally through a center of the docking station, and to a corresponding one of a plurality of circumferentially spaced axially extending legs at least partially defining the annular valve seat; and
wherein the outer wall is configured to conform to an interior shape of a blood vessel, when expanded inside the blood vessel, such that the outer wall can expand in multiple locations to conform to multiple bulges of the blood vessel and can contract in multiple locations to conform to multiple narrowed regions of the blood vessel;
wherein an apex of the links is bent such that portions of the links on opposite sides of the apex extend away from each other at an acute angle.
|