US 11,957,582 B2
Prosthetic heart valve and delivery apparatus
David Alon, Zichron Yaacov (IL); Netanel Benichou, D.n. Hof Hacarmel (IL); and Oded Meiri, Ram-On (IL)
Assigned to EDWARDS LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION, Irvine, CA (US)
Filed by Edwards Lifesciences Corporation, Irvine, CA (US)
Filed on Sep. 7, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/468,414.
Application 17/468,414 is a continuation of application No. 16/997,866, filed on Aug. 19, 2020, granted, now 11,109,970, issued on Sep. 7, 2021.
Application 16/997,866 is a continuation of application No. 16/743,316, filed on Jan. 15, 2020, granted, now 10,806,575, issued on Oct. 20, 2020.
Application 16/743,316 is a continuation of application No. 15/953,991, filed on Apr. 16, 2018, granted, now 10,952,848, issued on Mar. 23, 2021.
Application 15/953,991 is a continuation of application No. 15/181,243, filed on Jun. 13, 2016, granted, now 10,238,487, issued on Mar. 26, 2019.
Application 15/181,243 is a continuation of application No. 14/182,169, filed on Feb. 17, 2014, granted, now 9,364,325, issued on Jun. 14, 2016.
Application 14/182,169 is a continuation of application No. 12/429,040, filed on Apr. 23, 2009, granted, now 8,652,202, issued on Feb. 18, 2014.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/091,293, filed on Aug. 22, 2008.
Prior Publication US 2021/0401574 A1, Dec. 30, 2021
Int. Cl. A61F 2/24 (2006.01); A61F 2/95 (2013.01)
CPC A61F 2/2436 (2013.01) [A61F 2/2418 (2013.01); A61F 2/2439 (2013.01); A61F 2/9517 (2020.05); A61F 2/9522 (2020.05); A61F 2002/9528 (2013.01); A61F 2002/9534 (2013.01); A61F 2210/0076 (2013.01); A61F 2220/005 (2013.01); A61F 2220/0075 (2013.01); A61F 2230/001 (2013.01); A61F 2230/0054 (2013.01); A61F 2230/0076 (2013.01); A61F 2250/0039 (2013.01)] 24 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An assembly comprising:
a radially collapsible and self-expandable prosthetic heart valve comprising:
an annular metal frame made of a shape-memory material, the frame comprising a plurality of posts extending from an outflow end portion of the frame, wherein each of the posts comprises an axial post portion coupled to the outflow end portion of the frame and a transverse post portion coupled to an end of the axial post portion, wherein the transverse post portion has a greater circumferential dimension than the axial post portion, and wherein the transverse post portion is circumferentially curved and has a concave radially facing inner surface and a convex radially facing outer surface; and
a valve member disposed in an interior of the frame; and
a transvascular delivery apparatus comprising:
a shaft comprising a valve connection portion that is releasably coupled to the posts of the prosthetic heart valve, wherein the valve connection portion comprises a proximal end portion having a frusto-conical outer surface that tapers in a proximal direction from a first diameter to a second diameter that is less than the first diameter, the valve connection portion further comprising an annular recess that receives the transverse post portions; and
a delivery sheath that is positioned around the prosthetic heart valve and the valve connection portion of the shaft, wherein the delivery sheath maintains the prosthetic heart valve in a radially compressed state and maintains the transverse post portions within the annular recess for delivery to a native heart valve region; and
wherein the delivery apparatus is configured to cause relative axial motion between the delivery sheath and the prosthetic heart valve to uncover the prosthetic heart valve and allow the prosthetic heart valve to radially self-expand from the radially compressed state to a radially expanded state, wherein the transverse post portions move radially out of the annular recess when the prosthetic heart valve radially self-expands to release the prosthetic heart valve from the shaft.