US 12,440,328 B2
Modified prosthetic heart valve stent
Rafael Pintor, Mission Viejo, CA (US); and Sai Prasad Uppalapati, Plano, TX (US)
Assigned to EDWARDS LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION, Irvine, CA (US)
Filed by Edwards Lifesciences Corporation, Irvine, CA (US)
Filed on Mar. 25, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/656,513.
Application 17/656,513 is a continuation of application No. PCT/US2020/052496, filed on Sep. 24, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/907,476, filed on Sep. 27, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0211492 A1, Jul. 7, 2022
Int. Cl. A61F 2/24 (2006.01)
CPC A61F 2/2418 (2013.01) 22 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A prosthetic heart valve configured for implant at an aortic annulus, comprising:
a valve member having a non-expandable, non-collapsible annular support frame surrounding and supporting three flexible leaflets arranged to close together along a flow axis through the valve member to prevent blood flow in one direction, the support frame defining three commissure posts at intersections between the leaflets, the valve member and its components having an inflow end and an outflow end with blood permitted to flow through the heart valve in an outflow direction;
a plastically-expandable stent connected to and extending axially away from the inflow end of the support frame such that an outflow end of the stent end is generally annular and non-expandable and non-collapsible at the connection as a consequence, the stent having an inflow end spaced axially from the inflow end of the support frame that is convertible from a radially contracted configuration to a radially expanded configuration, the stent being defined by a plurality of interconnected struts, wherein a pattern of the interconnected struts at the inflow end is consistent around a circumference of the stent except in a modified region on one circumferential side in alignment with one of the three commissure posts so that when converted to the expanded configuration the modified region has larger cells defined between the interconnected struts than around a remainder of the circumference and the modified region expands radially outward a smaller distance than outside of the modified region; and
a sealing ring circumscribing the valve at an axial location approximately at the connection between the valve member and the stent, the sealing ring being formed of suture-permeable material and presents an outward flange sized to contact an outflow side of the aortic annulus when implanted.