Patent ID: 11872133
Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, BALTIMORE; UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND MEDICAL SYSTEM LLC
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 0:
1. An apparatus comprising:
a ring-shaped body defining an annulus end, a leaflet end, and a length running from the annulus end to the leaflet end, the ring-shaped body having an annulus portion at the annulus end and a leaflet portion at the leaflet end, axially spaced from the annulus portion;
the annulus portion having a perimeter and being configured to be attached to an annulus of a native heart valve from which a leaflet of the native heart valve has been separated; and
the leaflet portion having a perimeter equal to or larger than the annulus portion perimeter and being configured to be attached to the separated native heart valve leaflet and thereby to connect the separated native heart valve leaflet to the native heart valve annulus;
the ring-shaped body including a pleat parallel to the length, the pleat having an expandable portion extending to the leaflet end of the ring-shaped body to define in part the perimeter of the leaflet end, and a fixed portion spaced from the leaflet end, the expandable portion of the pleat being configured to be attached to the separated native heart valve leaflet.