Patent ID: 9254191
Filing Date: 2016-02-09
CPC Classification: A61F,A61M

Claim Text:
1. A delivery system for a prosthetic valve, the delivery system comprising: a valve structure mounted to a stent structure, the stent structure having a collapsed condition, an expanded condition, and a length in the collapsed condition between a first end and a second end; a balloon extending in a longitudinal direction and having a first tapered end portion, a second tapered end portion and a middle portion between the first tapered end portion and the second tapered end portion, the middle portion having an outer surface with a first diameter in a fully inflated condition and a second diameter in a deflated condition; an inflation lumen connected in fluid communication to an interior of the balloon for supplying an inflation fluid to the balloon; and, first and second retainer structures attached to an outer surface of only the middle portion, each of the first and second retainer structures defining a raised edge relative to the outer surface of the middle portion, the raised edges being spaced apart in the longitudinal direction to define a receiving space around the middle portion of the balloon, the receiving space having a length in the longitudinal direction which is greater than the length of the stent structure in the collapsed condition so that the entire length of the stent structure in the collapsed condition is receivable in the receiving space, wherein the raised edges allow for limited movement of the stent structure in the longitudinal direction relative to the balloon both when the stent structure is in the collapsed condition and the balloon is in the deflated condition and when the stent structure is in the expanded condition and the balloon is in the fully inflated condition, the raised edges being configured to maintain their shape when the balloon is inflated from the deflated condition to the fully inflated condition, and wherein the raised edges are configured to no longer limit movement of the stent structure in the longitudinal direction relative to the balloon after the balloon is deflated from the fully inflated condition to the deflated condition and the stent structure is in the expanded condition, and the first retainer structure is of a first type and the second retainer structure is of a second type different from the first type.