Patent ID: 9504567
Filing Date: 2016-11-29
CPC Classification: A61B,A61F

Claim Text:
1. A method for implanting a collapsible prosthetic heart valve, the method comprising: disposing a collapsed prosthetic heart valve into a distal end of a delivery tube, the prosthetic heart valve comprising a self-expanding tubular leaflet frame, three flexible leaflets, and three U-shaped cusp positioners, the leaflet frame and the cusp positioners being formed integrally as a single piece; the leaflet frame comprising three cusp regions and three commissure regions at an outflow end thereof, the three cusp regions alternating with the three commissure regions, and the commissure regions are taller than the cusp positioners; an outer edge of each leaflet attaches to the leaflet frame and when the heart valve expands the leaflets are arranged to coapt within the prosthetic heart valve to provide a one-way occlusion; each cusp positioner rigidly fixed with respect to the leaflet frame, disposed intermediate two commissure regions, and extending radially farther outward than the commissure regions; minimally invasively inserting the distal end of the delivery tube into a vasculature of a patient; positioning the distal end of the delivery tube proximal of an aortic valve; expelling the prosthetic heart valve from the delivery tube into an annulus of the aortic valve; allowing the prosthetic heart valve to self-expand such that the cusp positioners come into contact with the sinus cavities of the aortic valve, rotationally orienting the prosthetic heart valve, the flexible leaflets expanding with the leaflet frame into a functional configuration; and positioning the prosthetic valve with the cusp positioners located below the coronary artery ostia in the sinus cavities so as to stabilize and anchor the prosthetic valve in its implant position without occluding blood flow into coronary artery ostia.