Patent ID: 7981151
Filing Date: 2011-07-19
Classification: A61F

Abstract:
1. A method of treating aortic insufficiency in a human heart, comprising: compressing a prosthetic heart valve for advancement through a patient's vasculature, the prosthetic heart valve having a self-expandable support structure and a flexible valve member, the support structure comprising a shape memory material and having an outer surface with one or more projections extending radially outward therefrom, wherein the support structure is formed to have a recoil diameter when the support structure is not acted on by any external force; positioning the prosthetic heart valve within the patient's native aortic valve, the native aortic valve having an original diameter before treatment; expanding the prosthetic heart valve to an over-expanded diameter that is larger than the recoil diameter, thereby causing the one or more projections on the outer surface of the support structure to engage native tissue of the patient's native aortic valve, wherein expanding the prosthetic heart valve comprises inflating a balloon of a balloon catheter around which the prosthetic heart valve is disposed; and allowing the prosthetic heart valve to retract from the over-expanded diameter toward the recoil diameter while the one or more projections are engaged with the native tissue of the patient's native aortic valve and wherein the prosthetic heart valve pulls inward on the native aortic valve such that a final diameter of the native aortic valve is smaller than the original diameter of the native aortic valve after the prosthetic heart valve has retracted to the recoil diameter.