Patent ID: 7947075
Filing Date: 2011-05-24
Classification: A61F

Abstract:
1. A minimally invasive implantable replacement heart valve, which valve comprises: a collapsible-expandable heart valve stent of generally tubular shape which includes proximal and distal rings and at least three spaced apart posts that extend axially between said rings, a valvular device comprising a plurality of flexible leaflets disposed interior of said stent, which leaflets open to permit blood flow in a downstream direction and close to prevent blood flow in an upstream direction therethrough, and anchoring means of shape-memory material which includes a plurality of distal linear arms and a plurality of proximal linear arms for sandwiching the native leaflets of a stenotic valve between said arms, said distal arms each having one free end and being designed to evert and wrap around the native leaflets, said proximal arms each having one free end and being constructed to swing radially outward at such free end toward said everted distal arms, said arms being spaced apart from one another and formed so as to permit them to be individually controlled in their sandwiching of the native leaflets by cords attached to said free ends.