Patent ID: 7753949
Filing Date: 2010-07-13
Classification: A61F

Abstract:
1. A valve prosthesis, comprising: a. a resilient ring defining an annular opening; b. a plurality of leaflet membranes mounted with respect to the resilient ring; and c. a plurality of positioning elements movably mounted with respect to the resilient ring, each of the positioning elements defining a first tissue engaging region, a connecting region, and a second tissue engaging region spaced from the first tissue engaging region, wherein the connecting region connects the first and second tissue engaging regions; wherein each positioning element of the plurality of positioning elements is inverted by rotating relative to the resilient ring between a first position in which each of the first and second tissue engaging regions is inwardly directed towards the annular opening for facilitating positioning of the valve prosthesis within a delivery catheter, and a second position in which each of the first and second tissue engaging regions is outwardly directed towards an anatomical wall for engaging tissue; and wherein each positioning element of the plurality of positioning elements is inverted by rotating in a first direction away from the first position and toward and into the second position to define an inversion plane.