Patent ID: 6045576
Filing Date: 2000-04-04
Classification: A61F

Abstract:
A sewing ring for use in implanting a prosthetic heart valve to a support annulus, comprising:a suture-penetable annular ring member formed of a plurality of deformable walls, some of which are radially aligned to define open cells therebetween, the annular ring member being oriented about an axis and having a top end and a bottom end spaced along the axis, the annular ring member having a cross section defined by an axially extending inner ring side, a top side projecting radially outward from the top end of the inner ring side, and a coaptation side extending between an outermost projection of the top side and the inner ring side, wherein the coaptation side is at least partly concavely curved and is defined by one of the deformable walls to thereby provide a concavely curved tissue coaptation surface around the periphery of the ring that compliantly conforms to the support annulus and resists perivalvular leaking therebetween; anda fabric covering surrounding at least an outer portion of the annular ring member.