Patent ID: 6911043
Filing Date: 2005-06-28
Classification: A61F

Abstract:
1. A stentless prosthetic heart valve, comprising: a first thin, flexible leaflet and a second thin, flexible leaflet, each of the leaflets having an inner face, an outer face, an in-flow edge, an out-flow edge, and side edges, the plurality of leaflets being sewn directly together along at least a portion of their side edges so as to form a substantially tubular valve structure having an in-flow end and an out-flow end, adjacent leaflets being arranged so that their side edges are substantially aligned and the inner faces of the leaflets engage each other adjacent the side edges, and a width of the in-flow edge of the first leaflet is greater than a width of the out-flow edge of the second leaflet, wherein the valve structure is movable between a closed position in which the out-flow edges of adjacent leaflets engage each other, and an open position in which the out-flow edges of adjacent leaflets are separated from each other except along the side edges, the sewn portions of the side edges of the leaflets biasing the leaflets toward a partially closed position.