Patent ID: 8870949
Filing Date: 2014-10-28
Classification: A61F

Abstract:
1. A method of treating a heart valve, 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 memorized expanded diameter when the support structure is not acted on by any external force; positioning the prosthetic heart valve within a patient's native heart valve, the native heart valve having an original diameter before treatment; expanding the prosthetic heart valve from a compressed diameter to the memorized expanded diameter; further expanding the prosthetic heart valve from the memorized expanded diameter to an over-expanded diameter that is larger than the memorized expanded 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 heart valve; and allowing the prosthetic heart valve to retract from the over-expanded diameter toward the memorized expanded diameter while the one or more projections are engaged with the native tissue of the patient's native heart valve and wherein the prosthetic heart valve pulls inward on the native heart valve such that a final diameter of the native heart valve is smaller than the original diameter of the native heart valve after the prosthetic heart valve has retracted toward the memorized expanded diameter.