A prosthetic heart valve for implantation into a selected channel within the heart of a subject, wherein blood flows through the selected channel in a flow direction, the prosthetic heart valve comprising: a stent having an inner surface, the inner surface of the stent defining an interior region of the stent; a plurality of leaflets positioned within the interior region of the stent, each leaflet of the plurality of leaflets defining a free edge, an attachment edge, and a pair of spaced commissure regions (26a, 26b), the attachment edge of each leaflet being attached to the stent such that each commissure region of each respective leaflet is positioned proximate a commissure region of an adjacent leaflet; and a suspension assembly comprising: a central support structure coupled to the stent such that the central support structure is spaced from the plurality of leaflets in the flow direction; and a plurality of elongate suspension members secured thereto the central support structure, at least one suspension member of the plurality of suspension members being secured thereto each respective leaflet, wherein, following implantation of the prosthetic heart valve within the selected channel, the suspension assembly is configured to mechanically reinforce the plurality of leaflets characterized in that the central support structure comprises a plurality of offset support members spaced circumferentially about the inner surface of the valve such that each support member of the plurality of support members spans between two points on the inner surface of the valve and overlaps with at least one other support member at an intersection point. a stent having an inner surface, the inner surface of the stent defining an interior region of the stent; a plurality of leaflets positioned within the interior region of the stent, each leaflet of the plurality of leaflets defining a free edge, an attachment edge, and a pair of spaced commissure regions (26a, 26b), the attachment edge of each leaflet being attached to the stent such that each commissure region of each respective leaflet is positioned proximate a commissure region of an adjacent leaflet; and a suspension assembly comprising: a central support structure coupled to the stent such that the central support structure is spaced from the plurality of leaflets in the flow direction; and a plurality of elongate suspension members secured thereto the central support structure, at least one suspension member of the plurality of suspension members being secured thereto each respective leaflet, wherein, following implantation of the prosthetic heart valve within the selected channel, the suspension assembly is configured to mechanically reinforce the plurality of leaflets characterized in that the central support structure comprises a plurality of offset support members spaced circumferentially about the inner surface of the valve such that each support member of the plurality of support members spans between two points on the inner surface of the valve and overlaps with at least one other support member at an intersection point. a central support structure coupled to the stent such that the central support structure is spaced from the plurality of leaflets in the flow direction; and a plurality of elongate suspension members secured thereto the central support structure, at least one suspension member of the plurality of suspension members being secured thereto each respective leaflet, wherein, following implantation of the prosthetic heart valve within the selected channel, the suspension assembly is configured to mechanically reinforce the plurality of leaflets characterized in that the central support structure comprises a plurality of offset support members spaced circumferentially about the inner surface of the valve such that each support member of the plurality of support members spans between two points on the inner surface of the valve and overlaps with at least one other support member at an intersection point.