Patent ID: 7179290

Claim:
A heart valve for implantation in an annulus of a heart having commissures on an outflow end adapted to move in conformity with an anatomical wall structure adjacent the annulus, the heart valve comprising: three leaflets made of a biocompatible and compliant material, each leaflet having a rounded cusp edge opposite a free edge, and a pair of generally oppositely-directed tabs separating the cusp edge and free edge; a cusp support structure generally defining a ring and a valve axis and having three separate rounded pieces arranged generally evenly about the valve axis to define the ring each rounded piece adapted to conform to the cusp edge of one of the leaflets, the cusp edge of each leaflet being attached to a different rounded piece of the cusp support structure so that the three leaflets are arranged generally evenly about the valve axis, the attached leaflet cusp edges and rounded pieces together defining valve cusps curving toward an inflow end of the valve; and three valve commissure posts disposed between the valve cusps and projecting generally axially toward an outflow end of the valve, the commissure posts being defined by a generally axially extending insert member, and an inverted V-shaped clip positioned radially inward from the insert member, tabs from each two adjacent leaflets being juxtaposed to extend radially outward with respect to the axis through the inverted V-shaped clip and being wrapped around and secured to the insert member, the valve commissure posts being attachable to the anatomical wall structure; and six highly compliant connector sections attached between adjacent ends of the rounded pieces of the cusp support structure and the V-shaped clips to permit pivoting of the valve commissure posts.