Patent ID: 7955376

Claim:
A medical device for implantation in a body vessel, comprising: a support structure having a first, unexpanded configuration and a second, expanded configuration; and a graft member connected to the support structure, the graft member having a proximal edge, a distal edge, a first lateral edge, a second lateral edge, and a lengthwise axis extending from the proximal edge to the distal edge, each of the first and second lateral edges extending from the proximal edge to the distal edge, the graft member comprising a valve portion, a constraining portion, and a transitional portion disposed between the valve portion and the constraining portion, the constraining portion sized to be drawn taught as the support structure expands from the first configuration to the second configuration and the valve portion adapted to permit fluid flow through said body vessel in a first direction and substantially prevent fluid flow through said body vessel in a second, opposite direction; wherein prior to being connected to the support structure each of the first and second lateral edges comprises first and second outwardly directed curves relative to the lengthwise axis and an inwardly directed curve relative to the lengthwise axis disposed between the first and second outwardly directed curves; wherein the valve portion has a first maximum width and the constraining portion has a second maximum width, each of the first and second maximum widths is measured from the first lateral edge to the second lateral edge along a lateral axis perpendicular to the lengthwise axis; wherein the first maximum width is greater than the second maximum width; and wherein the transitional portion has a width that tapers from the first maximum width to the second maximum width.