Patent ID: 7744642

Claim:
A prosthetic venous valve comprising: a frame sized and configured to be implanted in a vein to replace a venous valve and including (i) a generally hollow base disposed at a blood inflow end, (ii) a plurality of struts connected with the base and extending generally parallel to a direction of forward flow of blood from the generally hollow base to a blood outflow end, and (iii) inwardly oriented flanges disposed at the blood outflow ends of the struts, the inwardly oriented flanges extending inwardly toward the center of the vein lumen; and leaflets disposed in gaps between the struts and supported by the frame, the leaflets having free edges arranged to close into the vein lumen and meet to substantially seal against backflow of blood from the blood outflow end to the blood inflow end, the inwardly oriented flanges of the struts having curved surfaces configured to mate with proximate portions of the free edges of the leaflets to ensure sealing of the valve in the closed position substantially without buckling or pleating of the free edges of the leaflets; wherein the curved surfaces of the inwardly oriented flanges of the struts include at least one of (i) curved surface portions having a constant radius of curvature and (ii) a semicircular portion continuing into a quarter-circular portion.