Patent ID: 7972378

Claim:
A stented valve comprising: a stent structure comprising a generally tubular body portion having an interior area, a longitudinal axis, and a plurality of longitudinally extending wires in a central region of the stent structure, wherein the plurality of wires includes multiple commissure wires and at least one structural wire positioned between each two adjacent commissure wires, wherein each of the commissure wires comprises an attachment portion that extends in a generally parallel direction to the longitudinal axis and that is spaced at a first distance from the longitudinal axis, wherein the structural wires are spaced at a second distance from the longitudinal axis, and wherein the first distance is smaller than the second distance; and a valve structure comprising a plurality of leaflets, wherein each leaflet comprises a first end, a second end, and a free edge extending between the first and second ends; wherein a first end of each leaflet is attached to the attachment portion of one of the commissure wires in the central stent region and a second end of each leaflet is attached to the attachment portion of an adjacent commissure wire in the central stent region so that the free edge of each leaflet does not contact the structural wires in the central stent region when the valve is in an open position.