Patent ID: 8221492

Claim:
A valve prosthesis for deployment in a bodily passage, said valve prosthesis having a longitudinal axis, a prosthesis length, and comprising: a support structure having at least one longitudinal attachment strut generally aligned with said longitudinal axis and at least one distal attachment strut extending at an angle to said longitudinal axis; and a valve structure comprising a first leaflet having first proximal and first distal portions, first and second outer lateral edges, a first free inner edge, and a first inner surface extending from the first outer lateral edge to the second outer lateral edge and including the first free inner edge, and a second leaflet having second proximal and second distal portions, third and fourth outer lateral edges, a second free inner edge, and a second inner surface extending from the third outer lateral edge to the fourth outer lateral edge and including the second free inner edge, the first and second proximal portions attached to the at least one longitudinal attachment strut and cooperatively defining a leaflet contact area comprising a longitudinal portion along the valve structure having a length that is greater than or equal to 10% of said prosthesis length and in which the first and second inner surfaces coapt from the first and third outer lateral edges to the second and fourth outer lateral edges while the valve structure is in a resting state, the first and second distal portions attached to the at least one distal attachment strut.