Patent ID: 8449604

Claim:
A prosthetic implant, for treating a diseased aortic valve, comprising: a substantially tubular body configured to be positioned in an aorta of a patient, at or near the patient's aortic valve, the body comprising: a lumen extending through the body from a proximal end to a distal end of the body; and an adjustable frame surrounding the lumen; and at least one adjustable element located in or on the body and extending at least partially around a circumference of the lumen; wherein the at least one adjustable element comprises a shape memory material ring and an electrically conductive wire wrapped around the ring, the wire being configured to conduct heat to the ring, so that the at least one adjustable element is transformable, in response to application of an activation energy, from a first configuration to a second configuration, wherein the first configuration and second configuration differ in a size of at least one dimension of the at least one adjustable element; and wherein the at least one adjustable element is configured to engage at least one of a root of the aorta, an annulus of the aortic valve, and the patient's left ventricle, when the at least one adjustable element is in the second configuration.