Patent ID: 8628566

Claim:
A stented valve comprising: a stent structure comprising a generally tubular body portion having a first end, a second end, an interior area, a longitudinal axis, and a plurality of vertical wires extending generally parallel to the longitudinal axis around a periphery of the body portion, wherein the plurality of vertical wires includes multiple commissure structures and at least one structural wire positioned between adjacent commissure structures, wherein at least one of the commissure structures comprises two vertical wires spaced circumferentially from each other along a majority of a length of the longitudinal axis of the tubular body, and at least three rows of V-shaped wire structures having a first end, a second end, and a peak between the first and second ends, wherein a first end of each V-shaped structure extends from a first vertical wire and a second end of each V-shaped structure extends from a second vertical wire that is adjacent to the first vertical wire, wherein the at least three rows of V-shaped structures are oriented so that their peaks are facing in the same direction relative to the first and second ends of the body portion; a valve structure comprising a plurality of leaflets; at least one leaflet attachment element comprising an elongated plate for securing the plurality of leaflets to the stent structure, wherein the elongated plate comprises a first longitudinal slot; and at least one protective member positioned between the elongated plate and the leaflets when the leaflets extend through the first longitudinal slot.