Patent ID: 7799072

Claim:
An apparatus for repairing the function of a diseased valve, the apparatus comprising: a tubular first support member expandable to a first diameter and having oppositely disposed proximal and distal first support member ends; a tubular second support member spaced axially apart from the first support member and expandable to a second diameter that is independent of the first diameter, the second support member having oppositely disposed proximal and distal second support member ends; a tubular graft section interconnecting the first and second support members and defining an annulus having a third diameter that is independent of each of the first and second diameters, the graft section having oppositely disposed proximal and distal graft section ends, the proximal graft section end being connected directly to the distal first support member end and the distal graft section end being connected directly to the proximal second support member end; and a prosthetic valve secured within the annulus of the graft section, the prosthetic valve having at least two valve leaflets that are coaptable to permit the unidirectional flow of blood; wherein the first and second support members are interconnected only by the graft section, and the prosthetic valve is directly secured only to the graft section; and wherein the graft section has an hourglass shape with a neck portion, the neck portion of the graft section defining the annulus of the valve, and a converging portion and a diverging portion on opposite sides of the neck portion; and at least one conduit puncturing longitudinally through the converging and diverging neck portions and connecting to form a smaller secondary lumen therethrough.