Patent ID: 8628569

Claim:
A percutaneous prosthetic heart valve assembly having enhanced rigidity, comprising: a radially compressible and expandable support stent, the support stent having a compressed state with a compressed diameter for percutaneous delivery of the prosthetic heart valve assembly to an implantation site, the support stent having an expanded state with an expanded diameter for operation of the prosthetic heart valve assembly at the implantation site, the support stent further having a partially collapsed state with a partially collapsed diameter that is between the compressed and expanded diameters for attachment of a valve member and storage of the assembly, the support stent formed with a plurality of circumferential bands, each band comprising a plurality of linear strut members forming a zig-zag configuration, wherein when the support stent is in the partially collapsed state adjacent strut members form angles of between about 50-90°, and in the expanded state adjacent strut members form angles of about 90-179° for enhanced rigidity when the support stent is in the expanded state; and a flexible valve member coupled to the support stent in the partially collapsed state, wherein the valve member has an expanded configuration suitable for functioning as a one-way valve with a corresponding diameter that matches the expanded diameter of the support stent, and attaches at spaced locations within the support stent when the support stent is in the partially collapsed state with locations therebetween that are out of contact with the stent.