Prosthetic valve for catheter delivery

Abstract

A prosthetic valve for catheter delivery is disclosed. The prosthetic valve comprises a valve assembly having an inlet, a plurality of leaflets and commissural points. The prosthetic valve also includes a support stent comprising a web-like construction and plurality of longitudinal support beams. The support stent is configured to be collapsible for percutaneous delivery through a blood vessel and expandable to contact the the native valve. The support stent supports the inlet of the valve assembly and the commissural points of the valve assembly are secured at the longitudinal support beams. The longitudinal support beams comprise a plurality of bores and the leaflets are secured to the longitudinal support beams via threads passing through the plurality of bores.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A prosthetic valve assembly for use in replacing a deficient native valve, the valve assembly comprising:
 a valve having a base, a plurality of leaflets and commis sure points;   a valve support comprising a plurality of expandable cells and a plurality of longitudinal bars, the valve support configured to be collapsible for transluminal delivery and expandable to contact the anatomical annulus of the native valve when the assembly is positioned in situ, said valve support supporting the base, wherein the commissure points of the valve are secured at the longitudinal bars and adjacent one or more of the expandable cells, and wherein the longitudinal bars of the valve support further comprise a plurality of holes, wherein the plurality of leaflets are secured to the longitudinal bars via suture lines passing through the plurality of holes.   
     
     
         2 . The valve assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the valve support is self-expanding. 
     
     
         3 . The valve assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the valve support is balloon expandable. 
     
     
         4 . The valve assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the valve support is configured to press radially against the native valve leaflets to hold the native valve leaflets against walls of the native valve annulus and/or against walls of an adjacent lumen to thereby prevent the native valve leaflets from obstructing the native valve annulus. 
     
     
         5 . A prosthetic valve, comprising:
 a valve assembly having a base, a plurality of leaflets and commissures;   a support stent comprising a plurality of expandable cells and a plurality of longitudinal struts, the support stent configured to be collapsible for transluminal delivery and expandable to contact the anatomical annulus of the native valve when the prosthetic valve is positioned in situ, said support stent supporting the base, wherein the commissures of the valve assembly are secured at the longitudinal struts and adjacent one or more of the expandable cells, and wherein the longitudinal struts of the support stent further comprise a plurality of bores, wherein the plurality of leaflets are secured to the longitudinal struts via threads passing through the plurality of bores.   
     
     
         6 . The prosthetic valve of  claim 5 , wherein the support stent is self-expanding. 
     
     
         7 . The prosthetic valve of  claim 5 , wherein the support stent is balloon expandable. 
     
     
         8 . The prosthetic valve of  claim 5 , wherein the support stent is configured to press radially against the native valve leaflets to hold the native valve leaflets against walls of the native valve annulus and/or against walls of an adjacent lumen to thereby prevent the native valve leaflets from obstructing the native valve annulus. 
     
     
         9 . A prosthetic valve, comprising:
 a valve assembly having an inlet, a plurality of leaflets and commissural points;   a support stent comprising a web-like construction and a plurality of longitudinal support beams, the support stent configured to be collapsible for delivery through a blood vessel and expandable to contact the native valve when the prosthetic valve is positioned in situ, said support stent supporting the inlet, wherein the commissural points of the valve assembly are secured at the longitudinal support beams and adjacent the web-like construction, and wherein the longitudinal support beams of the support stent further comprise a plurality of bores, wherein the plurality of leaflets are secured to the longitudinal support beams via threads passing through the plurality of bores.   
     
     
         10 . The prosthetic valve of  claim 9 , wherein the support stent is self-expanding. 
     
     
         11 . The prosthetic valve of  claim 9 , wherein the support stent is balloon expandable. 
     
     
         12 . The prosthetic valve of  claim 9 , wherein the support stent is configured to press radially against the native valve leaflets to hold the native valve leaflets against walls of the native valve annulus and/or against walls of an adjacent lumen to thereby prevent the native valve leaflets from obstructing the native valve annulus.