Prosthetic heart valves, scaffolding structures, and systems and methods for implanting of same

Abstract

Prosthetic valves and their component parts are described, as are prosthetic valve delivery devices and methods for their use. The prosthetic valves are particularly adapted for use in percutaneous aortic valve replacement procedures. The delivery devices are particularly adapted for use in minimally invasive surgical procedures.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A prosthetic heart valve comprising:
 a support member having a plurality of segments and at least one foldable junction member connecting two adjacent segments, the support member having an expanded state and a contracted state, and   a valvular body having a plurality of leaflets attached to said support member.   
     
     
         2 . The prosthetic heart valve of  claim 1 , wherein said support member comprises at least three segments. 
     
     
         3 . The prosthetic heart valve of  claim 1 , wherein each segment comprises a panel. 
     
     
         4 . The prosthetic heart valve of  claim 1 , wherein said support member is generally tubular in the expanded state. 
     
     
         5 . The prosthetic heart valve of  claim 4 , wherein said support member is generally cylindrical in the expanded state. 
     
     
         6 . The prosthetic heart valve of  claim 4 , wherein said support member has a generally oval cross-sectional shape when the support member is in the expanded state. 
     
     
         7 . The prosthetic heart valve of  claim 1 , wherein said foldable junction member comprises a hinge. 
     
     
         8 . The prosthetic heart valve of  claim 7 , wherein said hinge comprises one of the following: a mechanical hinge, a membrane hinge, or a living hinge. 
     
     
         9 . The prosthetic heart valve of  claim 8 , wherein said hinge comprises a mechanical hinge having a removable pin. 
     
     
         10 . The prosthetic heart valve of  claim 1 , wherein said support member further comprises an anchoring member. 
     
     
         11 . The prosthetic heart valve of  claim 10 , wherein said anchoring member has a delivery position and a deployment position, and further comprising an actuator adapted to move said anchoring member from its delivery position to its deployment condition. 
     
     
         12 . The prosthetic heart valve of  claim 10 , wherein said anchoring member has a delivery position and a deployment position, and wherein said anchoring member is self-actuating from its delivery position to its deployment position. 
     
     
         13 . The prosthetic heart valve of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said plurality of segments is inverted when the support member is in its contracted state. 
     
     
         14 . The prosthetic heart valve of  claim 13 , wherein all of said plurality of segments are formed into a generally tubular shape when the support member is in its contracted state. 
     
     
         15 . The prosthetic heart valve of  claim 13 , wherein each of said plurality of segments is inverted when the support member is in its contracted state, whereby each foldable junction  5  member forms an elongated vertex. 
     
     
         16 . The prosthetic heart valve of  claim 15 , wherein each pair of adjacent segments forms a lobe when the support member is in its contracted state. 
     
     
         17 . The prosthetic heart valve of  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of leaflets of said valvular body are separate. 
     
     
         18 . The prosthetic heart valve of  claim 1 , wherein said valvular body comprises animal tissue. 
     
     
         19 . The prosthetic heart valve of  claim 1 , wherein said valvular body comprises human tissue. 
     
     
         20 . The prosthetic heart valve of  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of leaflets of said valvular body comprise a coated substrate.