Replacement valve and anchor

Abstract

Apparatus for endovascularly replacing a patient's heart valve, including: a replacement valve adapted to be delivered endovascularly to a vicinity of the heart valve; an expandable anchor adapted to be delivered endovascularly to the vicinity of the heart valve; and a lock mechanism configured to maintain a minimum amount of anchor expansion. The invention also includes a method for endovascularly replacing a patient's heart valve. In some embodiments the method includes the steps of: endovascularly delivering a replacement valve and an expandable anchor to a vicinity of the heart valve; expanding the anchor to a deployed configuration; and locking the anchor in the deployed configuration.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for endovascularly replacing a patient's heart valve comprising:
 an anchor expandable from a collapsed delivery configuration to a fully deployed configuration, the anchor comprising at least a first body region, a second body region and a first leaflet engaging region therebetween; and   a first locking mechanism comprising a first interlocking element associated with the first body region and a second interlocking element associated with the second body region, wherein the first interlocking element is engaged with the second interlocking element to lock the first leaflet engaging region in the fully deployed configuration.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a replacement valve secured to the anchor. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the replacement valve is secured to the anchor at the first valve engaging region. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , further comprising a replacement valve support that secures the replacement valve to the anchor. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein in the fully deployed configuration, the first leaflet engaging region has a diameter greater than at least the first body region. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the anchor further comprises a third body region and a second leaflet engaging region between the second body region and the third body region. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , further comprising a second locking mechanism comprising a third interlocking element associated with the second body region and a fourth interlocking element associated with the third body region, wherein the third interlocking element is engaged with the fourth interlocking element to lock the second leaflet engaging region in the fully deployed configuration. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein in the fully deployed configuration, the second leaflet engaging region has a diameter greater than at least the second body region. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the first leaflet engaging region is expandable independently of the second leaflet engaging region. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the first leaflet engaging region is expandable simultaneously with the second leaflet engaging region. 
     
     
         11 . A replacement heart valve comprising:
 an anchor expandable from a collapsed delivery configuration to a fully deployed configuration, the anchor comprising at least a first body region, wherein each of the first body region, the second body region and the first leaflet engaging region comprises a plurality of cells, wherein the cells of the first body region are different than the cells of the first leaflet engaging region. a second body region and a first leaflet engaging region therebetween;   a replacement valve secured to the anchor; and   at least a first locking mechanism to lock the first leaflet engaging region in the expanded configuration.   
     
     
         12 . The replacement heart valve of  claim 11 , wherein the cells of the first body region are smaller than the cells of the first leaflet engaging region. 
     
     
         13 . The replacement heart valve of  claim 11 , wherein the first locking mechanism comprises a first interlocking element associated with the first body region and a second interlocking element associated with the second body region, wherein the first interlocking element is engaged with the second interlocking element to lock the first leaflet engaging region in the fully deployed configuration. 
     
     
         14 . The replacement heart valve of  claim 11 , wherein the anchor further comprises a third body region and a second leaflet engaging region between the second body region and the third body region. 
     
     
         15 . The replacement heart valve of  claim 14 , further comprising a second locking mechanism comprising a third interlocking element associated with the second body region and a fourth interlocking element associated with the third body region, wherein the third interlocking element is engaged with the fourth interlocking element to lock the second leaflet engaging region in the fully deployed configuration.