Prosthesis for atraumatically grasping intralumenal tissue and methods of delivery

Abstract

A prosthesis can comprise an expandable frame, a plurality of distal anchors and a plurality of proximal anchors. The anchors can extend outwardly from the frame. The frame can be configured to radially expand and contract for deployment within a body cavity. The frame and anchors can have one of many different shapes and configurations. For example, when the frame is in an expanded configuration, the frame can have a larger cross-sectional dimension in a middle portion of the frame and a smaller cross-sectional dimension in a proximal portion and a distal portion of the frame, wherein the middle portion is between the proximal and distal portions. As another example, the anchors can have looped ends, the entire anchor may loop out from the frame.

1 - 31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . A prosthesis configured to atraumatically engage intralumenal tissue when deployed within a body cavity, the prosthesis comprising:
 an expandable frame comprising a proximal end and a distal end and having a longitudinal axis extending between the proximal end and the distal end, the frame configured to radially expand and contract for deployment within the body cavity; and   a plurality of distal anchors each connected to the frame at a base and having a looped atraumatic end;   wherein when the frame is in an expanded configuration:
 each of the plurality of distal anchors extends from the base generally distally before extending generally proximally and radially outwardly from the frame; and 
 the looped atraumatic end of each distal anchor is circumferentially aligned with the base where the distal anchor connects to the frame so that the looped atraumatic end and the base are both located within a common plane that is parallel to and intersects the longitudinal axis. 
   
     
     
         33 . The prosthesis of  claim 32 , wherein the frame comprises a plurality of cells formed by interconnected struts. 
     
     
         34 . The prosthesis of  claim 33 , wherein when the frame is in an expanded configuration, a width of each of the plurality of distal anchors as defined circumferentially around the longitudinal axis over the entire length of the distal anchor from the base to the looped atraumatic end is less than the width of one cell. 
     
     
         35 . The prosthesis of  claim 33 , wherein the base of each of the plurality of distal anchors is at a location where corners of two adjacent cells meet. 
     
     
         36 . The prosthesis of  claim 33 , wherein the base of each of the plurality of distal anchors is at a distalmost corner of a cell. 
     
     
         37 . The prosthesis of  claim 33 , wherein adjacent looped ends of the plurality of distal anchors are spaced apart by at least one cell. 
     
     
         38 . The prosthesis of  claim 32 , further comprising a plurality of proximal anchors each connected to the frame, wherein when the frame is in an expanded configuration an end of each of the plurality of proximal anchors is positioned radially outward from the frame and extends generally distally so that the ends of the plurality of distal anchors are axially spaced from the ends of the proximal anchors, and wherein the frame is configured such that radial expansion of the frame causes ends of the plurality of proximal anchors and the ends of the plurality of distal anchors to draw closer together. 
     
     
         39 . The prosthesis of  claim 38 , wherein the ends of the plurality of distal anchors are positioned radially outward from the ends of the plurality proximal anchors when the frame is in an expanded configuration. 
     
     
         40 . The prosthesis of  claim 38 , wherein the ends of the plurality of distal anchors are not circumferentially aligned with the ends of the plurality proximal anchors when the frame is in an expanded configuration. 
     
     
         41 . The prosthesis of  claim 38 , wherein the plurality of proximal anchors each comprises a single arm that terminates in an atraumatic tip. 
     
     
         42 . The prosthesis of  claim 32 , further comprising a valve body attached to the frame. 
     
     
         43 . The prosthesis of  claim 32 , further comprising a layer of resilient material covering each of the looped ends to facilitate in-growth of adjacent tissue when the prosthesis is deployed within a body cavity. 
     
     
         44 . The prosthesis of  claim 32 , wherein when the frame is in an expanded configuration, the frame has a larger cross-sectional dimension in a middle portion of the frame and a smaller cross-sectional dimension in a proximal portion and a distal portion of the frame, wherein the middle portion is between the proximal and distal portions. 
     
     
         45 . The prosthesis of  claim 44 , wherein the plurality of distal anchors extend from the distal portion of the frame and are configured so that when the frame is in an expanded configuration, each distal anchor of the plurality of distal anchors has an end positioned radially outward from the middle portion of the frame. 
     
     
         46 . The prosthesis of  claim 44 , wherein the proximal end and the distal end have substantially the same cross-sectional dimension. 
     
     
         47 . A prosthesis configured to atraumatically engage intralumenal tissue when deployed within a body cavity, the prosthesis comprising:
 an expandable frame comprising a proximal end and a distal end and having a longitudinal axis extending between the proximal end and the distal end, the frame configured to radially expand and contract for deployment within the body cavity; and   a plurality of distal anchors each connected to the frame at a base and having a looped atraumatic end, wherein each of the plurality of distal anchors is connected to the frame with a single strut;   wherein when the frame is in an expanded configuration each of the plurality of distal anchors extends from the base generally distally before extending generally proximally and radially outwardly from the frame.   
     
     
         48 . The prosthesis of  claim 47 , wherein the frame comprises a plurality of foreshortening cells, and each of the plurality of distal anchors is connected to the frame with a single strut extending from one of the cells. 
     
     
         49 . The prosthesis of  claim 48 , wherein the frame comprises a foreshortening portion and a non-foreshortening portion, wherein the foreshortening portion comprises the plurality of foreshortening cells and is distal to the non-foreshortening portion. 
     
     
         50 . The prosthesis of  claim 49 , further comprising a plurality of proximal anchors extending radially outward from the non-foreshortening portion of the frame when the frame is in an expanded configuration. 
     
     
         51 . The prosthesis of  claim 47 , wherein when the frame is in an expanded configuration, the frame has a larger cross-sectional dimension in a middle portion of the frame and a smaller cross-sectional dimension in a proximal portion and a distal portion of the frame, wherein the middle portion is between the proximal and distal portions.