Valve prosthesis

Abstract

Heart valve prostheses are provided having a self-expanding frame that supports a valve body comprising a skirt and a plurality of coapting leaflets. The leaflets are constructed with four commissure points to reduce the stress and strain applied to the commissure points and to efficiently distribute and transmit forces along the leaflets and to the frame.

1 - 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 : A valve prosthesis comprising:
 a valve body including a first leaflet, a second leaflet, a third leaflet, and a fourth leaflet; and   a self-expanding frame,   wherein the first leaflet is attached to the second leaflet at a first commissure point, the second leaflet is attached to the third leaflet at a second commissure point, the third leaflet is attached to the fourth leaflet at a third commissure point, the fourth leaflet is attached to the first leaflet at a fourth commissure point,   wherein the first, second, third and fourth commissure points are sewn to the frame,   wherein a first free portion of the first leaflet and a first free portion of the second leaflet form a first coaptive edge, a second free portion of the second leaflet and a first free portion of the third leaflet form a second coaptive edge, a second free portion of the third leaflet and a first free portion of the fourth leaflet form a third coaptive edge, a second free portion of the fourth leaflet and a second free portion of the first leaflet form a fourth coaptive edge, and a third free portion of the first leaflet and a third free portion of the third leaflet form a fifth coaptive edge,   wherein the fifth coaptive edge is greater in length than each of the first, second, third, and fourth coaptive edges; and   wherein the second coaptive edge and the third coaptive edge are approximately equal in length, and wherein the second coaptive edge and the third coaptive edge are greater in length than the first coaptive edge and the fourth coaptive edge.   
     
     
         12 : The valve prosthesis according to  claim 11 , wherein the first commissure point and the second commissure point form a first angle with a vertex of the first angle being a center of the frame, the second commissure point and the third commissure point form a second angle with a vertex of the second angle being the center of the frame, the third commissure point and the fourth commissure point form a third angle with a vertex of the third angle being the center of the frame, and the fourth commissure point and the first commissure point form a fourth angle with a vertex of the fourth angle being the center of the frame, such that the vertex of each of the first, second, third and fourth angles are at the center of the frame,
 wherein each of the second angle and the fourth angle are greater than each of the first angle and the third angle, and   wherein the second angle is greater than the fourth angle.   
     
     
         13 - 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 : A valve prosthesis comprising:
 a valve body including a first leaflet, a second leaflet, a third leaflet, and a fourth leaflet; and   a self-expanding frame,   wherein the first leaflet is attached to the second leaflet at a first commissure point, the second leaflet is attached to the third leaflet at a second commissure point, the third leaflet is attached to the fourth leaflet at a third commissure point, the fourth leaflet is attached to the first leaflet at a fourth commissure point,   wherein the first, second, third and fourth commissure points are sewn to the frame,   wherein a first angle is formed between the first commissure point and the second commissure point with a vertex of the first angle being a center of the frame, a second angle is formed between the second commissure point and the third commissure point with a vertex of the second angle being the center of the frame, a third angle is formed between the third commissure point and the fourth commissure point with a vertex of the third angle being the center of the frame, and a fourth angle is formed between the fourth commissure point and the first commissure point with a vertex of the fourth angle being the center of the frame, such that the vertex of each of the first, second, third and fourth angles are at the center of the frame, and   wherein the second angle and the fourth angle are greater than the first angle and the third angle, and   wherein the second angle is greater than the fourth angle.   
     
     
         23 : The valve prosthesis according to  claim 22 , wherein a first free portion of the first leaflet and a first free portion of the second leaflet form a first coaptive edge, a second free portion of the second leaflet and a first free portion of the third leaflet form a second coaptive edge, a second free portion of the third leaflet and a first free portion of the fourth leaflet form a third coaptive edge, a second free portion of the fourth leaflet and a second free portion of the first leaflet form a fourth coaptive edge, and a third free portion of the first leaflet and a third free portion of the third leaflet form a fifth coaptive edge,
 wherein the fifth coaptive edge is greater in length than each of the first, second, third, and fourth coaptive edges, and   wherein the second coaptive edge and the third coaptive edge are approximately equal in length, and wherein the second coaptive edge and the third coaptive edge are greater in length than the first coaptive edge and the fourth coaptive edge.   
     
     
         24 : A valve prosthesis comprising:
 a valve body including a first leaflet, a second leaflet, a third leaflet, and a fourth leaflet, wherein the third leaflet has a larger area than the first leaflet, and the first leaflet has a larger area than each of the second and third leaflets; and   a self-expanding frame, wherein the first, second, third and fourth leaflets are attached to the frame, and   wherein a first free portion of the first leaflet and a first free portion of the second leaflet form a first coaptive edge, a second free portion of the second leaflet and a first free portion of the third leaflet form a second coaptive edge, a second free portion of the third leaflet and a first free portion of the fourth leaflet form a third coaptive edge, a second free portion of the fourth leaflet and a second free portion of the first leaflet form a fourth coaptive edge, and a third free portion of the first leaflet and a third free portion of the third leaflet form a fifth coaptive edge,   wherein the fifth coaptive edge is greater in length than each of the first, second, third, and fourth coaptive edges, and.   wherein the second coaptive edge and the third coaptive edge are approximately equal in length, and wherein the second coaptive edge and the third coaptive edge are greater in length than the first coaptive edge and the fourth coaptive edge.   
     
     
         25 : The valve prosthesis according to  claim 24 , wherein the frame is D-shaped.