Prosthetic Heart Valve Having an Improved Tubular Seal

Abstract

A tubular seal includes an outflow end region and an inflow end region. The inflow end region is a portion of a polymeric web retaining a woven fabric, wherein the woven fabric has a non-linear edge defining an interface between the inflow end region and the outflow end region.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A prosthetic heart valve comprising:
 an expandable tubular member;   a plurality of leaflets secured together alongside edges and retained within the expandable tubular member, each leaflet having a bottom edge at a blood inflow end of the expandable tubular member and a free edge at a blood outflow end of the expandable tubular member; and   a tubular seal comprising a polymeric web secured to the bottom edge of each leaflet and along an outer portion of the expandable tubular member, wherein the tubular seal comprising an outflow end region and an inflow end region, the inflow end region being a portion of polymeric web retaining a woven fabric, wherein the woven fabric has a non-linear edge defining the interface between the inflow end region and the outflow end region.