Replacement heart valve assembly with a valve loaded distally from a stent

Abstract

A replacement heart valve assembly where the valve is loaded into the catheter distally, and separately from the stent. The valve has a locking member and the stent has a locking channel. Once in the expanded position, the valve is pulled towards the stent until the locking member is engaged with the locking channel.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A replacement valve assembly for endovascular heart valve repair, the replacement valve assembly having a delivery position and an expanded position, the replacement heart valve assembly comprising:
 a stent having a proximal end and a distal end, the stent having an outer surface and an inner surface defining a stent lumen, the stent having at least one stent locking element; and   a valve having a proximal end and a distal end, the valve comprising:
 at least one valve leaflet, 
 a valve body portion extending from the proximal end and the distal end of the valve and connected to the at least one valve leaflet, 
   wherein, in the delivery position, the proximal end of the valve is positioned distally from the distal end of the stent.   
     
     
         2 . The replacement heart valve assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the valve further comprises:
 a cuff at the distal end of the valve and defining a valve channel between the cuff an outer surface of the valve body portion.   
     
     
         3 . The replacement heart valve assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the valve further comprises:
 at least one valve locking feature for engagement with the stent locking element.   
     
     
         4 . The replacement valve assembly of  claim 3 , wherein, in the expanded position, the valve is moved in a proximal direction towards the distal end of the stent until the valve locking feature is engaged with the stent locking element and the distal end of the stent is positioned within the valve channel. 
     
     
         5 . The replacement valve assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the valve locking feature is positioned within the valve channel. 
     
     
         6 . The replacement valve assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the valve locking feature comprises an L-shaped flange. 
     
     
         7 . The replacement valve assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the stent locking element for mating with the L-shaped flange of the valve locking feature. 
     
     
         8 . The replacement valve assembly of  claim 1 , wherein at least one cable wire is connected to the distal end of the valve. 
     
     
         9 . The replacement valve assembly of  claim 1 , wherein at least one cable wire is connected to the valve locking feature. 
     
     
         10 . The replacement valve assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the stent locking element is at the proximal end of the stent. 
     
     
         11 . The replacement valve assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the valve body has a commissure and the stent locking element is aligned with the commissure. 
     
     
         12 . The replacement valve assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the valve comprises a tissue material. 
     
     
         13 . The replacement valve assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the valve comprises a polymer. 
     
     
         14 . A replacement heart valve comprising:
 a valve body having a proximal end and a distal end, the valve body having an outer surface and an inner surface defining a valve lumen;   at least one valve leaflet within the valve lumen;   a cuff at the distal end of the valve and overlapping a portion of the valve body at a distal end of the cuff;   a valve channel between the cuff an outer surface of the valve body;   and at least one valve locking feature.   
     
     
         15 . The replacement heart valve of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one valve locking feature is disposed within the valve channel. 
     
     
         16 . The replacement heart valve of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one valve locking feature is positioned on an outer surface of the valve body. 
     
     
         17 . The replacement heart valve of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one valve locking feature is positioned on the inner surface of the valve. 
     
     
         18 . The replacement heart valve of  claim 14 , wherein the valve body and the valve leaflets comprise a tissue material. 
     
     
         19 . The replacement heart valve of  claim 14 , wherein the valve body and the valve leaflets comprise a polymer. 
     
     
         20 . The replacement heart valve of  claim 14 , wherein the valve locking feature comprises an L-shaped flange.