W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.

Edwards Lifesciences Corporation

Nathan L Bennett

Kyle W Colavito

Ryan S Titone

Joshua A Sprinkle

Joseph R Armstrong

Edwin W Field

Cody L Hartman

David M Warlop

Roy Manygoats, Jr

Benjamin D Campbell

Karl Busalacchi

Carl M Conway

Vi T Pham

Ryan D Smith

Frank E Myers

Roy Manygoats

A system can include a prosthetic heart valve having a commissure post configured to receive a first portion of a fiber and a suture support configured to engage with the prosthetic heart valve. The suture support can include a first portion to interface with an inflow side of the prosthetic heart valve and a fiber holding portion to receive a second portion of the fiber. A second portion of the suture support can be coupled to the first portion of the suture guard and be movable inwardly toward the first portion of the suture guard to transform the fiber from a non-tensioned state to a tensioned state. The fiber in the tensioned state can cause the commissure post to bend inward toward a longitudinal axis of the prosthetic heart valve.

Suture guard for a prosthetic valve

Described embodiments are directed toward centrally-opening leaflet prosthetic valve devices having a leaflet frame and a leaflet construct including one or more leaflets. In some examples, the leaflet construct is coupled to the leaflet frame via a retention element. In some examples, the retention element is in the form of an outer frame that is coaxially arranged with the leaflet frame.

Prosthetic heart valve

Described embodiments are directed toward centrally-opening leaflet prosthetic valve devices having synthetic leaflets that are configured to promote and encourage tissue ingrowth thereon and/or therein. The leaflets are coupled to a leaflet frame to form a prosthetic valve suitable for use in biological anatomy.

Medical valve and leaflet promoting tissue ingrowth

Prosthetic valved conduits are provided that include a leaflet construct coupled between two portions of a conduit. Each leaflet has a free edge and a leaflet attachment edge. The leaflet attachment edge is disposed between a first conduit distal end and a second conduit proximal end that are coaxial therebetween defining a junction.

Prosthetic valved conduit

A system includes a heart valve and a device that functions to minimize a possibility for suture becoming entangled with a commissure post of the heart valve during an implantation procedure. In some examples, the device is a suture guard that includes one or more features that deflect suture to help minimize entanglement of the same with the commissure posts of the heart valve. In some examples, the features operate to deflect the commissure posts radially inwardly, while in other examples, the features overlay the commissure posts without deflecting that same.

Described embodiments are directed toward centrally-opening leaflet prosthetic valve devices having a leaflet frame and a leaflet construct. The leaflet construct is at least partially coupled to a leaflet frame outer side of the leaflet frame and being coupled thereto by a retention element.

Prosthetic heart valve with retention elements

Heart valve cover

Valved conduits are provided that include a leaflet construct coupled between two portions of a conduit. Each leaflet has a free edge and a leaflet attachment edge. The leaflet attachment edge is disposed between a first conduit distal end and a second conduit proximal end that are coaxial therebetween defining a junction.

Growing community of inventors

Flagstaff, AZ, United States of America

Nathan L Bennett