Polymer Leaflets in Prosthetic Heart Valves

Reducing stress on leaflets of transcatheter heart valves to improve durability and longevity by allowing deflection at attachment points. The technique involves using patches, billowing patches, or flexible intermediate materials between the leaflets, cuffs, and stents to enable localized movement of the leaflets during valve operation. This reduces stress concentrations in high-stress regions like commissures, preventing leaflet damage and failure over time.

Source

Artificial heart valve leaflets made of polymer materials that have improved tear resistance compared to conventional polymer leaflets. The leaflets are made by coating a polyurethane layer onto a substrate of polyolefin or polysiloxane. The coating process involves dissolving the polyurethane in a solvent like N,N-dimethylacetamide and spreading it onto the substrate. This provides a composite leaflet with a hard segment (urethane) layer on a soft segment (polyolefin or polysiloxane) substrate. The composite structure improves tear resistance of the polymer leaflets. The coated leaflets also have better biocompatibility and adhesion to platelets compared to uncoated polymer leaflets.

Source

Collapsible prosthetic heart valves with optimized tissue thickness for better delivery and durability. The valves have leaflets made from tissue with non-uniform thickness. The thickness is greatest at the sewing edge and gradually decreases toward the free edge. This allows the valve to be compressed for delivery and then expand to full size once implanted. The thinner edges reduce the collapsible size. The thickness variation also improves durability by reducing stress concentrations. Collagen-producing cells like smooth muscle or stem cells can be incorporated in the tissue to further enhance durability.

Source

Transcatheter prosthetic heart valves that can be compressed for delivery via a catheter without damaging the leaflets. The valves have a skirt that fully encapsulates the leaflets both when compressed and expanded. This prevents localized forces from deforming the leaflets during compression. The skirt extends beyond the leaflet edges in the compressed state to protect them. The skirt also extends past the coaptation area in the expanded state. This configuration allows consistent loading of the valve into a compact catheter shape without risking leaflet damage.

Source

Artificial heart valve design with improved durability and reduced calcification compared to traditional valves. The valve has a unique fixation mechanism for the leaflets to attach to the stent. The stent has a walled groove that the leaflets pass through and connect to. This allows evenly fixing the leaflets to the stent without wrinkles. This reduces stress concentration and calcification compared to sewing the leaflets to the stent. The smooth leaflet attachment prevents tears and calcification from blood flow impact.

Source

Customizable prosthetic heart valves with a modular design that allows the number of leaflets to be tailored based on the native valve configuration. The valves have an annular support structure that can accommodate any number of leaflets, such as bi-leaflet, tri-leaflet, quadri-leaflet, or more. This allows a personalized number of leaflets to match the subject's native valve for improved fit and function. It also aims to reduce structural valve degeneration by avoiding excessive leaflet stresses and optimizing orifice area. The valves can be made using techniques like 3D printing, bio-printing, or xenograft tissue.

Source

Artificial heart valve design to improve performance and longevity compared to existing interventional valves. The valve replaces the native posterior leaflet of the mitral valve with an artificial leaflet that seals against the native anterior leaflet. This preserves the healthy anterior leaflet while replacing the failing posterior leaflet. The valve also has features like barbs on the stent to anchor it to the mitral annulus and a clamp structure to secure the artificial leaflet between the native leaflets. This reduces trauma and force on the artificial leaflet compared to compressing it into the native valve.

Source

Replacement heart valves made from a single molded sheet of collagen-based biomaterial that integrates the leaflets and body portion. The valves have fewer sutures than conventional valves since the leaflets and body are formed together. The valves are inserted into a stent and secured with fewer sutures compared to traditional valves. The molding process allows shaping the leaflets with concavities and variations in thickness. The valves have improved efficiency and cost compared to hand-sewn valves with separate leaflets and body pieces.

Source

Bionic heart valve leaflet with a three-layer structure that aims to replicate the natural heart valve leaflet's functionality and improve durability and endothelialization compared to existing synthetic valves. The leaflet has three layers: a fabric layer, a collagen layer, and a glycosaminoglycan layer. The fabric layer is made of a reticulated structure using non-degradable high-strength flexible fabric like polyester or nylon. This provides the elasticity needed for the leaflet to open and close. The collagen layer restrains leaflet movement and provides support. The glycosaminoglycan layer absorbs water and swells to buffer the leaflet movement. This bionic leaflet aims to provide elasticity, support, and buffer functions similar to the natural heart valve leaflet.

Source

Transcatheter heart valve replacement prosthesis with improved performance and reduced calcification compared to conventional valves. The prosthesis has an expandable frame with the valve components mounted externally on the outer surface instead of internally on the lumen side. This reduces inflammation and calcification since the frame doesn't contact the native heart tissue. The external valve attachment allows a larger outer diameter when expanded compared to the frame diameter. The external mounting also enables leaflet design with openings between posts to allow leaflet motion in the lumen.

Source

Prosthetic heart valve with reduced risk of thrombosis by preventing cell ingrowth onto the leaflets. The valve has an inner skirt joined to the frame that seals against the tissue. This prevents tissue from growing onto the leaflets. The skirt material is porous to allow ingrowth of tissue into the skirt itself, but not onto the leaflets. This reduces the risk of thrombosis compared to valves with exposed leaflets. The skirt can also have an airtight layer encapsulating the frame. The valve design aims to minimize contact between the valve and native tissue, reducing the risk of chronic thrombosis in low pressure applications.

Source

An implant to improve coaptation of an atrioventricular valve by preventing prolapse of the leaflets. The implant has a replaceable artificial leaflet, fixation to the annulus or native leaflet, and a bendable backbone connecting the artificial leaflet. The backbone restricts leaflet movement to prevent prolapse. It can be integrated into the artificial leaflet or attached to its sides. The bendable backbone allows adjustment to leaflet curvature while preventing prolapse.

Source

Artificial heart valve with improved coordination between leaflets to reduce regurgitation and prolong valve life. The leaflets have connecting ears on each side that have aligned holes. A flexible connector with matching holes is inserted through the holes to join the adjacent leaflets. This allows motion transmission between the leaflets for better coordination and reduces regurgitation compared to sewn leaflets with variable heights.

Source

A heart valve prosthesis designed to minimize regurgitation when implanted in a native mitral valve with high ellipticity. The prosthetic valve component has shaped leaflets that coapt fully when deployed in the frame to prevent central leakage. The leaflet shape is determined by a ratio of free edge length to frame inner diameter. The leaflets have slightly raised midpoints and gradual height transitions to ensure full contact when closed. This prevents regurgitation without sacrificing low profile.

Source

Artificial heart valve made of polymer material that overcomes some limitations of existing mechanical and biological valves. The polymer valve has leaflets that are arranged along the circumference of the valve and meet at junctions. In the natural state, the valve is not fully closed but has gaps between the leaflets. This allows blood to flow through the valve more easily compared to fully closed polymer valves. The leaflets have curved surfaces with different upper curves that converge at the junctions. This configuration reduces stress concentrations and transvalvular pressure differences during opening.

Source

Heart valve prosthesis with a unique leaflet arrangement and connectivity between the valve and anchor components that allows separate replacement of the valve without removing the anchor. The valve has asymmetric leaflets that close the valve orifice in different angles. The leaflets are fixed to a conical support structure. The anchor has a skirt that folds around it and connects to the valve via seams. The valve and anchor are separated by the skirt folds, allowing valve replacement without anchor removal.

Source

A bionic heart valve with improved durability and flexibility compared to existing prosthetic heart valves. The valve has a three-layer valve leaflet structure with an inner reinforcement layer sandwiched between an outer base layer and a wrapping layer. The reinforcement layer provides strength while the base and wrapping layers improve flexibility. This balance between strength and flexibility improves the valve's overall durability and reduces the risk of thromboembolism. The valve also has a sewing ring with a variable diameter shape to match the valve frame and facilitate suturing.

Source

Flexible synthetic leaflets for prosthetic heart valves that promote tissue ingrowth to reduce complications like thrombus formation. The leaflets have a composite structure with a porous synthetic membrane filled with a material that inhibits tissue growth. This inner layer is covered by an outer layer that promotes tissue ingrowth. The inner layer prevents excessive tissue growth, while the outer layer encourages normal tissue ingrowth. The composite structure allows tissue ingrowth while avoiding excessive tissue entanglement in the leaflets.

Source

Implantable prosthetic heart valve with a skirt that allows tissue ingrowth for anchoring and sealing while the inner surface is thromboresistant to prevent leaflet attachment. The skirt has an outer layer for tissue ingrowth and an inner layer for thromboresistance. This allows the skirt to anchor and seal in the native valve annulus while preventing excessive tissue growth inside the valve flow channel. The skirt also has bioresorbable couplers connecting it to the valve leaflets. When the couplers dissolve, the skirt separates leaving just the thromboresistant inner layer. This facilitates explant by avoiding the need for surgical cutting.

Source

A heart valve replacement system for treating valve diseases like pulmonary valve stenosis or insufficiency. The system has a prosthetic valve with adjustable length and bendable sections to conform to varying patient anatomies. The valve has extended leaflet edges and prongs to prevent leakage if the stent expands. The leaflets and prongs are designed to prevent contact with the stent during valve closure and opening. This allows the valve to expand to accommodate artery dilation without losing function.

Source