METHODS OF IMPLANTING A HEART VALVE AT AN AORTIC ANNULUS

摘要

An exemplary two-stage prosthetic heart valve system has a radially expandable base stent implanted within a native valve annulus. The two-stage heart valve system also has a valve component that is delivered to and mounted within the base stent in a separate or sequential operation after the base stent has been anchored within the annulus. The valve component in certain embodiments comprises a hybrid valve component that includes a conventional, non-expandable surgical valve that is modified to include an expandable coupling stent that can be expanded to engage the inner surface of the base stent, thereby anchoring the valve component to the base stent. In its expanded configuration, the outflow end portion base stent has tri-lobular shape that closely conforms to the shape of the aortic root and a support ring of the prosthetic valve that is mounted within the base stent.

主权项

1. A method of implanting a prosthetic heart valve system at an aortic heart valve annulus, comprising:
advancing a base stent to an implant position adjacent an aortic heart valve annulus; radially expanding the base stent so as to anchor the base stent to the aortic heart valve annulus, the expanded base stent having an outflow end portion and an inflow end portion, at least a portion of the outflow end portion having a three-lobed cross-sectional profile with three outwardly-projecting lobes intermediate three regions of lesser radial dimension; providing a prosthetic valve having a support frame surrounding an orifice including a non-expandable, non-collapsible valve stent coupled to leaflets that coapt within the orifice and form the occluding surfaces of the prosthetic valve, the prosthetic valve further having a coupling stent connected to and extending from an inflow end of the valve stent; advancing the prosthetic valve into the outflow end portion of the base stent; and radially expanding the coupling stent to an expanded state so as to anchor the prosthetic valve to the base stent.