SURGICAL HEART VALVES ADAPTED FOR POST IMPLANT EXPANSION

摘要

Disclosed herein is a prosthetic heart valve, and associated methods therefore, configured to replace a native heart valve, and having a support frame configured to be reshaped into an expanded form in order to receive and/or support an expandable prosthetic heart valve therein. The prosthetic heart valve is configured to have an expansion-resistant configuration when initially implanted to replace a native valve (or other prosthetic heart valve), but to assume a generally expanded form when subjected to an outward force such as that provided by a dilation balloon or other mechanical expander.