Leaflet attachment for function in various shapes and sizes

Abstract

A prosthetic heart valve includes a collapsible and expandable stent and a plurality of commissure features disposed on the stent. A collapsible and expandable valve assembly includes a plurality of leaflets connected to the plurality of commissure features, each commissure feature including a body having a proximal end and a distal end. A plurality of eyelets is arranged in rows and columns on the body for distributing load from the plurality of leaflets.

1 . A prosthetic heart valve, comprising:
 a collapsible and expandable stent having a proximal end, a distal end, an annulus section adjacent the proximal end and an aortic section adjacent the distal end;   a plurality of commissure features disposed on the stent; and   a collapsible and expandable valve assembly, the valve assembly including a plurality of leaflets connected to the plurality of commissure features;   each commissure feature including a body having a proximal end a distal end, and a plurality of eyelets arranged in at least two rows and at least two columns for distributing load from the plurality of leaflets.   
     
     
         2 . The prosthetic heart valve of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of commissure features includes a body that is substantially rectangular. 
     
     
         3 . The prosthetic heart valve of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of commissure features includes at least three rows of eyelets disposed on the body. 
     
     
         4 . The prosthetic heart valve of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of commissure features includes two columns of eyelets disposed on the body. 
     
     
         5 . The prosthetic heart valve of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of eyelets are substantially the same shape. 
     
     
         6 . The prosthetic heart valve of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of eyelets are substantially the same size. 
     
     
         7 . The prosthetic heart valve of  claim 1 , wherein each commissure feature includes at least one elongated eyelet that is substantially rectangular. 
     
     
         8 . The prosthetic heart valve of  claim 7 , wherein each of the plurality of eyelets has a size no greater than a maximum size, and the at least one elongated eyelet is larger than the maximum size. 
     
     
         9 . The prosthetic heart valve of  claim 1 , wherein the body of each commissure feature has a peripheral edge and at least one recess formed in the peripheral edge. 
     
     
         10 . The prosthetic heart valve of  claim 9 , wherein the peripheral edge includes a proximal edge on the proximal end of the body, a distal edge in the distal end of the body, and a pair if side edges between the proximal edge and the distal edge, and the at least one recess is disposed on one of the side edges of the body. 
     
     
         11 . The prosthetic heart valve of  claim 9 , wherein the peripheral edge includes a proximal edge on the proximal end of the body, a distal edge in the distal end of the body, and a pair of side edges between the proximal edge and the distal edge and the at least one recess is disposed on the distal edge of the body. 
     
     
         12 . A prosthetic valve assembly for assembly to a collapsible and expandable stent, the stent including a plurality of commissure features, each commissure feature including a body having a longitudinal direction extending between a proximal end and a distal end, and a plurality of eyelets arranged in a plurality of columns each extending in the longitudinal direction, the body having a width in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction, the valve assembly comprising:
 a plurality of leaflets, each leaflet having a top free edge for coapting with others of the leaflets and including at least one rectangular tab foldable upon itself along a fold line for attaching to a commissure feature at a leaflet-commissure feature junction, the at least one rectangular tab having a width which is at least as long as the width of the body.   
     
     
         13 . The prosthetic valve assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the tab has a distal end extending beyond the distal end of the body when the tab is aligned for attachment to the commissure feature. 
     
     
         14 . The prosthetic valve assembly of  claim 12 , further comprising a flap coupled to one side of the tab to provide an additional buffer at the leaflet-commissure feature junction. 
     
     
         15 . The prosthetic valve assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the tab includes a reinforcement material to provide additional rigidity to the leaflet-commissure feature junction. 
     
     
         16 . The prosthetic valve assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the free edge of the leaflet extends generally in a first direction, and the tab is coupled to the free edge so as to define an edge adjacent the free edge that extends substantially orthogonal to the first direction for suturing the leaflet to the commissure feature without interfering with the free edge. 
     
     
         17 . A prosthetic heart valve, comprising:
 a collapsible and expandable stent having a proximal end, a distal end, an annulus section adjacent the proximal end and an aortic section adjacent the distal end;   a plurality of commissure features disposed on the stent, each commissure feature including a body having a longitudinal direction extending between a proximal end and a distal end, and a plurality of eyelets arranged in at least two columns extending in the longitudinal direction and at least two rows extending in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction, for distributing load from the plurality of leaflets; and   a collapsible and expandable valve assembly, including a plurality of leaflets connected to the plurality of commissure features via a suture pattern.   
     
     
         18 . The prosthetic heart valve of  claim 17 , wherein the plurality of eyelets are arranged in two columns and the suture pattern forms an “X” pattern between an eyelet in a first of the column and an adjacent eyelet of a second in the columns. 
     
     
         19 . The prosthetic heart valve of  claim 17 , wherein each commissure feature includes at least three rows of eyelets disposed on the body. 
     
     
         20 . The prosthetic heart valve of  claim 17 , wherein the suture pattern includes at least two stitches extending between a first eyelet in one column and a next adjacent eyelet in the one column. 
     
     
         21 . The prosthetic heart valve of  claim 17 , wherein each commissure feature includes at least one elongated eyelet that is substantially rectangular. 
     
     
         22 . The prosthetic heart valve of  claim 17 , wherein the body of each commissure feature has a peripheral edge, and at least one recess formed in the peripheral edge, and a portion of the suture pattern is disposed within the at least one recess. 
     
     
         23 . The prosthetic heart valve of  claim 17 , wherein each commissure feature has a central axis extending in the longitudinal direction, and the plurality of eyelets and the suture pattern are symmetric about the central axis. 
     
     
         24 . The prosthetic heart valve of  claim 17 , wherein the suture pattern forms at least one stitch between the eyelets in adjacent columns.