Replacement prosthetic heart valve, system and method of implant

Abstract

A prosthetic heart valve for functionally replacing a previously implanted prosthetic heart valve is disclosed. The prosthetic heart valve includes a collapsible support structure with leaflets and anchors mounted to the support structure. The support structure also includes an inflow end and an outflow end. The anchors include a radially outwardly extending first anchor proximate to the inflow end and a radially outwardly extending second anchor proximate to the outflow end. The first anchor includes a first configuration and the second anchor includes a second configuration where the first configuration is different than the second configuration. The previously implanted prosthetic heart valve serves as a platform for securement of the prosthetic heart valve to the patient's native tissue.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A prosthetic heart valve comprising:
 a tubular stent structure terminating at a first end longitudinally opposite a second end, the stent structure defining an intermediate portion between the first and second ends, wherein the stent structure is transitionable between a contracted state and an expanded state, and further wherein the expanded state includes:
 a diameter of the intermediate portion is less than a diameter of the first end; and 
   at least one leaflet secured to an interior of the stent structure.   
     
     
         2 . The prosthetic heart valve of  claim 1 , wherein the stent structure includes a plurality of interconnected wires. 
     
     
         3 . The prosthetic heart valve of  claim 1 , wherein the stent structure defines a plurality of open cells. 
     
     
         4 . The prosthetic heart valve of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one leaflet is directly secured to the intermediate portion. 
     
     
         5 . The prosthetic heart valve of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one leaflet is free of direct securement to the first end. 
     
     
         6 . The prosthetic heart valve of  claim 1 , wherein the stent structure further defines a first end portion extending from the intermediate portion to the first end, and further wherein the expanded state includes the first end portion expanding in diameter from the intermediate portion in a direction of the first end. 
     
     
         7 . The prosthetic heart valve of  claim 1 , wherein a diameter of the first end in the contracted state is less than the diameter of the first end in the expanded state. 
     
     
         8 . The prosthetic heart valve of  claim 7 , wherein the stent structure is configured such that in the contracted state, the prosthetic heart valve is sized for percutaneous delivery. 
     
     
         9 . The prosthetic heart valve of  claim 8 , wherein the stent structure is configured such that in the contracted state, the prosthetic heart valve is sized for delivery through a vessel of a patient selected from the group consisting of a carotid artery, a jugular vein, a sub-clavian vein, a femoral artery, and a femoral vein. 
     
     
         10 . The prosthetic heart valve of  claim 1 , wherein the expanded state includes a diameter of the second end being less than the diameter of the first end. 
     
     
         11 . The prosthetic heart valve of  claim 10 , wherein the expanded state includes the second end and the intermediate portion having the same diameter. 
     
     
         12 . The prosthetic heart valve of  claim 1 , wherein the stent structure is configured to self-expand from the contracted state to the expanded state. 
     
     
         13 . The prosthetic heart valve of  claim 1 , wherein the stent structure is configured to be balloon expandable from the contracted state to the expanded state. 
     
     
         14 . The prosthetic heart valve of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one leaflet is provided as a part of a homogenous, biological valve structure. 
     
     
         15 . The prosthetic heart valve of  claim 1 , further comprising a gasket material attached to an outer circumference of the stent structure. 
     
     
         16 . The prosthetic heart valve of  claim 15 , wherein the gasket material comprises at least one of fabric, felt, Teflon®, silicone, pericardium, polymeric material and biological material. 
     
     
         17 . A prosthetic heart valve comprising:
 a tubular support structure having a contracted state and an expanded state;   the tubular support structure having a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and an intermediate portion between the first and second ends, wherein in the expanded state a diameter of the intermediate portion is less than a diameter of the first end; and   a leaflet structure secured interior to the tubular support structure and secured to the tubular support structure.   
     
     
         18 . The prosthetic heart valve of  claim 17 , wherein the tubular support structure further defines:
 a first end portion extending from the intermediate portion to the first end; and   when in the expanded state, the first end portion exhibits an increasing diameter from the intermediate portion in a direction toward the first end.   
     
     
         19 . The prosthetic heart valve of  claim 18 , wherein when the tubular support structure is in the expanded state, the second end and the intermediate portion define substantially similar diameters. 
     
     
         20 . The prosthetic heart valve of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 a first previously implanted prosthetic heart valve;   the tubular support structure delivered in the contracted state to a position within the first previously implanted prosthetic heart valve; and   wherein in the expanded state the first end of the tubular support structure has a maximum diameter greater than a diameter of the first previously implanted heart valve.