Replacement heart valve

Abstract

A replacement heart valve includes an expandable frame for engaging a native valve annulus and a valve body positioned within the expandable frame. The valve body has an upstream end and a downstream end, wherein a diameter at the downstream end is greater than a diameter at the upstream end. The replacement heart valve also includes an elongate upstream portion having an inflow diameter, a transition portion that flares outwardly, and a downstream portion configured to engage a native valve annulus.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A replacement heart valve comprising:
 an expandable frame configured to engage a native valve annulus; and   a valve body mounted onto the expandable frame, the valve body comprising a plurality of valve leaflets configured to open to allow flow in a first direction and engage one another so as to close and not allow flow in a second direction opposite the first direction, wherein the valve body has an upstream end and a downstream end, and a diameter at the downstream end is greater than a diameter at the upstream end;   wherein the replacement heart valve comprises an elongate upstream portion maintaining an inflow diameter, a transition portion disposed adjacent the upstream portion of the valve body that flares outwardly so that the diameter increases, and a downstream portion disposed adjacent the transition portion.   
     
     
         2 . The replacement heart valve of  claim 1 , wherein the replacement heart valve is designed to replace a diseased native mitral valve. 
     
     
         3 . The replacement heart valve of  claim 1 , further comprising opposing anchors constructed so that their tips are in the downstream portion. 
     
     
         4 . The replacement heart valve of  claim 1 , wherein the valve body flares outwardly approaching the downstream end of the valve body. 
     
     
         5 . The replacement heart valve of  claim 1 , wherein the frame foreshortens as the frame is radially expanded from a collapsed configuration. 
     
     
         6 . The replacement heart valve of  claim 5 , wherein a foreshortening zone generally corresponds with the downstream portion. 
     
     
         7 . The replacement heart valve of  claim 6 , further comprising a non-foreshortening zone upstream from the foreshortening zone, generally corresponding to the upstream and transition portions. 
     
     
         8 . The replacement heart valve of  claim 1 , wherein the valve body is shaped to accommodate the transition portion of the frame. 
     
     
         9 . The replacement heart valve of  claim 1 , wherein the valve body is conical. 
     
     
         10 . The replacement heart valve of  claim 1 , wherein the upstream portion of the valve body has a consistent inflow diameter. 
     
     
         11 . A replacement heart valve comprising:
 an expandable frame configured to radially expand and collapse for deployment within a native heart valve, the expandable frame comprising a proximal portion having an inflow end, a distal portion having an outflow end and a longitudinal axis extending from the inflow end to the outflow end, the inflow end configured to be positioned upstream of the outflow end when the replacement heart valve is deployed within the native heart valve, a cross-sectional dimension perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the outflow end being greater than a cross-sectional dimension perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the inflow end when the expandable frame is in an expanded configuration;   a valve body positioned within a lumen of the expandable frame; and   one or more distal anchors extending from the outflow end of the expandable frame, wherein the distal anchors are sized such that, when the prosthesis is expanded and deployed within the native heart valve:   at least one of the one or more distal anchors is positioned radially outwardly from the expandable frame;   at least one of the one or more distal anchors contact tissue on a ventricular side of the native heart valve; and   tips of the one or more distal anchors extend substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the expandable frame.   
     
     
         12 . The replacement heart valve of  claim 11 , wherein the replacement heart valve further comprises a proximal anchoring portion sized to contact tissue on an atrial side of the native heart valve when the prosthesis is deployed within the native heart valve, an end of the proximal anchoring portion being positioned radially outwardly from the expandable frame when the expandable frame is in the expanded configuration. 
     
     
         13 . The replacement heart valve of  claim 11 , wherein the replacement heart valve is sized such that, when the replacement heart valve is expanded and deployed within the native heart valve, a native leaflet of the native heart valve is positioned between at least a first distal anchor of the one or more distal anchors and the expandable frame. 
     
     
         14 . The replacement heart valve of  claim 11 , wherein the expandable frame further comprises an engagement zone, and wherein the engagement zone is sized such that, when the replacement heart valve is expanded and deployed within the native heart valve, the engagement zone engages an annulus of the native heart valve. 
     
     
         15 . The replacement heart valve of  claim 11 , wherein the replacement heart valve is designed to replace a diseased native mitral valve. 
     
     
         16 . The replacement heart valve of  claim 14 , wherein the engagement zone is sized such that, when the replacement heart valve is expanded, a cross-sectional dimension of the engagement zone is greater than a cross-sectional dimension of a proximal end of the expandable frame. 
     
     
         17 . The replacement heart valve of  claim 11 , wherein the valve body comprises a plurality of valve leaflets. 
     
     
         18 . The replacement heart valve of  claim 17 , further comprising a plurality of commissures disposed along downstream side edges of the valve leaflets. 
     
     
         19 . The replacement heart valve of  claim 17 , wherein the valve body comprises three valve leaflets. 
     
     
         20 . The replacement heart valve of  claim 17 , wherein the plurality of valve leaflets are configured to open to allow flow in a first direction from an atrium to a ventricle and engage one another so as to close and not allow flow in a second direction opposite the first direction.