Flexible cardiac valvular support prosthesis

Claim 2

An implantable support for a natural heart valve, said support being generally ring shaped and having a size and shape to fit against the natural heart valve annulus, said ring shaped support having a perimeter of fixed length, a first length of said support being flexible, and a second length of said support being less flexible than said first length of said support whereby, when said support is implanted, the support reduces dilation of the heart valve annulus and said first length of the support allows contraction of the heart valve annulus along said first length of the support.

Claim 3

A support as defined in claim 1 wherein at least a segment of said second length is substantially rigid.

Claim 4

A support as defined in claims 1 or 2 wherein said second length includes a metal frame member.

Claim 5

A support as defined in claims 1, 2 or 3 wherein the first length includes a flexible cord.

Claim 6

A support as defined in claim 4 wherein the second length includes a member having opposite end portions, said flexible cord having opposite ends and the opposite ends of the flexible cord are coupled, respectively, to the opposite end portions of the frame.

Claim 7

A support as defined in any of claims 1 to 5 wherein the support includes soft material for use in suturing the support into the heart.

Claim 8

A support as defined in any of claims 1 to 6 wherein distal regions of said second length are of progressively increasing flexibility as they extend distally.

Claim 9

A support for a heart valve comprising: an elongated frame member forming a portion of a ring and having opposite end portions; and a flexible cord coupled to and extending between the opposite end portions of the frame member to form a structure which circumscribes a region, said cord being integral and unbroken as it extends between said end portions of the frame member and said support being implantable to support a human heart valve annulus.

Claim 10

A support for a heart valve comprising: an elongated frame member forming a portion of a ring and having opposite end portions; and a flexible cord coupled to and extending between the opposite end portions of the frame member to form a structure which circumscribes a region, said cord being integral and unbroken as it extends between said end portions of the frame member and said support being implantable to support a human heart valve annulus.

Claim 11

A support as defined in claim 8 including a flexible sheath at least partly enclosing the frame member and the flexible cord, the support includes a soft compres­sible material within the sheath between the cord and the sheath and the frame member and the sheath, the length of the cord between said opposite end portions of the frame member is greater than is required to extend in a straight line between said opposite end portions of the frame member, the compressible material forms the cord into an arc between said opposite end portions of the frame, the cord is essentially nondistansible, the frame member includes first and second curved segments joined by an essentially straight segment, said curved segments and said straight segments are in substantially the same plane and said curved segments extend away from the straight segment in the same general direction.

Claim 12

A support for a heart valve comprising: an elongated frame member forming a portion of a ring and having opposite end portions; a flexible cord coupled to the opposite end portions of the frame member and extending continuously between said end portions to form a structure which circum­scribes a region, said support being implantable to support a human heart valve annulus; and a soft, compressible, resilient material extending along the cord and shaping the cord between the end portions of the frame member.

Claim 13

A support for a heart valve comprising: an elongated frame member forming a portion of a ring and having opposite end portions; a flexible cord coupled to the opposite end portions of the frame member and extending continuously between said end portions to form a structure which circum­scribes a region, said support being implantable to support a human heart valve annulus; and a soft, compressible, resilient material extending along the cord and shaping the cord between the end portions of the frame member.