Bileaflet valve having non-parallel pivot axes

Claim 2

A bileaflet heart valve prosthesis, comprising: an orifice body defining an orifice for the passage of blood therethrough; a first occluder disposed in the orifice and pivotally attached to the orifice body, the first occluder pivotally movable about a first axis between an open position and a closed position; a second occluder disposed in the orifice and pivotally attached to the orifice body, the second occluder pivotally movable about a second axis between an open position and a closed position, the orifice being substantially open when the first and second occluders are in their open positions and substantially closed when the occluders are in their closed positions, the first axis and the second axis being non-parallel.

Claim 3

A bileaflet heart valve as in claim 1 wherein the first and second axis form an angle of between about 1 degree and about 179 degrees when projected onto a plane generally perpendicular to the direction of blood flow through the valve.

Claim 4

A bileaflet heart valve as in claim 1 wherein the orifice is substantially non-circular.

Claim 5

A bileaflet heart valve as in claim 1 wherein the orifice is substantially circular.

Claim 6

A bileaflet heart valve as in claim 1 wherein the first axis and the second axis are substantially coplanar.

Claim 7

A bileaflet heart valve as in claim 1 wherein the first axis and the second axis are substantially non-coplanar.

Claim 8

A bileaflet heart valve as in claim 1 wherein the first and second occluders are planar.

Claim 9

A bileaflet heart valve as in claim 1 wherein the first and second occluders are curved.

Claim 10

A bileaflet heart valve as in claim 1 wherein each occluder has a central portion that opens in the direction of blood flow through the valve.

Claim 11

A bileaflet heart valve as in claim 1 wherein each occluder has a side portion that opens in the direction of blood flow through the valve.

Claim 12

A bileaflet heart valve as in claim 1 wherein the valve, when in the open position, defines a central opening and two side openings, the central opening being larger than either of the side openings.

Claim 13

A bileaflet heart valve as in claim 1 wherein the valve, when in the open position, defines a central opening and two side openings, the central opening being smaller than either of the side openings.

Claim 14

A bileaflet heart valve as in claim 1 wherein the first axis divides the first occluder into a first central area and a first side area, the first central area being greater than the first side area.

Claim 15

A bileaflet heart valve as in claim 13 wherein the second axis divides the second occluder into a second central area and a second side area, the second central area being greater than the second side area.

Claim 16

A bileaflet heart valve as in claim 1 wherein the first axis divides the first occluder into a first central area and a first side area, the first central area being less than the first side area.

Claim 17

A bileaflet heart valve as in claim 15 wherein the second axis divides the second occluder into a second central area and a second side area, the second central area being less than the second side area.

Claim 18

A bileaflet heart valve as in claim 1 wherein the orifice body includes an extended portion which extends in an axial direction to prevent the first and second occluder from interfering with surrounding cardiac tissue.

Claim 19

The bileaflet heart valve as in claim 17 wherein a portion of the extended portion is tapered to reduce the profile of the valve.

Claim 20

A bileaflet heart valve prosthesis, comprising: an orifice body defining an orifice for the passage of blood therethrough; a first occluder disposed in the orifice and pivotally attached to the orifice body at opposing pivot points a 1 and b 1 on an internal surface of the orifice for pivotal movement between an open position and a closed position, a first axis defined by the line connecting points a 1 and b 1 on the internal surface of the orifice; a second occluder disposed in the orifice and pivotally attached to the orifice body at opposing pivot points a 2 and b 2 for pivotal movement between an open position and a closed position, the orifice being substantially open when the first and second occluders are in their open positions and substantially closed when the occluders are in their closed positions, a second axis defined by the line connecting points a 2 and b 2 on the internal surface of the orifice, wherein the first axis is non-parallel to the second axis.

Claim 21

A bileaflet heart valve prosthesis, comprising: an orifice body defining an orifice for the passage of blood therethrough; a first occluder disposed in the orifice and pivotally attached to the orifice body at opposing pivot points a 1 and b 1 on an internal surface of the orifice for pivotal movement between an open position and a closed position, a first axis defined by the line connecting points a 1 and b 1 on the internal surface of the orifice; a second occluder disposed in the orifice and pivotally attached to the orifice body at opposing pivot points a 2 and b 2 for pivotal movement between an open position and a closed position, the orifice being substantially open when the first and second occluders are in their open positions and substantially closed when the occluders are in their closed positions, a second axis defined by the line connecting points a 2 and b 2 on the internal surface of the orifice, wherein the first axis is non-parallel to the second axis.

Claim 22

A bileaflet heart valve as in claim 19 wherein the first axis and the second axis are non-coplanar and a distance between a 1 and a 2 is substantially equal to a distance between b 1 and b 2 .

Claim 23

A bileaflet heart valve as in claim 19 wherein the first axis and the second axis are non-coplanar and a distance between a 1 and a 2 is not equal to a distance between b 1 and b 2 .

Claim 24

A bileaflet heart valve as in claim 19 wherein the first axis and the second axis are coplanar and a distance between a 1 and a 2 is not equal to a distance between b 1 and b 2 .

Claim 25

A bileaflet heart valve as in claim 19 wherein the first axis and the second axis are coplanar and a distance between a 1 and a 2 is substantially equal to a distance between b 1 and b 2 .

Claim 26

A bileaflet heart valve as in claim 19 wherein the leaflets are arranged asymmetrically.

Claim 27

The bileaflet heart valve as in claim 19 wherein the leaflets are arranged symmetrically.

Claim 28

A bileaflet heart valve as in claim 19 wherein a distance between a 1 and b 1 is substantially equal to a distance between a 2 and b 2 .

Claim 29

A bileaflet heart valve as in claim 19 wherein a distance between a 1 and b 1 is not equal to a distance between a 2 and b 2 .

Claim 30

A bileaflet heart valve as in claim 19 wherein the orifice is substantially non-circular.

Claim 31

A bileaflet heart valve as in claim 19 wherein the orifice is substantially circular.

Claim 32

A bileaflet heart valve as in claim 19 wherein each occluder has a central portion that opens in the direction of blood flow through the valve.

Claim 33

A bileaflet heart valve as in claim 19 wherein each occluder has a side portion that opens in the direction of blood flow through the valve.

Claim 34

A bileaflet heart valve as in claim 19 wherein the orifice body protects the occluders from interference with surrounding tissue when the valve is in the open position.

Claim 35

A bileaflet heart valve as in claim 32 wherein a portion of the orifice body is tapered to reduce valve profile.