Edwards Lifesciences Corporation
Prosthetic heart valve and delivery apparatus

Abstract:

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a prosthetic heart valve usable with a heart valve delivery apparatus for delivery of the prosthetic heart valve to a native valve site via the human vasculature. In one embodiment, a self-expanding valve comprises an expandable stent that is shaped to maintain the valve in the aortic annulus against axial without anchors or retaining devices that engage the surrounding tissue. The prosthetic heart valve can have a curved shape that tapers inwardly from the inflow end to a reduced diameter section, increases in diameter from the reduced diameter section to an intermediate section, and then tapers from the intermediate section to the outflow end.