A 3-D honeycomb textile can include a textured yarn. The textile can exhibit a heat-shrinkage rate from about 10% to about 60%. The textile can be configured to reversibly change its dimensions under application of stress. Prosthetic valves can have the disclosed textiles as a sealing member. Additionally, prosthetic valves can the disclosed textiles as cushion materials. In addition, methods of making the disclosed textiles and prosthetic valves are described.

A system for bridging a gap between an article or a portion thereof and a target, and anchoring the article or its portion to the target, the system comprising a) an elongated delivery catheter having a distal end; b) and a bridging and anchoring construction, operable to selectably translate in a distal and a proximal direction relative to the distal end of the elongated delivery catheter, the bridging and anchoring construction slidably coupled to the elongated delivery catheter, wherein the bridging and anchoring construction is operable to 1) engage the target following the distal translation spanning the gap between the article or its portion and the target; 2) eliminating the gap following the proximal translation; and 3) anchoring the article or its portion to the target.

A device for treating a diseased native valve in a patient is provided, the device including a frame structure and a plurality of leaflets. The device can further include a spiral anchor configured to extend around an outer circumference of the frame structure. The anchor can be configured to deliver a contrast agent into or near a target tissue. Other embodiments and methods of use are also provided.

Apparatus and methods are described herein for a secondary valve apparatus that can be deployed within an existing implanted prosthetic heart valve. In some embodiments, a secondary prosthetic heart valve apparatus is implanted in series with an existing deteriorating implanted prosthetic valve. The secondary valve apparatus can restore proper valve function without disruption to the failing previously implanted valve. In some embodiments, the secondary valve apparatus can be positioned on an atrial portion of the existing valve, and be delivered transseptally. In other embodiments, the secondary valve apparatus can be positioned at a ventricular portion of the existing valve and delivered transapically. Devices and methods to prepare the existing valve to receive a secondary valve apparatus are also described herein. In some embodiments, a balloon expansion device can be used to expand an inner diameter of the existing valve to provide space for the secondary valve to be disposed.

A replacement heart valve implant may include an expandable framework configured to shift from a collapsed configuration to an expanded configuration, the expandable framework having an inflow end and an outflow end, a plurality of valve leaflets secured to the expandable framework, and a plurality of pockets secured to the expandable framework in a plurality of circumferential pocket rows. The plurality of pockets extends radially outward from the expandable framework to capture retrograde fluid flow around an exterior of the expandable framework within the plurality of pockets.

A replacement heart valve implant may include an expandable framework configured to shift from a collapsed configuration to an expanded configuration, the expandable framework having an inflow end and an outflow end, a plurality of valve leaflets secured to the expandable framework, and a plurality of pockets secured to the expandable framework in a plurality of circumferential pocket rows. The plurality of pockets extends radially outward from the expandable framework to capture retrograde fluid flow around an exterior of the expandable framework within the plurality of pockets.

In one embodiment, a method of repairing a heart valve accesses an interior of a patient's beating heart minimally invasively and inserts one or more sutures into each of a plurality of heart valve leaflets with a suturing instrument. The suture ends of the sutures are divided into suture pairs, with each pair including one suture end from a suture inserted into a first valve leaflet and one suture end from a suture inserted into a second valve leaflet. One or more tourniquet tubes is advanced over the suture pairs to the leaflets to draw the sutures together to coapt the leaflets and then the sutures are secured in that position.

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a delivery apparatus for a prosthetic heart valve. Disclosed delivery apparatuses can include a handle, a first shaft extending from the handle, a second shaft disposed around the first shaft, and a valve cover. The valve cover can be coupled to a distal end portion of the first shaft and can be configured to house a prosthetic heart valve in a radially compressed state. The valve cover can have an outer diameter greater than an outer diameter of the second shaft, and the first shaft and valve cover can be movable together in an axial direction relative to the second shaft.

This application relates to methods, systems, and apparatus for replacing native heart valves with prosthetic heart valves and treating valvular insufficiency. In a representative embodiment, a support frame configured to be implanted in a heart valve comprises a main body formed by formed by a plurality of inner members forming an inner clover and a plurality of outer members forming an outer clover. The support frame can include gaps located between inner members of the plurality of inner members and outer members of the plurality of outer members. The inner clover can be radially inside the outer clover, and the outer clover can have larger dimensions than the inner clover. The support frames herein can be radially expandable and collapsible.

A novel prosthetic valve is described herein, as well as methods of making such novel prosthetic valves.