Embodiments of a prosthetic heart valve are disclosed. An implantable prosthetic valve can include an annular frame having an inflow end, an outflow end and a central longitudinal axis extending from the inflow end to the outflow end. The valve can include a valvular structure including two or more leaflets, each of the two or more leaflets having a leaflet inflow edge positioned at least partially outside of the frame and a leaflet outflow edge positioned within the frame, wherein at least a portion of each of the leaflet inflow edges is unsupported by the frame.

A prosthetic heart valve includes a collapsible and expandable stent extending along a longitudinal axis and having an inflow end and an outflow end, the stent including a plurality of cells annularly arranged around the stent in at least one row, the plurality of cells having a first nesting cell adjacent the outflow end of the stent, a first engaging arm disposed within the first nesting cell and being pivotally movable between a loaded condition, a partially-released condition, and a fully-released condition, the first engaging arm and the first nesting cell having a synchronous pivoting movement, and a collapsible and expandable valve assembly disposed within the stent and having a plurality of leaflets.

The present technology is generally directed to interatrial shunting systems and associated devices and methods. For example, a system configured in accordance with embodiments of the present technology can include a shunting element implantable into a patient at or adjacent a septal wall. The shunting element can have a lumen that fluidly connects a left atrium and a right atrium of the patient to facilitate blood flow therebetween when the shunting element is implanted. In some embodiments, the system further includes a flow control element to selectively control blood flow between the left atrium and the right atrium.

A stabilized fabric composed of a mesh or a woven fabric is disclosed as are methods of their manufacture, the manufacture of medical devices made using a stabilized fibers and stabilized medical devices are all disclosed. Fabrics can be stabilized by several techniques including: using mechanical, chemical and/or energetic fasteners at warp and weft intersections in the weave; by using various weaving techniques and fibers. Meshes can be stabilized when properly dimensioned and arranged junctions and struts of the necessary properties are used. All of these stabilized fabrics can be made of synthetic polymer materials such as ultrahigh molecular weight PE or PP and expanded PTFE.

Methods and tools for folding and/or capturing leaflets of a heart valve are disclosed herein. Prior to or during installing of a prosthetic heart valve, part of a leaflet of an existing valvular structure can be positioned distally and/or folded upon itself. The existing valvular structure may be a native heart valve or a previously-implanted prosthetic heart valve. When the existing valvular structure is at the aortic position, the prosthetic heart valve can be subsequently installed within the existing valvular structure such that the leaflet is maintained in a location that avoids obstructing blood flow to one or more of the coronary arteries.

The invention is a device, system, and method for repairing heart valve function, which may include bisecting native valve leaflets for improved deployment of a prosthetic heart valve in the native valve annulus. The invention may include a catheter having a cutting element shaft with a cutting element configured to puncture a valve leaflet and/or make a controlled cut through the leaflet. The device may have an extendable foot configured to be positioned on an opposite side of the valve leaflet from the cutting element shaft. The device may include magnets to guide the cutting element and/or cutting element shaft in proper alignment with the extendable foot and to hold the elements in place during leaflet bisection.

Described embodiments are directed toward prosthetic valves having leaflets that move asymmetrically in that in the fully open position, the leaflet first side region opens less than the leaflet second side region. Asymmetric opening and final open position, in synchrony with the other leaflets having similar motion and final open position creates spiral flow exiting the open valve that may, among other things, increases blood flow on the downstream side of the leaflet and thus reduces stagnation of the blood that might lead to thrombus formation. Controlled asymmetric movement of the leaflet reduces closing volume by initiating closure on the leaflet first side region and finishing closures on the leaflet second side region.

A stented valve including a stent structure including a generally tubular body portion having a first end, a second end, an interior area, a longitudinal axis, and a plurality of vertical wires extending generally parallel to the longitudinal axis around a periphery of the body portion, wherein the plurality of vertical wires includes multiple commissure wires and at least one structural wire positioned between adjacent commissure wires, and a plurality of V-shaped wire structures having a first end, a second end, and a peak between the first and second ends, wherein a first end of each V-shaped structure extends from a first vertical wire and a second end of each V-shaped structure extends from a second vertical wire that is adjacent to the first vertical wire, wherein each V-shaped structure is oriented so that its peak is facing in the same direction relative to the first and second ends of the body portion, and a valve structure including a plurality of leaflets attached to the stent structure within the tubular body portion.

In a representative embodiment, a method comprises implanting first and second inflatable bodies within an annulus of a native heart valve by securing the inflatable bodies to tissue of the native heart valve with sutures, and implanting a prosthetic heart valve between the inflatable bodies such that the prosthetic heart valve is retained within the annulus by the inflatable bodies.

The present disclosure provides a heart valve repair method, comprising: advancing a distal end of a suture implanting apparatus from an outside of a body through a transapical approach into a left ventricle or a right ventricle of a heart; holding each leaflet of a heart valve with the distal end of the suture implanting apparatus; implanting at least one suture into the leaflet; withdrawing the suture implanting apparatus from the body; advancing a distal end of a suture locking apparatus from the outside of a body through a transapical approach into the corresponding left ventricle or the corresponding right ventricle; using the suture locking apparatus to lock the plurality of sutures; and withdrawing the suture locking apparatus from the body. The heart valve repair method has a simple surgical procedure, a low degree of patient trauma, and a high success rate of surgery.