A delivery device for an implantable medical device having a retention member at an end thereof may include a shaft extending in a longitudinal direction and defining a longitudinal axis, an elongated sheath surrounding a longitudinal portion of the shaft, a compartment defined inside the sheath and adapted to receive the medical device in an assembled condition, a retainer positioned at one end of the compartment, and an energy storage element positioned on the longitudinal portion of the shaft and configured to be radially compressed by the medical device when the elongated sheath covers the compartment containing the medical device. The sheath may be slidable relative to the shaft in the longitudinal direction. The retainer may include a recess adapted to receive the retention member of the medical device in the assembled condition.

Embodiments of an implantable frame are disclosed. The frame can have a plurality of struts interconnected to each other to form a mesh structure that is radially expandable and compressible. The frame can have a connecting post extending from an end of the frame. The connecting post can have a body portion and a head portion affixed to an end of the body portion. The head portion can have a first edge extending outwardly of the body portion. The first edge can have a substantially flat portion that is substantially perpendicular to the body portion.

A docking station for a prosthetic heart valve includes a radially expandable and collapsible frame with a first plurality of struts, an inflow end portion, an outflow end portion, and a longitudinal axis. A sealing member is disposed on the outflow end portion and configured to form a seal between the docking station and a body lumen. The docking station further includes a valve seat coupled to the frame and configured to receive an expandable prosthetic valve. The valve seat includes a second plurality of struts coupled to the frame and extending in a downstream direction and angled inwardly toward the longitudinal axis of the frame.

A prosthetic heart valve has a frame and a valvular structure coupled thereto. The valvular structure has multiple leaflets, with paired tabs from the leaflets forming commissure tab assemblies that couple the valvular structure to the frame. The frame is tapered with its inflow end diameter being smaller than its outflow end diameter. The valvular structure is constructed such that a flow channel formed by the leaflets is also tapered, with the inlet end cross-section being smaller than the outlet end cross-section. The commissure tab assemblies are attached to the frame with leaflet bending axes at or adjacent to the radially-inner surface of the frame. During systole, separation of blood flow induced by the tapered geometry of the flow channel generates an annular back flow region adjacent to the inner surface of the valve at the outflow end, which prevents the free edge of the leaflets from contacting the frame.

Described is a delivery system for percutaneous delivery and implantation of a heart valve. The delivery system includes a handle with a sheath extending therefrom. A splay shaft extends from the handle through the sheath. At least two arms extend from the handle through the splay shaft. The at least two arms are operable for holding a heart valve. A sheath controller is housed within the handle and is operable for selectively advancing or retracting the sheath to constrain or expose a heart valve as attached with the at least two arms. A splay shaft controller is housed within the handle for allowing the user to selectively advance or retract the splay shaft to constrain or expose the at least two arms. Finally, a valve release is attached with the handle to allow a user to selectively release a heart valve as attached with the at least two arms.

An expandable prosthetic valve is implantable within a native mitral valve by terminal ends of ventricular anchors of the prosthetic valve moving outwardly from a constrained delivery position of the ventricular anchors, while the ventricular anchors are positioned within the atrium. Then, a portion of the expandable prosthetic valve containing the ventricular anchors is advanced through the native mitral valve into the ventricle. Terminal ends of atrial anchors of the prosthetic valve move outwardly relative to a portion of an annular valve body of the prosthetic valve while the atrial anchors are at least partially positioned within the atrium. Next, the annular valve body is radially expanded while the ventricular anchors are in the ventricle and the atrial anchors are in the atrium, thereby anchoring native heart valve tissue between the atrial anchors and ventricular anchors. Other embodiments are also described.

An implantable prosthetic device can include a hybrid frame movable between a radially compressed configuration and a radially expanded configuration. The hybrid frame can include a mechanically-expandable first sub-frame comprising a plurality of struts pivotably coupled to one another, and a self-expanding second sub-frame coupled to the first sub-frame. When the hybrid frame is in the expanded configuration, the second sub-frame can be configured to resist radial compression of the frame.

An expansion and locking mechanism for a prosthetic valve and associated methods are disclosed. As one example, an expansion and locking mechanism for an implantable prosthetic device can include a first member coupled to a frame of the device and including at least one extension member extending in a circumferential direction and having a free end biased radially inward, into an interior of the first member and a second member coupled to the frame at a second location spaced apart from the first location, the second member extending at least partially inside the first member and comprising a plurality of radial extensions spaced apart from one another along a portion of a length of the second member, the plurality of radial extensions arranged in a first side of the second member that is arranged opposite a second side of the second member, the second side not including any radial extensions.

A prosthetic valve includes a radially expandable and compressible annular frame and a valvular structure. The frame includes a first strut and an adjacent second strut that overlap at a pivot joint. Radial expansion or compression of the frame causes the first strut to pivot relative to the second strut at the pivot joint. The valvular structure includes first and second leaflets attached to the first and second struts with a suture. The first and second struts define four strut segments connected by the pivot joint. The suture comprises three interconnected locking knots that are respectively attached to three of the four strut segments.

An apical pad for securing a prosthetic heart valve within a native valve annulus. The apical pad includes a first collar, a second collar and plurality of struts extending between the first collar and the second collar. The plurality of struts has a delivery condition in which the plurality of struts collectively form a first cross-section and a deployed condition in which the plurality of struts collectively form a second cross-section greater than the first cross-section. The apical pad may be coupled to a tether extending from a prosthetic heart valve and may transition from the delivery condition to the deployed condition by tensioning the tether.