Abstract: A prosthetic heart valve is provided with a cuff having features which promote sealing with the native tissues even where the native tissues are irregular. The cuff may include a portion adapted to bear on the LVOT when the valve is implanted in a native aortic valve. The valve may include elements for biasing the cuff outwardly with respect to the stent body when the stent body is in an expanded condition. The cuff may have portions of different thickness distributed around the circumference of the valve in a pattern matching the shape of the opening defined by the native tissue. All or part of the cuff may be movable relative to the stent during implantation.

Abstract: A prosthetic heart valve is provided with a cuff having features which promote sealing with the native tissues even where the native tissues are irregular. The cuff may include a portion adapted to bear on the LVOT when the valve is implanted in a native aortic valve. The valve may include elements for biasing the cuff outwardly with respect to the stent body when the stent body is in an expanded condition. The cuff may have portions of different thickness distributed around the circumference of the valve in a pattern matching the shape of the opening defined by the native tissue. All or part of the cuff may be movable relative to the stent during implantation.

Abstract: A prosthetic heart valve is provided with a cuff having features which promote sealing with the native tissues even where the native tissues are irregular. The cuff may include a portion adapted to bear on the LVOT when the valve is implanted in a native aortic valve. The valve may include elements for biasing the cuff outwardly with respect to the stent body when the stent body is in an expanded condition. The cuff may have portions of different thickness distributed around the circumference of the valve in a pattern matching the shape of the opening defined by the native tissue. All or part of the cuff may be movable relative to the stent during implantation.

Abstract: A prosthetic heart valve is provided with a cuff having features which promote sealing with the native tissues even where the native tissues are irregular. The cuff may include a portion adapted to bear on the LVOT when the valve is implanted in a native aortic valve. The valve may include elements for biasing the cuff outwardly with respect to the stent body when the stent body is in an expanded condition. The cuff may have portions of different thickness distributed around the circumference of the valve in a pattern matching the shape of the opening defined by the native tissue. All or part of the cuff may be movable relative to the stent during implantation.

Abstract: A prosthetic heart valve is provided with a cuff having features which promote sealing with the native tissues even where the native tissues are irregular. The cuff may include a portion adapted to bear on the LVOT when the valve is implanted in a native aortic valve. The valve may include elements for biasing the cuff outwardly with respect to the stent body when the stent body is in an expanded condition. The cuff may have portions of different thickness distributed around the circumference of the valve in a pattern matching the shape of the opening defined by the native tissue. All or part of the cuff may be movable relative to the stent during implantation.

Abstract: A prosthetic heart valve is provided with a cuff having features which promote sealing with the native tissues even where the native tissues are irregular. The cuff may include a portion adapted to bear on the LVOT when the valve is implanted in a native aortic valve. The valve may include elements for biasing the cuff outwardly with respect to the stent body when the stent body is in an expanded condition. The cuff may have portions of different thickness distributed around the circumference of the valve in a pattern matching the shape of the opening defined by the native tissue. All or part of the cuff may be movable relative to the stent during implantation.

Abstract: A method of making a prosthetic heart valve may include providing an annular stent having a plurality of annularly spaced commissure portions having tips, covering each of the tips with a first fabric cover, covering the first fabric covers and the remainder of the stent with a second fabric cover, covering the second fabric cover with a first tissue membrane, and covering the outside of the first tissue membrane with a second tissue membrane, the second tissue membrane forming leaflet portions that extend inwardly between the commissure portions.

Abstract: A prosthetic heart valve is provided with a cuff having features which promote sealing with the native tissues even where the native tissues are irregular. The cuff may include a portion adapted to bear on the LVOT when the valve is implanted in a native aortic valve. The valve may include elements for biasing the cuff outwardly with respect to the stent body when the stent body is in an expanded condition. The cuff may have portions of different thickness distributed around the circumference of the valve in a pattern matching the shape of the opening defined by the native tissue. All or part of the cuff may be movable relative to the stent during implantation.

Abstract: A prosthetic heart valve is provided with a cuff having features which promote sealing with the native tissues even where the native tissues are irregular. The cuff may include a portion adapted to bear on the LVOT when the valve is implanted in a native aortic valve. The valve may include elements for biasing the cuff outwardly with respect to the stent body when the stent body is in an expanded condition. The cuff may have portions of different thickness distributed around the circumference of the valve in a pattern matching the shape of the opening defined by the native tissue. All or part of the cuff may be movable relative to the stent during implantation.

Abstract: A method of testing the performance of a collapsible prosthetic heart valve includes wrapping an aortic band around an outer surface of a portion of an aorta, fastening a first end portion of the aortic band to a second end portion of the aortic band, implanting a collapsible prosthetic heart valve in the aorta at an implantation site, and flowing a pressurized fluid through the aorta. The aortic band may be positioned near the sinotubular junction of the aorta. When installed around the aorta, the aortic band reinforces the portion of the aorta so as to be more resistant to radial expansion.

Abstract: A prosthetic heart valve is provided with a cuff having features which promote sealing with the native tissues even where the native tissues are irregular. The cuff may include a portion adapted to bear on the LVOT when the valve is implanted in a native aortic valve. The valve may include elements for biasing the cuff outwardly with respect to the stent body when the stent body is in an expanded condition. The cuff may have portions of different thickness distributed around the circumference of the valve in a pattern matching the shape of the opening defined by the native tissue. All or part of the cuff may be movable relative to the stent during implantation.

Abstract: A prosthetic heart valve is provided with a cuff having features which promote sealing with the native tissues even where the native tissues are irregular. The cuff may include a portion adapted to bear on the LVOT when the valve is implanted in a native aortic valve. The valve may include elements for biasing the cuff outwardly with respect to the stent body when the stent body is in an expanded condition. The cuff may have portions of different thickness distributed around the circumference of the valve in a pattern matching the shape of the opening defined by the native tissue. All or part of the cuff may be movable relative to the stent during implantation.

Abstract: A prosthetic heart valve is provided with a cuff having features which promote sealing with the native tissues even where the native tissues are irregular. The cuff may include a portion adapted to bear on the LVOT when the valve is implanted in a native aortic valve. The valve may include elements for biasing the cuff outwardly with respect to the stent body when the stent body is in an expanded condition. The cuff may have portions of different thickness distributed around the circumference of the valve in a pattern matching the shape of the opening defined by the native tissue. All or part of the cuff may be movable relative to the stent during implantation.

Abstract: A prosthetic heart valve is provided with a cuff (85, 285, 400) having features which promote sealing with the native tissues even where the native tissues are irregular. The cuff may include a portion (90) adapted to bear on the LVOT when the valve is implanted in a native aortic valve. The valve may include elements (210, 211, 230, 252, 253) for biasing the cuff outwardly with respect to the stent body when the stent body is in an expanded condition. The cuff may have portions of different thickness (280) distributed around the circumference of the valve in a pattern matching the shape of the opening defined by the native tissue. All or part (402) of the cuff may be movable relative to the stent during implantation.

Abstract: A method of testing the performance of a collapsible prosthetic heart valve includes wrapping an aortic band around an outer surface of a portion of an aorta, fastening a first end portion of the aortic band to a second end portion of the aortic band, implanting a collapsible prosthetic heart valve in the aorta at an implantation site, and flowing a pressurized fluid through the aorta. The aortic band may be positioned near the sinotubular junction of the aorta. When installed around the aorta, the aortic band reinforces the portion of the aorta so as to be more resistant to radial expansion.

Abstract: A prosthetic heart valve includes an annular stent having annularly spaced commissure portions. The tips of the commissure portions are preferably covered with fabric, and then additional fabric covers that fabric and the remainder of the stent, both inside and out (possibly also including a sewing ring insert at or near the base or inflow edge). The fabric is then covered by a layer of tissue, again both inside and out. A single sheet of additional tissue is mounted around the outside of the previously assembled components. This additional tissue forms the leaflet portions of the valve. The leaflet portions of the additional tissue are shaped by contact with a shaped mandrel, and the tissue of the structure is subjected to fixation (e.g., cross-linking) to produce a completed valve.

Abstract: A prosthetic heart valve includes an annular stent having annularly spaced commissure portions. The tips of the commissure portions are preferably covered with fabric, and then additional fabric covers that fabric and the remainder of the stent, both inside and out (possibly also including a sewing ring insert at or near the base or inflow edge). The fabric is then covered by a layer of tissue, again both inside and out. A single sheet of additional tissue is mounted around the outside of the previously assembled components. This additional tissue forms the leaflet portions of the valve. The leaflet portions of the additional tissue are shaped by contact with a shaped mandrel, and the tissue of the structure is subjected to fixation (e.g., cross-linking) to produce a completed valve.

Abstract: Crosslinked tissue is contacted with one or more toxicity reducing solutions to remove cytotoxicity associated with the crosslinking process. In particular, crosslinked tissue can be contacted with an inorganic sulfur-oxygen group to form chemical adducts of aldehydes and the inorganic sulfur-oxygen group. Preferably, the cytotoxicity reduced crosslinked tissue has no residual cytotoxicity. In preferred embodiments, a plurality of toxicity reducing agents are used to detoxify the tissue. Preferred toxicity reducing agents include, for example, inorganic sulfur-oxygen ions, such as bisulfate and thiosulfate, organic sulfates, amines, ammonia/ammonium, and surfactants.

Abstract: Crosslinked tissue is contacted with one or more toxicity reducing solutions to remove cytotoxicity associated with the crosslinking process. In particular, crosslinked tissue can be contacted with an inorganic sulfur-oxygen group to form chemical adducts of aldehydes and the inorganic sulfur-oxygen group. Preferably, the cytotoxicity reduced crosslinked tissue has no residual cytotoxicity. In preferred embodiments, a plurality of toxicity reducing agents are used to detoxify the tissue. Preferred toxicity reducing agents include, for example, inorganic sulfur-oxygen ions, such as bisulfate and thiosulfate, organic sulfates, amines, ammonia/ammonium, and surfactants.