Abstract: A method of crimping an implantable prosthetic valve can include placing protective material over at least a portion of the implantable prosthetic valve. The protective material can be configured to occupy space between open cells of a frame of the implantable prosthetic valve to prevent damage to a leaflet structure of the implantable prosthetic valve. The method can also include crimping the implantable prosthetic valve with the protective material on the implantable prosthetic valve, and removing the protective material from between the frame and the leaflet structure of the implantable prosthetic valve.

Abstract: Prosthetic valves and methods of using prosthetic valves may be provided. In one implementation, an expandable annular valve body may include a plurality of atrial anchoring arms and ventricular anchoring legs extending therefrom. The anchoring arms and anchoring legs may be configured to assume a delivery configuration in which they are radially constrained, such as within a delivery device, such that at least one atrial anchoring arm extends in a first upstream direction from the annular valve body, and a deployed configuration, in which they may deflect radially outward. In the deployed configuration, a first arm portion may be configured to deflect radially outward to extend in a downstream direction, and a second arm portion may be configured to deflect radially outward to extend in a second upstream direction, the first upstream direction being angled relative to the second upstream direction.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to prosthetic valves and methods of use thereof. In one implementation, a prosthetic valve for implantation within a native mitral valve may be provided. The prosthetic valve may include an annular valve body having an atrial end, a ventricular end, and an intermediate portion between the atrial end and the ventricular end. Atrial anchoring arms and ventricular anchoring legs may extend from the intermediate portion of the valve body. At least one atrial anchoring arm may extend radially outward beyond a terminal end of at least one ventricular anchoring leg. The atrial arms and the ventricular legs may be devoid of lateral interconnections therebetween beyond locations of connection to the intermediate portion. At least one atrial anchoring arm may extend in the generally radially outward direction from a single location of connection to the intermediate portion of the valve body.

Abstract: A method of crimping an implantable prosthetic valve can include placing protective material over at least a portion of the implantable prosthetic valve. The protective material can be configured to occupy space between open cells of a frame of the implantable prosthetic valve to prevent damage to a leaflet structure of the implantable prosthetic valve. The method can also include crimping the implantable prosthetic valve with the protective material on the implantable prosthetic valve, and removing the protective material from between the frame and the leaflet structure of the implantable prosthetic valve.

Abstract: A prosthetic valve is advanced to a heart of a subject while the prosthetic valve is in a compressed state thereof, the prosthetic valve including a plurality of snares coupled to a tubular valve body. The prosthetic valve is positioned within the heart such that the plurality of snares is disposed upstream of the leaflets, and the plurality of snares is expanded upstream of the leaflets. Subsequently the prosthetic valve is moved in a downstream direction such that the plurality of snares is disposed downstream of the leaflets. Subsequently, the prosthetic valve is secured at the native valve while the plurality of snares remains disposed downstream of the leaflets.

Abstract: Prosthetic valves and methods of using prosthetic valves may be provided. In one implementation, an expandable annular valve body may include a plurality of atrial anchoring arms and ventricular anchoring legs extending radially outward therefrom. At least one atrial anchoring arm may include a rigid portion and a flexible portion positioned radially outwards from the rigid portion. At least one atrial anchoring arm and at least one ventricular anchoring leg may be arranged such that a proximal section of the flexible portion of the at least one atrial anchoring arm and a terminal leg end of the at least one ventricular anchoring leg are substantially equidistant from a longitudinal axis extending through the center of the annular valve body.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to prosthetic valves and methods of use thereof. In one implementation, a method of implanting a prosthetic valve within a native mitral valve may be provided. The method may include delivering the prosthetic valve into a heart chamber. The prosthetic valve may be constrained in a contracted delivery configuration. The prosthetic valve may include an annular valve body with a plurality of ventricular anchors and a plurality of atrial anchors attached thereto. The method may also include unconstraining the plurality of ventricular anchors and the plurality of atrial anchors while maintaining the valve body in the contracted delivery configuration. The method may also include unconstraining the valve body from the contracted delivery configuration while the unconstrained atrial anchors are positioned within an atrium and while the unconstrained ventricular anchors are positioned within a ventricle.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to prosthetic valves and methods of use thereof. In one implementation, a method of releasing a valve from a delivery capsule in a heart may be provided. The method may include moving a distal capsule portion of the delivery capsule a first distance in the heart in a first direction. Such movement may release ventricular anchoring legs of the valve from the capsule, The method may also include moving a proximal capsule portion of the delivery capsule a second distance in a second direction in the heart. The first direction may be opposite the second direction. Such movement may release atrial anchoring arms of the valve from the capsule. The method may also include moving the distal capsule portion a third distance in the first direction in the heart, to thereby release an annular valve body of the valve from the capsule.

Abstract: Prosthetic valves and methods of use of prosthetic valves may be provided. In one implementation, an expandable prosthetic valve may be configured for implantation within a native heart valve. The prosthetic valve may include an expandable outer frame formed at least partially of outer frame struts. The prosthetic valve may also include an inner frame with tissue anchors extending therefrom, the inner frame being formed at least partially of inner frame struts. The struts along the downstream ends of the outer and inner frames may be arranged in undulating configurations to extend between peaks and troughs. A trough of the outer frame may be configured to be situated downstream from a peak of the inner frame.

Abstract: A tubular portion of a valve frame circumscribes a longitudinal axis, and defines a lumen along the axis and a plurality of valve-frame coupling elements disposed circumferentially around the axis. An outer frame: (a) comprises a ring defined by a pattern of alternating peaks and troughs, the pattern having an amplitude, (b) comprises a plurality of legs, coupled to the ring at respective troughs, and (c) is shaped to define a plurality of outer-frame coupling elements, each coupled to the ring, and fixed with respect to a respective valve-frame coupling element. Compression of the tubular portion from an expanded state toward a compressed state reduces a circumferential distance between each of the outer-frame coupling elements and its adjacent outer-frame coupling elements, and increases the amplitude of the pattern of the ring.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are provided including a mitral valve prosthesis. The prosthesis includes an inner support structure having downstream and upstream sections, the upstream section having a cross-sectional area greater than the downstream section. The inner support structure is configured to be positioned on an atrial side of the native valve complex, and to prevent the prosthesis from being dislodged into the left ventricle. A prosthetic valve having prosthetic valve leaflets is coupled to the inner support structure. An outer support structure has engagement arms, downstream ends of the engagement arms being coupled to the inner support structure. The prosthesis is configured such that, upon implantation thereof: downstream ends of the native valve leaflets, downstream ends of the engagement arms, and downstream ends of the prosthetic leaflets, are disposed at a longitudinal distance from one another of less than 3 mm. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: A tool is configured for transluminal delivery of an implant. The tool has a proximal part and a distal part, and comprises a shaft, a nosepiece, a sheath, and a balloon. The nosepiece is fixed to the shaft, and is arranged with respect to the implant such that the implant extends proximally away from the nosepiece and over the shaft. The sheath houses the implant. The balloon is disposed at the distal part of the tool, and is in fluid communication with the proximal part of the tool. When maximally inflated, the balloon has (i) a widest part that has an inflated diameter that is less than the diameter of the sheath or at most 10 percent greater than the diameter of the sheath, and (ii) a tapered portion that tapers longitudinally away from the widest part and from the nosepiece.

Abstract: A method of crimping an implantable prosthetic valve can include placing protective material over at least a portion of the implantable prosthetic valve. The protective material can be configured to occupy space between open cells of a frame of the implantable prosthetic valve to prevent damage to a leaflet structure of the implantable prosthetic valve. The method can also include crimping the implantable prosthetic valve with the protective material on the implantable prosthetic valve, and removing the protective material from between the frame and the leaflet structure of the implantable prosthetic valve.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to prosthetic valves and methods of use thereof. In one implementation, an expandable annular valve body may include a plurality of atrial anchoring arms and ventricular anchoring legs extending therefrom. The anchoring arms and anchoring legs may be configured to assume a delivery configuration in which they are radially constrained, such as within a delivery device, and a deployed configuration, in which they may deflect radially outward. The anchoring legs may deflect radially outward by less than 90° when transitioning from the delivery configuration to the deployed configuration. Portions of the anchoring arms may deflect radially outward by at least 90° when transitioning from the delivery configuration to the deployed configuration.

Abstract: A method of crimping an implantable prosthetic valve can include placing protective material over at least a portion of the implantable prosthetic valve. The protective material can be configured to occupy space between open cells of a frame of the implantable prosthetic valve to prevent damage to a leaflet structure of the implantable prosthetic valve. The method can also include crimping the implantable prosthetic valve with the protective material on the implantable prosthetic valve, and removing the protective material from between the frame and the leaflet structure of the implantable prosthetic valve.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to prosthetic valves and methods of use thereof. In one implementation, an expandable annular valve body may include a plurality of atrial anchoring arms and ventricular anchoring legs extending radially outward therefrom. At least one atrial anchoring arm may include a rigid portion and a flexible portion positioned radially outwards from the rigid portion. At least part of the flexible portion may be configured for placement at a location radially outward from an outer diameter defined by terminal ends of the ventricular anchoring legs.

Abstract: A tool (410) for use with an implant (20) includes a housing (426) and a controller (440). The housing includes a tubular wall (428) that circumscribes a longitudinal axis; is dimensioned to house at least part of the implant; and defines a track (430) that follows a generally-helical path around the longitudinal axis. The controller includes a rod (442) that extends from a proximal part of the tool to the housing; and an actuator (444). The actuator is fixedly coupled to the rod, includes an engaging element (446) that engages the track, and is rotatable with respect to the housing. The controller and the housing mechanically cooperate such that rotation of the actuator with respect to the housing slides the housing longitudinally with respect to the actuator. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to prosthetic valves and methods of use thereof. In one implementation, an expandable prosthetic valve for implantation within a native mitral valve may be provided. The prosthetic valve may be expandable from a radially contracted state to a radially expanded state. The prosthetic valve may include an expandable outer frame and an inner frame with tissue anchors extending therefrom. The outer and inner frames may be configured and interconnected such that ventricular ends of the inner and outer frames are substantially aligned when the frames are in the radially expanded state and are not substantially aligned when the frames are in the radially contracted state.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided for use with a heart of a subject, the apparatus including an inner stent frame defining a tubular portion, and an outer stent frame. The apparatus has a relaxed expanded state in which an outer-stent-frame relaxed expanded diameter defined by the outer stent frame is smaller than an inner-stent-frame expanded diameter defined by the tubular portion. Together, the inner stent frame and the outer stent frame define a frame assembly in which outer-frame coupling elements are fixed to inner-frame coupling elements. The frame assembly is expandable into an expanded state in which the tubular portion defines an inner-stent-frame constrained expanded diameter that is smaller than the inner-stent-frame relaxed expanded diameter. The frame assembly includes prosthetic leaflets secured to, and disposed within, the tubular portion, and has a compressed state in which the frame assembly is transluminally advanceable to the heart. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: A valve body circumscribes a longitudinal axis and defines a lumen along the axis. Upstream arms are coupled to the valve body, and extend radially outward from the valve body to respective arm-tips. Downstream legs are coupled to the valve body, and extend radially outward from the valve body and toward the plurality of arms. A flexible pouch extends radially outward from the valve body. The arms and the legs narrow the pouch therebetween to form a narrowed portion of the pouch, thereby defining, in an interior space of the pouch: (a) an inner portion, radially inward from the narrowed portion, and in fluid communication with the lumen, and (b) an outer portion, radially outward from the narrowed portion, and in fluid communication with the inner portion via the narrowed portion. Other embodiments are also described.