Abstract: A paravalvular leak resistant prosthetic heart valve system including a stent frame, a valve structure and a sealing mechanism. The stent frame has a surface. The valve structure is associated with the stent frame. The sealing mechanism at least partially extends over the surface of the stent frame. The sealing mechanism includes at least one semi-permeable membrane and an osmotic gradient driving material.

Abstract: Devices for, and methods of, compressing a stented prosthetic heart valve are disclosed. The method including inserting a stented prosthetic heart valve having a self-expandable stent frame into a container, initiating a cooling element in the container, transferring heat through a thermal conductor to cool an interior of the container, reducing a temperature of the self-expandable stent frame while located within the container to a critical temperature of not greater than 8° C., and compressing an outer diameter of the stented prosthetic heart valve while the stented prosthetic heart valve is at the critical temperature.

Abstract: A paravalvular leak resistant prosthetic heart valve system including a stent frame, a valve structure and a sealing mechanism. The stent frame has a surface. The valve structure is associated with the stent frame. The sealing mechanism at least partially extends over the surface of the stent frame. The sealing mechanism includes at least one semi-permeable membrane and an osmotic gradient driving material.

Abstract: Devices for, and methods of, compressing a stented prosthetic heart valve are disclosed. The method including inserting a stented prosthetic heart valve having a self-expandable stent frame into a container, initiating a cooling element in the container, transferring heat through a thermal conductor to cool an interior of the container, reducing a temperature of the self-expandable stent frame while located within the container to a critical temperature of not greater than 8° C., and compressing an outer diameter of the stented prosthetic heart valve while the stented prosthetic heart valve is at the critical temperature.

Abstract: A “dry” packaging in which a prosthetic heart valve is packaged within a container with hydrogel that can be provided in many forms. Certain embodiments include hydrogel that is preloaded with glycerol or the like. The hydrogel regulates the humidity within the container through a diffusion-driven mechanism if a gradient of humidity between the inside and the outside of the hydrogel exists. Humidity regulation is important to prevent the tissue of the valve structure from drying out. When the partially-hydrated hydrogel is present within container, which is saturated with air of a predefined humidity, the water molecules from the air will be absorbed by the hydrogel if the air humidity is high (i.e. when the thermodynamics favor hydrogel hydration) or vice versa. Various embodiments are configured to also house at least a portion of a delivery device for delivering the prosthetic heart valve.

Abstract: Methods of compressing a stented prosthetic heart valve are disclosed. The method including inserting a stented prosthetic heart valve having a self-expandable stent frame into a container, initiating a cooling element in the container, transferring heat through a thermal conductor to cool an interior of the container, reducing a temperature of the self-expandable stent frame while located within the container to a critical temperature of not greater than 8° C., and compressing an outer diameter of the stented prosthetic heart valve while the stented prosthetic heart valve is at the critical temperature.

Abstract: A “dry” packaging in which a prosthetic heart valve is packaged within a container with hydrogel that can be provided in many forms. Certain embodiments include hydrogel that is preloaded with glycerol or the like. The hydrogel regulates the humidity within the container through a diffusion-driven mechanism if a gradient of humidity between the inside and the outside of the hydrogel exists. Humidity regulation is important to prevent the tissue of the valve structure from drying out. When the partially-hydrated hydrogel is present within container, which is saturated with air of a predefined humidity, the water molecules from the air will be absorbed by the hydrogel if the air humidity is high (i.e. when the thermodynamics favor hydrogel hydration) or vice versa. Various embodiments are configured to also house at least a portion of a delivery device for delivering the prosthetic heart valve.

Abstract: A paravalvular leak resistant prosthetic heart valve system including a stent frame, a valve structure and a sealing mechanism. The stent frame has a surface. The valve structure is associated with the stent frame. The sealing mechanism at least partially extends over the surface of the stent frame. The sealing mechanism includes at least one semi-permeable membrane and an osmotic gradient driving material.

Abstract: A paravalvular leak resistant prosthetic heart valve system including a stent frame, a valve structure and a sealing mechanism. The stent frame has a surface. The valve structure is associated with the stent frame. The sealing mechanism at least partially extends over the surface of the stent frame. The sealing mechanism includes at least one semi-permeable membrane and an osmotic gradient driving material.

Abstract: A “dry” packaging in which a prosthetic heart valve is packaged within a container with hydrogel that can be provided in many forms. Certain embodiments include hydrogel that is preloaded with glycerol or the like. The hydrogel regulates the humidity within the container through a diffusion-driven mechanism if a gradient of humidity between the inside and the outside of the hydrogel exists. Humidity regulation is important to prevent the tissue of the valve structure from drying out. When the partially-hydrated hydrogel is present within container, which is saturated with air of a predefined humidity, the water molecules from the air will be absorbed by the hydrogel if the air humidity is high (i.e. when the thermodynamics favor hydrogel hydration) or vice versa. Various embodiments are configured to also house at least a portion of a delivery device for delivering the prosthetic heart valve.

Abstract: A “dry” packaging in which a prosthetic heart valve is packaged within a container with hydrogel that can be provided in many forms. Certain embodiments include hydrogel that is preloaded with glycerol or the like. The hydrogel regulates the humidity within the container through a diffusion-driven mechanism if a gradient of humidity between the inside and the outside of the hydrogel exists. Humidity regulation is important to prevent the tissue of the valve structure from drying out. When the partially-hydrated hydrogel is present within container, which is saturated with air of a predefined humidity, the water molecules from the air will be absorbed by the hydrogel if the air humidity is high (i.e. when the thermodynamics favor hydrogel hydration) or vice versa. Various embodiments are configured to also house at least a portion of a delivery device for delivering the prosthetic heart valve.

Abstract: Methods of compressing a stented prosthetic heart valve are disclosed. The method including inserting a stented prosthetic heart valve having a self-expandable stent frame into a container, initiating a cooling element in the container, transferring heat through a thermal conductor to cool an interior of the container, reducing a temperature of the self-expandable stent frame while located within the container to a critical temperature of not greater than 8° C., and compressing an outer diameter of the stented prosthetic heart valve while the stented prosthetic heart valve is at the critical temperature.

Abstract: Conditioned bioprosthetic tissues for forming prosthetic valves including a sheet of bioprosthetic tissue having a first major surface and a second major surface. The first major surface has a pattern including at least one depressed region and areas of relief adjacent to the at least one depressed region. The at least one depressed region has a first tissue density that is greater than a second tissue density of the areas of relief.

Abstract: Methods of compressing a stented prosthetic heart valve are disclosed. The method including inserting a stented prosthetic heart valve having a self-expandable stent frame into a container, initiating a cooling element in the container, transferring heat through a thermal conductor to cool an interior of the container, reducing a temperature of the self-expandable stent frame while located within the container to a critical temperature of not greater than 8° C., and compressing an outer diameter of the stented prosthetic heart valve while the stented prosthetic heart valve is at the critical temperature.

Abstract: A paravalvular leak resistant prosthetic heart valve system including a stent frame, a valve structure and a sealing mechanism. The stent frame has a surface. The valve structure is associated with the stent frame. The sealing mechanism at least partially extends over the surface of the stent frame. The sealing mechanism includes at least one semi-permeable membrane and an osmotic gradient driving material.

Abstract: A paravalvular leak resistant prosthetic heart valve system including a stent frame, a valve structure and a sealing mechanism. The stent frame has a surface. The valve structure is associated with the stent frame. The sealing mechanism at least partially extends over the surface of the stent frame. The sealing mechanism includes at least one semi-permeable membrane and an osmotic gradient driving material.

Abstract: Methods of compressing a stented prosthetic heart valve are disclosed. The method including inserting a stented prosthetic heart valve having a self-expandable stent frame into a container, initiating a cooling element in the container, transferring heat through a thermal conductor to cool an interior of the container, reducing a temperature of the self-expandable stent frame while located within the container to a critical temperature of not greater than 8° C., and compressing an outer diameter of the stented prosthetic heart valve while the stented prosthetic heart valve is at the critical temperature.

Abstract: A “dry” packaging in which a prosthetic heart valve is packaged within a container with hydrogel that can be provided in many forms. Certain embodiments include hydrogel that is preloaded with glycerol or the like. The hydrogel regulates the humidity within the container through a diffusion-driven mechanism if a gradient of humidity between the inside and the outside of the hydrogel exists. Humidity regulation is important to prevent the tissue of the valve structure from drying out. When the partially-hydrated hydrogel is present within container, which is saturated with air of a predefined humidity, the water molecules from the air will be absorbed by the hydrogel if the air humidity is high (i.e. when the thermodynamics favor hydrogel hydration) or vice versa. Various embodiments are configured to also house at least a portion of a delivery device for delivering the prosthetic heart valve.

Abstract: Methods of compressing a stented prosthetic heart valve are disclosed. The method including inserting a stented prosthetic heart valve having a self-expandable stent frame into a container, initiating a cooling element in the container, transferring heat through a thermal conductor to cool an interior of the container, reducing a temperature of the self-expandable stent frame while located within the container to a critical temperature of not greater than 8° C., and compressing an outer diameter of the stented prosthetic heart valve while the stented prosthetic heart valve is at the critical temperature.

Abstract: Conditioned bioprosthetic tissues for forming prosthetic valves including a sheet of bioprosthetic tissue having a first major surface and a second major surface. The first major surface has a pattern including at least one depressed region and areas of relief adjacent to the at least one depressed region. The at least one depressed region has a first tissue density that is greater than a second tissue density of the areas of relief.