US20050096736A1 - Percutaneous heart valve devices - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention includes a medical device and more specifically relates to a valve found generally within a frame. In a preferred device, the frame preferably comprises a self-expanding stent frame, and the valve has at least one expandable and contractible pocket member within the stent frame for resisting and permitting fluid flow, respectively.

Description

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
• This is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/457,148, filed on Jun. 9, 2003, pending, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/182,970, filed on filed Jan. 31, 2001, abandoned, which is an National Stage of PCT/US/01/03095, filed on Jan. 31, 2001 and published in English, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/179,195, filed on Jan. 31, 2000.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
• 1. Technical Field of the Invention
• The invention includes a medical device and more specifically to a valve found generally within a frame. In preferred devices the frame is comprised of a radially expandable stent which can be delivered through a delivery device such as a catheter.
• 2. Background of the Invention
• Lower extremity venous hypertension in addition to venous insufficiency is a major cause of morbidity in the United States. Symptoms of venous disease include lower extremity edema, varicosities, skin pigmentation changes, skin ulceration, and general poor circulation. One solution to this problem is to replace the defective valve or the vein with a valve assembly.
• Current valves include a pressure responsive, pressure directed ball movement valve assemblies. The problem with mechanical ball valves is that mechanical valves are susceptible to clot formation. Additionally, there are problems associated with long-term wear and tear on the device.
• Artificial valves such as biological valves are also known. Biological valves include homografts, allografts, and xenografts. Problems associated with some biological valves include the supply of the valves, immunity response, or problems associated with matching the size with the donor.
• Finally other problems associated with valve repair include placement problems in which the device cannot be repositioned once it is ejected from the placement catheter, leakage that occurs, around the valve, and emboli formation.
• In light of this background, there remains a need for alternative and improved devices and methods for providing valvular function within vessels of the body. The present invention is addressed to these needs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
• Disclosed is a medical device comprising a frame that has a valve generally located within. In preferred forms of the invention, the frame is comprised of a radially-expandable stent (including especially a self-expanding stent), which can be delivered through a delivery device such as a catheter, and then deployed and expanded at a target site in a body lumen such as an artery or vein. For example, in one preferred use, such a stent and method are used to treat incompetent veins in the legs or feet.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• FIGS. 1A to3 demonstrate one embodiment of the invention comprising a stent.
• FIGS.4 to8 demonstrate other embodiments of the present invention comprising the valve.
• FIGS.9 to11 demonstrate embodiments that illustrate exemplary ways of attaching a plurality of stents.
• FIGS.12 to15 demonstrate exemplary embodiments of the valve configuration in a variety of stent embodiments.
• FIG. 16 demonstrates one aspect of the invention in situ.
• FIGS.17 to19 demonstrate other alternative embodiments.
• FIG. 20 depicts a medical assembly of the invention including a stent valve and a delivery device for the stent valve.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
• With reference toFIG. 15, shown is one embodiment of the present invention. The invention includes a frame such as a wire stent that has a lumen extending therethrough. Near one end of the stent is the valve assembly comprising some leaflets or cusps. A valve opening is generally located between the leaflets through which fluid flows. Although shown as a two leaflet valve, equally the invention can comprise, in any embodiment described herein, at least one leaflet such as two, three or four leaflets.
• With respect toFIGS. 1A, 1B, and1C, a frame is partially shown. The frame can comprise astent20. Choices of stent include a self expanding stent or a non-self expanding stent. In one embodiment of thepresent invention stent20 is a self expanding stent such as the Gianturco stent available from Cook Inc. of Bloomington, Ind. as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,580,568, the entire disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein. Such stent can be any length, but in one embodiment, the stent is about 15 mm long.Stent20 includes a plurality ofbends22, which generally form the area in which thestent struts24 reverses direction.Bends22 are generally rounded to provide an atraumatic condition. Since thestent20 is generally located in a vessel or body lumen of some type, thestent20 can be cylindrical and therefore has a stent diameter21 (shown inFIG. 3). In another embodiment, thestent20 can also have a plurality ofconnectors26 that connectadjacent struts24. One way to provide aconnector26 is to dispose a solder bead between the adjacent struts. Howeverconnector26 can also be a suture, weld, adhesive, rod, clamp, or other well-known ways to connectadjacent struts24.Connector26 provides several non-critical advantages.Connectors26 can attachadjacent struts24 to minimize or prevent flaring of the ends of thestent20. Furthermore,connector26, if placed near thebend22, can create ahole28 wherein the boundaries of the hole are the wires of the stent operating in general conjunction with theconnector26. This creates ahole28 through which a thread or suture can run. However, as shown inFIG. 1C, a separate prefabricated hole can be created by separately attaching a hole assembly, such as acap29 over thebend22. In any case, one benefit of theconnector26 orcap29 is that they increase the radiographic visualization of the invention. Particularly, if theconnector26 is a solder bead, it has increased radiopacity.
• With respect toFIGS. 2A and 2B, shown is part of the stent in whichconnector26 attachesadjacent struts24. As mentioned above, a thread or suture can be threaded through thehole28. Aproximal suture30 can be sewn through the stent proximal bends22 or stent proximal ends31 of the stent. Similarly, adistal suture32 can be sewn through the stentdistal end33 or the stent distal bends22 of the stent. One way to thread the suture is shown inFIG. 2B wherein the suture35 (generically any suture) runs over thestrut24 to enter thehole28, throughhole28 to come behind thesame strut24, over thestrut24 and across to theadjacent strut24 running over theadjacent strut24, behind theadjacent strut24 to come from behind and throughhole28, and then run subsequently overadjacent strut24. Once the struts are connected via the suture, the suture can be pulled to a predetermined tightness to control the overall stent size. Accordingly, the stent can be so constructed to have apredetermined stent perimeter34. To this end, thestent lumen36 will also have an appropriate size. The stent can be constructed so as to have a different perimeter length at the proximal or distal ends.
• With regard toFIG. 3, shown is acylindrical stent20 that has the proximal and distal sutures running through thebends22 orholes28 of the proximal and distal ends of the stent. By altering the tautness of the sutures, the size of thestent lumen36, thestent diameter86, and thestent perimeters34, can be adjusted. As can be seen,distal perimeter suture32 runs along the stentdistal end33, whereasproximal perimeter suture30 runs along the stentproximal end31. The respective sutures run throughhole28 of eachbend22.
• With respect toFIGS. 4 and 5, thevalve material38 is shown, in this exemplary embodiment, as a sheet. In so constructing thevalve41, thevalve material38 is draped across thestent lumen36 opening (such as shown on the proximal portion of the stent) and then pushed down into thestent lumen36 itself. Excess material can be kept outside the stent, which will later become a potential fold-over42. However, the excess material can also be trimmed off. Thevalve material38 is connected to the stent, using for example, distal valve-stent suture40. However, any well known ways to connect the valve to the stent is contemplated, such as but not limited to, sutures, adhesives, folds, or the like. In one embodiment shown inFIG. 5, the valve-stent suture40 can share thehole28 withdistal suture32 near thestent perimeter34.
• Thevalve material38 can be any biocompatible material such as polyethylene terephalate(PET), polypropylene(PP), polytetrafluorethylene(—PTFE), or any polymer or derivative thereof, and also includes commercially known materials such as GORE-TEX, DACRON, or any other synthetic material. Thepreferred material38 will be advantageously compliant and employed so as to permit effective value function as described herein and in the case of collapsible/expandable state devices will retain integrity and function when cycled between tehse states.
• It is preferred to use a biomaterial that serves as a biocompatible scaffold with the ability to remodel host tissue. Accordingly, a naturally occurring biomaterial is highly desirable. One such biomaterial is collagen and more particularly, a collagen based biomaterial called extracellular matrix (ECM). Examples of ECM's include pericardium, stomach submucosa, liver basement membrane, urinary bladder submucosa, tissue mucosa, dura mater, and small intestine submucosa One such biomaterial is the ECM, such as submucosa, and more particularly is small intestine submucosa (SIS). SIS can be made in the fashion described in Badylak et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,902,508; Intestinal Collagen Layer described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,733,337 to Carr and in 17 Nature Biotechnology 1083 (November 1999); Cook et al., WIPO Publication WO 98/22158, dated May 28, 1998, which is the published application of PCT/US97/14855; Gastric Submucosa as described in WO 98/26291 (PCT/US97/22729), claiming priority to U.S. Provisional application No. 60/032,686; Liver tissue as described in WO 98/25637 (PCT/US97/22727), claiming priority to 60/032,680; Stomach Submucosa as described in WO 98/25636 (PCT/US97/23010), claiming priority to 60/032,683; and Urinary Bladder Submucosa as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,554,389; all the disclosures of which are hereby expressly incorporated by reference. Irrespective of the origin of the valve material (synthetic versus naturally occurring), the valve material can be made thicker by making multilaminate constructs, for example SIS constructs as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,968,096; 5,955,110; 5,885,619; and 5,711,969; the disclosures of which are entirely and expressly incorporated by reference.
• With respect toFIGS. 6A and 6B, shown is the connection of the valve to the stent frame. As described above, the valve can be sutured at the distal portion of the stent using distal valve-stent suture40. Similarly, the proximal portion of the valve can be sutured to proximal portion of the stent, and more particularly toproximal perimeter suture30. Shown is the valve connected to the proximal portion of the stent at proximal valve-stent suture44.Suture44 can be through abend22 or can attach to theproximal perimeter suture30. In a traditional Gianturco Z-stent, it is either an 8 (bend) point or 10 (bend) point stent, so one leaflet of the valve can be sutured to the four points of an 8 point stent thereby comprising one half of the stent. To provide further integrity, the valve can be sutured at the proximal and distal end to the perimeter sutures themselves, without actually being sutured to any or all of the stent bends22.
• With respect toFIG. 6B, shown is the valve with the stent frame removed. Once the sutures are generally in place, thevalve sheet38 will form avalve pocket46, extending inside the stent lumen in which the fluid will fill.Proximal valve perimeter48 will have the sutures connecting the valve to the stent (not shown). Once the distal sutures are in place, the general shape will likely resemble a pocket with the pocket having avalve apex50. There is a part of the valve that will formcentral valve portion49 that is not directly sutured to the stent. Thisvalve portion49 will form thevalve opening52 through which fluid will pass. Thus, upon filling of thevalve pocket46, the fluid pressure will exert outwards causingvalve portion49 to extend outward. When it does, it will contact the other leaflets or cusps and form a seal to stop or impede fluid flow.
• FIG. 7 shows a top view of the stent valve. In this particular non-limiting view, shown is thevalve opening52 in a slightly open configuration. Valve pockets46 are shown in a slightly distended configuration. The valve is connected, for example, by sutures to thestent perimeter34 and also forms avalve perimeter48. Because of the opening and closing of the valve, there may be increased wear and tear at the valve-stent-opening connection. At this point, one embodiment of the present invention provides a reinforcement at this point. For example, this reinforcement can be a plurality of reinforcement sutures54, adhesive, another material, or any other mechanism that permits increased structural integrity.
• FIG. 8 demonstrates a view of the stent valve once the distal portion of the valve is sewn to adistal bend22 and also shows the proximal portion of the valve being connected to the proximal portion of the frame with one suture in the foreground, one suture in the background. In addition, thereinforcement suture54 is found in the foreground. Although only twosutures44 are seen at the proximal portion, it is of course well-understood that some or each of the proximal bend of the frame can be connected to the proximal portion of the valve. Similarly, although only onedistal suture40 is shown, there may be as many distal sutures necessary to connect thevalve apex50 or the distal portion of the valve to the frame. It is well understood that this may be just one distal suture or many distal sutures. Varying the number of distal sutures will vary the shape, tightness, and overall configuration of the valve,valve pocket46, and thevalve apex50.
• Thevalve opening52 although already described above, is actually created in the final step of preparation of the preferred device manufacture. The construction mentioned above would be repeated on the other side of the valve to create thevalve pocket46,valve apex50, and the like on the other side. At this point, though, there is novalve opening52. Thevalve opening52 is created by creating a slit in the sheet to create the opening. The slit can be sized according to the intended flow rate of the passing fluid. Accordingly, a large slit would create a large valve opening or orifice and permits a large volume of fluid to pass therethrough. The slit can be created by poking a scalpel through it and running it to the desired length. However, due to potential fatigue at the orifice, another set of reinforcements may be added to the orifice perimeter. Therefore, as shown inFIGS. 7 and 8, anorifice reinforcement53 may be created by any known conventional ways, such as sutures (resorbable or non-resorbable), adhesive, string, staples, rings, or the like.
• Therefore, the stent valve as constructed can be using one stent with the valve material enclosed therein. Of course in the single stent configuration, the overall length can be adjusted by elongating the length of thestruts24. However, devices of the invention can be built using a plurality of stents to elongate the overall size of the stent, if desired. In this regard, it will be preferred that the length of thedevice20 is sufficient to provide an aspect ratio (length to expanded diameter) sufficiently high to facilitate proper alignment of thedevice20 within the vessel, with the axis of the device lumen generally aligned with the axis of the vessel. For example, devices having a ratio of length:expanded diameter of 1:1 or greater, or about 2:1 or greater, will be preferred. It will be understood that while such dimensions will advantageously facilitate placement of the inventive devices, they are not necessary to the broader aspects of the invention.
• With reference toFIG. 15, shown is a double stent structure with the valve. Returning now toFIG. 9, shown is afirst stent58 and asecond stent60. For the purposes of discussion only,first stent58 is shown to be atop of thesecond stent60. Ultimately as shown herein by way of example only, the valve will reside in thefirst stent58. It should be noted however that the valve can reside in thesecond stent60 also as shown inFIG. 17. Furthermore, the overall length can be increased by joining several stent valves together as shown inFIGS. 18 and 19, thereby having a plurality of stents, such as afirst stent58,second stent60, and athird stent61. Thevalve41 can be placed in any or all stents, in any combination, for example, as shown by the dotted lines. In this regard, it is suggested and intended that many stents can be joined and that each or any stent may house a valve or plurality of valves. One benefit of having a plurality of stents is that upon ejection of the placement device, the invention will provide a self-aligning feature in the vessel. This is because the plurality of stents is generally longer with respect to the stent diameter, or the plurality of valve device(s), as discussed above.
• Manufacture of the multi-stent or multi-valve device will generally follow the same construction as described above. The same considerations in making a single valve single stent device applies equally to the elongated device.
• Returning now toFIGS. 9 and 10, shown are methods of connecting thefirst stent58 andsecond stent60. Equally, the construction shown from now on also includes construction of at least two stents or at least two valves.First stent58 andsecond stent60 hasbends22 that are adjacent each other. Shown inFIG. 9 is where thefirst stent58 has its bends beside the bends of thesecond stent60 such that they are not touching each other (although they may touch). They are connected together in the manner described above, and for example by stent-stent suture56. Stent-stent suture56 can be resorbable or non-resorbable. This suture travels through the distal bends of thefirst stent56 and the proximal bends of thesecond stent60. The suturing pattern can be that described inFIG. 2B and the accompanying discussion. As shown inFIG. 10, the bends can be juxtaposed over each other to provide an overlap such that the stent-stent suture56 will go through the bends at the same time. Therefore, the construction contemplates that the stent bends may touch, overlap, or not at all.
• FIG. 11 shows one embodiment of the present invention in which thevalve apex50 is sutured to at least three bends: two bends of thefirst stent56 and one bend of thesecond stent60. In this regard, the valve also operates to keep thefirst stent56 partially connected to thesecond stent60. From the bends, a plurality of valve apex sutures66 are seen. These sutures can emanate from the bends and each bend can have many valve apex sutures66 that travel in many directions. Using multiple valve apex sutures66 that emanate in many directions and using a plurality of bends (from either stent), generally functions to minimize any parachuting or inversion of thevalve pocket46.
• FIG. 12 demonstrates a top view of the multi-stent device in which thevalve opening52 is seen (in a closed position) and thevalve pocket46 andvalve apex50 is connected to three bends. Again it should be understood that many sutures may emanate from many bends from any stent.
• As described earlier, the excess material can either be trimmed off or folded over the outer surface of the device. Shown inFIGS. 13A and 13B, is the excess material being folded over the device and attached at the distal end of thefirst stent58. Shown in dotted lines is thefirst stent58.FIG. 13B shows that the fold-over42 provides a second material outer sheath so that the suture passes through the inside and outside material to increase structural integrity. Also, by folding over the excess material, a smoother surface is presented rather than the naked frame of the tip of the bend.
• In all embodiments of the invention, the external surface of the frame can be covered with a sheath that is not necessarily the same material as thevalve41. For example, while the valve can be a naturally occurring material, the outer sheath can be synthetic material such as described herein. The sheath, therefore, can be the fold-over of the valve material, another type of naturally occurring material, or a synthetic material. Accordingly, the sheath may partially or totally cover the frame.
• FIG. 14 shows an embodiment in which both thefirst stent58 andsecond stent60 are covered by the fold over42. Here, the fold-over42 is connected to the distal portion of thesecond stent60. In this manner, the entire device may be covered with an outer sheath of biomaterial. The benefit of doing so, especially if using SIS or other similar ECMs, is that the regrowth and endothelialization of the device embeds and encapsulates the frame. Accordingly, there is a reduced risk of device migration. Furthermore, due to the remarkable remodeling properties of SIS, the outer SIS sheath acts as a conduit for host tissue to infiltrate the device and remodel the valve itself. Over the course of months, the valves are replaced by host tissue and the SIS disappears.
• FIG. 15 shows yet another embodiment of the present invention. In this demonstration, the valve is located in thefirst stent58, sutured at the proximal end at the stent perimeter. Thevalve apex50 is sewn somewhat proximal of the stent-stent suture56. Thevalve apex50 is sewn at the valve apex sutures66 to an intermediate portion of the frame. To minimize parachuting or inversion, a valveintermediate portion75 may be sutured using valveintermediate suture76 to connect the valve to the frame. In addition, the valve may be so constructed to extend the valve's length to create an elongated valve pocket90 (shown by the dotted lines). While theextended pocket90 can be connected to the distal perimeter of the second stentdistal suture62, it can also be connected to an intermediate portion of the second stent.
• With further reference toFIG. 15, it is seen that thevalve opening52 is a slit that extends across thefirst stent diameter21 but terminates several millimeters before reaching the edge. In some embodiments, this distance could be 1-5 mm from the edge. Of course, it is understood that the invention contemplates any distance that varies the length of the slit. Also, shown inFIG. 15, but equally applies to any device described herein, is ananchor92, which can beanchor barbs92. Thesebarbs92 can dig into the adjacent vessel wall to relatively affix the device at its location.Anchor92, although shown as barbs, may include hooks, adhesives, knobs, a textured surface, or any other treated surface that facilitates relative affixation of the device in its location. Similarly, the outer surface of the fold-over or sheath can be so configured to provide anchoring.
• FIG. 16 demonstrates the device upon implantation into the patient. Upon implantation the device generally resides in avessel80. For example, the vessel could be vein, artery or the heart or wherever a valve is necessary. In one preferred use, the vessel is an incompetent vein in the leg or foot of a patient. Thedevice20 reduces or prevents retrograde blood flow, while normal blood flow is permitted to travel throughdevice20. Illustrative veins in which thedevice20 may be used include, for example, saphenous veins, femoral veins, popliteal veins, tibial veins, and the inferior vena cava.
• Thevessel80 has an innerlumenal surface82 in which the fluid flows. The fluid flow path is shown asfluid path70.Vessel80 also has avessel diameter84. The medical device, upon implantation, will also have a deviceouter stent diameter86. Theouter diameter86 will be chosen to permit contact with the innerlumenal surface82. The optimized fit will decrease the leakage around the device by contacting the innerlumenal surface82. A tight fit can be accomplished by sizing the stent diameter to be greater than the vessel diameter. For example, a stent diameter that is about110 percent greater than (i.e. 1.1 times) the vessel diameter provides a good fit. Expanded stent diameters of about 10 mm to about 30 mm will be typical in many applications of the present invention. Again, while it is shown in thisFIG. 16 that the valve is located in thefirst stent58 and only thefirst stent58 is covered by the fold-over42 or sheath, it should be remembered that the valve could be located in thesecond stent60. Similarly, the fold-over42 or sheath could extend onto thesecond stent60.
• The standard method of deploying themedical device20 in avessel80 involves the use of a medical assembly (seeFIG. 20) including thedevice20 and a delivery device such as a percutaneous delivery device, e.g. acatheter100. The frame is configured to a contracted state, e.g. by resiliently forming the frame into a contracted configuration, to load into the delivery device (catheter). The catheter can be introduced into the patient via a suitable approach, for example through the jugular or femoral vein. To advance and deploy the device from the distal end of the delivery catheter, apusher101 is placed into the catheter lumen. When thedevice20 is fully deployed, it assumes the second, expanded configuration within thevessel80 as depicted inFIG. 16. The stent frame, being made of resilient material, conforms to the shape of the vessel wall such that when viewed on end, thedevice20 has a circular appearance when deployed in a round vessel.
• FIGS. 17, 18, and19 show other described embodiments.FIG. 17 demonstrates thevalve41 in thesecond stent60. In this embodiment, thevalve apex50 is connected to the second stent's distal perimeter.FIG. 18 demonstrates at least two stent frames connected together. In this particular embodiment, the valve is located in thefirst stent58, with thevalve apex50 being connected at the first stent 58-second stent60 junction. In dotted lines, however, there may be many stents, such asfirst stent58,second stent60, andthird stent61. Thevalve41 may be found in any of the stents or in all. Similarly, in the three stent configuration, the valve may begin at the first stent and have thevalve apex50 be generally located in thethird stent61.FIG. 19 shows another embodiment of the present invention in which thevalve41 begins in thesecond stent60 and extends into thethird stent61 thereby having thefirst stent58 being empty.
• Finally, since the device is located in an in vivo environment, the device may be treated with therapeutic agents to facilitate healing. For example, the frame may be treated with therapeutic agents such as anticancer drugs, plaque busters, anti-coagulants, or the like. Similarly, the valve material can be treated with therapeutics agents such as anti-cancer drugs, plaque busters, anti-coagulants, proteins, growth factors, proteoglycans, and the like. Furthermore, radiopaque agents may be added, such as tantalum, barium, bismuth, or the like to increase radiopacity. These ingredients can be bonded to the frame or the valve material such as rubbing the agent in, bonding it, adhering it, or the like.
• While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and the foregoing text, it is understood that these are only some embodiments and that the scope of the invention is not solely defined by the description herein but also by the appended claims. All modifications and changes that come within the spirit of the invention are hereby protected.

Claims (20)

1-36. (canceled)

37. A percutaneous heart valve device, comprising:

a frame having a first configuration suitable for percutaneous vascular delivery to a vascular site for providing a heart valve, and a second, expanded configuration adapted for deployment at the vascular site;

said expanded configuration being generally cylindrical in shape and providing an inner lumen, said expanded configuration further providing a first frame end and a second frame end;

said expanded configuration of said frame providing a plurality of struts that reverse direction and thereby provide a plurality of bends with apexes occurring at said second frame end;

said first frame end providing an inlet end of the valve device, and said second frame end providing an outlet end of the valve device;

a flexible collagenous biomaterial;

said flexible collagenous biomaterial forming at least two flexible valve leaflets within said inner lumen;

said at least two flexible valve leaflets each extending substantially from said first frame end to said second frame end; and

said at least two flexible valve leaflets forming a valve orifice at the outlet end of said frame.

38. The percutaneous heart valve device ofclaim 37, wherein said flexible collagenous material is attached to said frame at least at said outlet end.

39. The percutaneous heart valve device ofclaim 37, wherein:

said apexes of said bends are substantially co-terminal.

40. A percutaneous heart valve device, comprising:

a frame having a first configuration suitable for percutaneous vascular delivery to a vascular site for providing a heart valve, and a second, expanded configuration adapted for deployment at the vascular site;

said expanded configuration being generally cylindrical in shape and providing an inner lumen, said expanded configuration further providing a first frame end and a second frame end;

said first frame end providing an inlet end of the valve device, and said second frame end providing an outlet end of the valve device;

a flexible collagenous biomaterial;

said flexible collagenous biomaterial forming at least two flexible valve leaflets within said inner lumen;

said at least two flexible valve leaflets each extending substantially from said first frame end to said second frame end;

said at least two flexible valve leaflets forming a valve orifice at the outlet end of said frame; and

said flexible collagenous material attached to said frame at least at said outlet end.

41. The percutaneous heart valve device ofclaim 40, wherein:

said expanded configuration of said frame provides a plurality of struts that reverse direction and thereby provide a plurality of bends.

42. The percutaneous heart valve device ofclaim 40, wherein said frame is a self-expanding frame.

43. A percutaneous heart valve device, comprising:

a frame having a first configuration suitable for percutaneous vascular delivery to a vascular site for providing a heart valve, and a second, expanded configuration adapted for deployment at the vascular site;

said expanded configuration being generally cylindrical in shape and providing an inner lumen, said expanded configuration further providing a first frame end and a second frame end;

said expanded configuration of said frame providing a plurality of struts that reverse direction and thereby provide a plurality of bends with apexes occurring at said second frame end;

said first frame end providing an inlet end of the valve device, and said second frame end providing an outlet end of the valve device;

a flexible material;

said flexible material forming at least two flexible valve leaflets within said inner lumen;

said at least two flexible valve leaflets each extending substantially from said first frame end to said second frame end;

said at least two flexible valve leaflets forming a valve orifice at the outlet end of said frame; and

said flexible material attached to said frame at least at said outlet end.

44. The percutaneous heart valve device ofclaim 43, wherein:

said flexible material is a collagenous biomaterial.

45. A percutaneous heart valve device, comprising:

a frame having a first configuration suitable for percutaneous vascular delivery to a vascular site for providing a heart valve, and a second, expanded configuration adapted for deployment at the vascular site;

said expanded configuration providing a first frame end and a second frame end;

said expanded configuration of said frame providing a plurality of struts that reverse direction and thereby provide a plurality of bends with apexes occurring at said second frame end and wherein each of said apexes is substantially co-terminal with the other apexes;

said flexible collagenous biomaterial formed to provide at least two flexible valve leaflets;

said at least two flexible valve leaflets having cooperating leaflet edge portions, said cooperating leaflet edge portions having outer ends connected to said frame and extending inwardly therefrom to form a valve orifice at said second end of said frame.

46. The percutaneous heart valve device ofclaim 45, wherein:

said outer ends of said leaflet edge portions are connected to said frame by sutures.

47. The percutaneous heart valve device ofclaim 45, wherein:

said frame is a self-expanding frame.

48. A percutaneous heart valve device, comprising:

a frame having a first configuration suitable for percutaneous vascular delivery to a vascular site for providing a heart valve, and a second, expanded configuration for deployment at the vascular site;

said expanded configuration being generally cylindrical in shape and providing an inner lumen, said expanded configuration further providing a first frame end and a second frame end;

said first frame end providing an inlet end of the valve device, and said second frame end providing an outlet end of the valve device;

a flexible collagenous biomaterial;

said flexible collagenous biomaterial extending substantially from said first frame end to said second frame end;

said flexible collagenous biomaterial forming at least two flexible valve leaflets defining a valve orifice at the outlet end of said frame; and

said flexible collagenous material attached to said frame at least at said outlet end.

49. The percutaneous heart valve device ofclaim 48, wherein:

said frame is a self-expanding frame.

50. A percutaneous heart valve device, comprising:

a frame having a first configuration suitable for percutaneous vascular delivery to a vascular site for providing a heart valve, and a second configuration for deployment at the vascular site, said second configuration expanded relative to said first configuration;

said second, expanded configuration providing a first frame end and a second frame end;

a flexible collagenous biomaterial attached to said frame;

said flexible collagenous biomaterial formed to provide at least two flexible valve leaflets;

said at least two flexible valve leaflets forming a valve orifice at said second frame end;

said at least two flexible leaflets extending only partially between said second frame end and said first frame end;

said at least two flexible valve leaflets having cooperating leaflet edge portions, said cooperating leaflet edge portions forming a valve orifice at said second end of said frame.

51. The percutaneous heart valve device ofclaim 50, wherein:

said cooperating leaflet edge portions have ends connected at said second frame end.

52. The percutaneous heart valve device ofclaim 50, wherein:

said frame is a self-expanding frame.

53. A percutaneous heart valve device, comprising:

a frame having a first configuration suitable for percutaneous vascular delivery to a vascular site for providing a heart valve, and a second configuration suitable for deployment at the vascular site, said second configuration expanded relative to said first configuration;

said second configuration providing a first frame end and a second frame end;

a flexible collagenous biomaterial;

said flexible collagenous biomaterial formed to provide at least two flexible valve leaflets;

said at least two flexible leaflets extending only partially between said second frame end and said first frame end;

said at least two flexible leaflets having portions attached to said frame between said first frame end and said second frame end; and

said at least two flexible valve leaflets having orifice-forming leaflet edge portions, said orifice-forming leaflet edge portions cooperating to form a valve orifice at said second end of said frame.

54. The percutaneous heart valve device ofclaim 53, wherein:

said orifice-forming leaflet edge portions have ends attached to said frame.

55. The percutaneous heart valve device ofclaim 53, wherein:

said frame is a self-expanding frame.

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