| abstract |
Methods and apparatuses relate to an expandable valve that may be implanted within the body, for example, at a semilunar position of the heart. The valve may include an expandable valve frame disposed about a number of valve leaflets and may be implanted in young patients. The diameter of the expandable valve frame may be suitably increased to accommodate patient growth where the valve is stretched to expand along with the valve frame. In some embodiments, an expandable valve is disposed within a covered stent having expandable cuffs attached at opposite ends of the stent. The expandable cuffs of the device may be surgically attached to separate regions of tissue to provide fluid communication between the tissue regions. In an embodiment, an expandable cuff attached at one end of a stent is sutured to an outer wall of a right ventricle and an expandable cuff attached at the opposite end of the stent is sutured to an outer wall of the main pulmonary artery, providing a passageway for fluid (i.e., blood) to flow between the right ventricle and the main pulmonary artery, through the valve. The implantable device may be expandable to accommodate growth in young patients. For some instances, the shape of the device may be manipulated to suit placement of the expandable valve conduit within the body. |