Modular heart valve prosthesis

1 . A method of delivering and deploying a modular heart valve prosthesis, the method comprising:

delivering a first heart valve device in a radially compressed configuration to a site of a native heart valve, the first heart valve device including a first valve support including a first prosthetic valve comprising first leaflets having a first thickness disposed within the first valve support and an anchoring frame surrounding the first valve support and coupled to the first valve support;

deploying the first heart valve device by radially expanding the first heart valve device such that the anchoring frame is disposed within native leaflets of the native heart valve;

after deploying the first heart valve device, delivering a second heart valve device in a radially compressed configuration to within the first valve support, the second heart valve device comprising a second valve support and a second prosthetic valve comprising second leaflets having a second thickness disposed within the second valve support, the second thickness being greater than the first thickness; and

deploying the second heart valve device by radially expanding the second valve support such that the second valve support engages the first prosthetic valve and the first valve support.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein deploying the first heart valve device comprises releasing the first heart valve device from a sheath such that the first heart valve device self-expands.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein deploying the second heart valve device comprises radially expanding the second valve support with a balloon.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first heart valve device is disposed in a first catheter for the step of delivering the first heart valve device.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein after deploying the first heart valve device, the first catheter is withdrawn from the site of the native heart valve.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein after withdrawing the first catheter, the second heart valve device is disposed in a second catheter for delivering the second heart valve device to within the first valve support.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first leaflets are synthetic fabric leaflets.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the first leaflets are formed from material selected from the group consisting of polyester, polyethylene terephthalate (PET, e.g. DACRON), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polyurethane, cloth materials, nylon blends, and polymeric materials.

9 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the second leaflets are tissue leaflets.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the second leaflets are formed from material selected from the group consisting of bovine pericardium tissue and porcine pericardium tissue.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein delivering the first heart valve device in the radially compressed configuration comprises the first heart valve device having a radially compressed diameter of approximately 27 Fr.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein delivering the second heart valve device in the radially compressed configuration comprises the second heart valve device having a radially compressed diameter of approximately 14 Fr.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first valve support and the second valve support are both generally cylindrical.

14 . The method of claim 1 ,

wherein the first valve support has an hourglass shape with a first diameter at an inflow portion thereof, a second diameter at a central portion thereof, and a third diameter at an outflow portion thereof, wherein the first and third diameters are each larger than the second diameter,

wherein the second valve support has a corresponding hourglass shape, and

wherein deploying the second heart valve device such that the second valve support engages the first prosthetic valve and the first valve support comprises the corresponding hourglass shape of the second valve support aligning with the hourglass shape of the first valve support.

15 . The method of claim 1 ,

wherein the first valve support has a reverse hourglass shape with a first diameter at an inflow portion thereof, a second diameter at a central portion thereof, and a third diameter at an outflow portion thereof, wherein the first and third diameters are each smaller than the second diameter,

wherein the second valve support has a corresponding reverse hourglass shape, and

wherein deploying the second heart valve device such that the second valve support engages the first prosthetic valve and the first valve support comprises the corresponding reverse hourglass shape of the second valve support aligning with the reverse hourglass shape of the first valve support.

16 . The method of claim 1 ,

wherein the second valve support includes a brim at an inflow end thereof,

wherein delivering the second heart valve device in the radially compressed configuration comprises the brim being parallel to a central longitudinal axis of the second valve support, and

wherein deploying the second heart valve device comprises:

the brim extending radially outward at a non-zero angle with respect to the central longitudinal axis; and

the brim being disposed proximal of an inflow end of the first valve support.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the non-zero angle is between 30 and 90 degrees.

18 . The method of claim 1 ,

wherein the second heart valve device further includes barbs extending radially outward from an outer surface of the second valve support, and

wherein deploying the second heart valve prosthesis comprises engaging the barbs with the first valve support.

19 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first thickness is in the range of about 0.04 mm to about 0.10 mm.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the second thickness is in the range of about 0.35 mm to about 0.5 mm.