发明授权
摘要：
An arrangement for retaining a heart valve in a passageway of a cardiovascular system, and a heart valve useable therewith. The retaining arrangement includes an annular arrangement surrounding the circular heart valve and engaging it so as to be radially expandable and contractable relative thereto while securely holding the heart valve in place. The annular arrangement may include a single overlapping loop or a plurality of arcuate segments, all of which could slidingly engage a circumferentially extending flange on the outside of the heart valve. The heart valve includes a plurality of circular elements interfitting in a single plane to close the valve and extending axially relative to each other to open the valve and hence permit fluid flow through the passageway.