| abstract |
A prosthetic heart valve includes an orifice ring adapted to carry blood therethrough. An annular recess is formed in an outer surface of the orifice ring and has first and second axially spaced walls. A sewing cuff is adapted to be coupled to a native tissue annulus of a heart and includes an inner annular cuff portion adapted to conform to the first and second recess walls in the orifice ring. A cuff retaining ring extends around the inner annular fabric portion such that the inner annular cuff portion is positioned between the cuff retaining ring and the annular recess. The cuff retaining ring is further adapted to exert a substantially axially directed force directed against the annular cuff portion and first and second axially spaced walls of the annular recess, which is substantially greater than a radial force directed substantially inwardly by the cuff retaining ring against an annulus of the recess located between the first and second walls, whereby a controllable torque to rotate the cuff relative to the orifice ring is developed substantially due to friction between the first and second recess walls cuff portion and the annular recess. |