An expandable venous valve having a support structure that configured to
enlarge the area adjacent to the valve structure such that the flow
patterns of retrograde flow are modified in a way that facilitates the
flushing of the pockets at the base of the valve area to prevent
stagnation of bodily fluid, which in the venous system, can lead to
thrombus formation. The enlarged pocket areas can be created by forming
an artificial sinus adjacent the valve structure in an unsupported
section of vessel wall between two support frame section or the support
frame can comprise an expanded-diameter intermediate or proximal section
that forms an artificial sinus adjacent the valve structure. In another
group of embodiments, the attachment pathway between opposing leaflets
and the support frame and/or vessel wall comprises a proximal portion
that places the leaflets in extended contact with one another and a
distal portion forms a large angle with respect to the adjacent walls
such that a large pocket is created at the base of the leaflets. In one
embodiment, the attachment pathway extends distally along a pair of
substantially parallel longitudinal attachment struts to create an
extended leaflet contact area, then angles circumferentially and distally
from the former along distal attachment struts to define the bottom edge
of the leaflets.