Heart valve deployment aid

Abstract

Methods of implanting a hybrid prosthetic aortic heart valve having a valve member and a generally tubular plastically-expandable anchoring skirt attached to and projecting in an inflow direction therefrom. The anchoring skirt has an inflow end with an initial tapered shape with a lower (inflow/leading) end defining a smaller orifice. For implant, the heart valve is advanced with the anchoring skirt at the leading end, and ultimately a balloon catheter expands within the anchoring skirt to force it into contact with a subvalvular aspect of the aortic valve annulus. To facilitate advancement of the heart valve, the anchoring skirt is further crimped after removal from a storage container such as a jar. The crimping is done after removal from the storage container to preserve an initial manufactured orifice diameter at inflow/leading end of the anchoring skirt for passage of a delivery adapter used in the delivery process.

CPC Classifications