CPC A61F 2/243 (2013.01) [A61F 2/2433 (2013.01); A61F 2/2436 (2013.01); A61F 2/2418 (2013.01); A61F 2210/0014 (2013.01); A61F 2250/0003 (2013.01)] | 19 Claims |
1. A method of delivering a valve prosthesis to an annulus of a native valve of a heart, the native valve having chordae tendineae, the method comprising the steps of:
introducing a valve delivery system into a ventricle of the heart via a ventricular wall of the heart, the valve delivery system having the valve prosthesis at a distal portion thereof and a displacement component at the distal portion thereof, wherein the valve prosthesis is in a delivery configuration and the displacement component is in a delivery state in which the displacement component has a first outer diameter and wherein the displacement component includes a first ring comprised of a self-expanding material and a second ring comprised of a self-expanding material, the first and second self-expanding rings being longitudinally spaced apart and coupled to each other via a plurality of sutures;
radially expanding the displacement component of the valve delivery system into an expanded state in which the displacement component has a second outer diameter greater than the first outer diameter, wherein the valve prosthesis is in the delivery configuration;
advancing the valve delivery system towards the annulus of the native valve of the heart with the displacement component in the expanded state, wherein the second outer diameter is of a dimension that prevents the displacement component from passing through openings between chordae in the ventricle so that the displacement component in the expanded state pushes chordae in the ventricle radially outward away from the valve delivery system; and
deploying the valve prosthesis into apposition with the annulus of the native valve.
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