| CPC A61F 2/2433 (2013.01) [A61F 2/2412 (2013.01); A61F 2/2418 (2013.01)] | 15 Claims |

|
1. A minimally-invasive prosthetic heart valve delivery system, comprising:
an introducer sheath with a lumen therethrough;
a balloon catheter having a distal end with a balloon thereon, the balloon having a prosthetic valve receiving portion, wherein the prosthetic valve receiving portion is configured to have a radially-expandable prosthetic heart valve crimped thereon; and
a radially-expandable prosthetic heart valve comprising a support stent and a valve portion, wherein the radially-expandable prosthetic heart valve is configured to be crimped on the prosthetic valve receiving portion of the balloon;
wherein:
the balloon catheter comprises a tapered distal tip positioned on the balloon catheter distally of the prosthetic valve receiving portion, wherein an outer dimension of the balloon catheter having the prosthetic heart valve thereon is small enough to pass through the introducer sheath lumen;
a proximal tapered piece over which the balloon passes is provided proximal of a main body of the tapered distal tip, with the balloon at its distal end secured to the tapered distal tip distally of the proximal tapered piece to form a tight seal;
the balloon is secured within a crevasse formed between the proximal tapered piece and the tapered distal tip; and
the prosthetic valve is secured onto the balloon proximally of the proximal tapered piece.
|