| CPC A61F 2/2427 (2013.01) [A61F 2/0095 (2013.01); A61F 2/2412 (2013.01)] | 22 Claims |

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1. A method of manufacturing a surgical prosthetic heart valve, comprising:
providing a prosthetic heart valve having a support frame that defines a periphery and flow orifice at an inflow end, the support frame having three flexible commissure posts projecting and being cantilevered from the inflow end in an outflow direction and ending in tips, and the heart valve includes bioprosthetic flexible leaflets connected to and supported by the commissure posts, and a sewing ring surrounding the inflow end;
constricting and holding the tips of the three flexible commissure posts radially inward so that each cantilevered commissure post forms an inward angle from the inflow end to the tip; and
packaging the surgical prosthetic heart valve with the constricted commissure posts for shipping.
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