| CPC A61F 2/2418 (2013.01) [A61L 31/18 (2013.01); A61F 2210/0014 (2013.01); A61F 2230/0013 (2013.01); A61F 2230/0054 (2013.01); A61F 2230/0056 (2013.01); A61F 2230/006 (2013.01); A61F 2250/0032 (2013.01); A61F 2250/0097 (2013.01); A61F 2250/0098 (2013.01)] | 16 Claims |

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1. A heart valve prosthesis for implantation at a native valve site, the heart valve prosthesis comprising:
a stent comprising a plurality of interconnected cells, the plurality of interconnected cells comprising a ring of cells disposed at an inflow end of the heart valve prosthesis, the stent configured to transition from a non-expanded state to an expanded state at the native valve site;
a prosthetic valve coupled to an inner surface of the stent;
a plurality of locators extending from the stent for positioning the heart valve prosthesis at the native valve site, each locator of the plurality of locators defined by a single elongated wire extension extending to a tip, the tip being at a free end of the locator, each locator configured to extend with respect to the stent such that at least a portion of a respective native leaflet at the native valve site is sandwiched between such locator and the stent in the expanded state; and
a stent cover coupled to the stent and covering at least a portion of the stent, the stent cover forming part of the prosthetic valve;
wherein the stent cover and the stent are configured to form a seal between the heart valve prosthesis and the native valve site to prevent blood flow between the heart valve prosthesis and the native valve site;
wherein the tip at the free end of each locator is configured to contact a cusp or respective native leaflet, and wherein each locator is configured to deform upon contact with the cusp or respective native leaflet;
wherein a shortest distance from the free end of the plurality of locators to the inflow end of the heart valve prosthesis being less in the expanded state than a shortest distance from the free end of the plurality of locators to the inflow end of the heart valve prosthesis in the non-expanded state.
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