| CPC A61F 2/2436 (2013.01) [A61F 2/2439 (2013.01); A61F 2/9524 (2020.05); A61F 2220/0033 (2013.01)] | 18 Claims |

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1. Apparatus for use at a heart of a subject, the apparatus comprising:
a delivery tool dimensioned for percutaneous delivery to the heart, the delivery tool having a distal portion that defines a central longitudinal axis at the distal portion and comprises:
a shaft;
a supplemental tube; and
a proximal capsule and a distal capsule, each of the capsules:
having a respective open end, the open end of the proximal capsule facing the open end of the distal capsule, and
coupled to the shaft in a manner that allows axial movement of the capsule with respect to the shaft, along the central longitudinal axis at the distal portion; and
a prosthetic heart valve comprising:
a tubular portion that defines a lumen; and
a plurality of prosthetic leaflets disposed within the lumen,
wherein:
the prosthetic heart valve is restrainable in a compressed state by the delivery tool, such that a downstream end of the tubular portion is disposed within the distal capsule,
the distal capsule is shaped so as to define an opening for visualizing ensheathing of at least a portion of the downstream end of the tubular portion within the distal capsule, and
during a delivery state of the delivery tool:
an inter-capsule gap separates the open end of the proximal capsule from the open end of the distal capsule,
a segment of the prosthetic heart valve is disposed at the inter-capsule gap, and
the supplemental tube surrounds (i) the proximal capsule, (ii) at least a proximal portion of the distal capsule, and (iii) the segment of the prosthetic heart valve disposed at the inter-capsule gap.
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