| CPC A61F 2/2463 (2013.01) [A61F 2/2466 (2013.01); A61F 2/246 (2013.01); A61F 2210/0014 (2013.01)] | 18 Claims |

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1. An implant for improving coaptation of an atrioventricular valve in a heart, the atrioventricular valve having a native first leaflet, a native second leaflet and an annulus adjacent a wall of an atrium of the heart, the implant comprising a support structure configured to be arranged on and fixed to the annulus or to at least one of the first and second native leaflets, wherein the support structure comprises an upper support element to be arranged on a superior surface of the annulus or of the at least one of the first and second native leaflets and a lower support element to be arranged on an inferior surface of the annulus or of the at least one of the first and second native leaflets, the upper and the lower support elements each comprising connection means cooperating with each other for interconnecting the upper and the lower support elements while clamping a section of the annulus or of the at least one of the first and second native leaflets between the upper support element and the lower support element along a clamping plane of the upper and lower support elements, the implant further comprising retention means fixed to the support structure so as to prevent prolapse of the at least one of the first and second native leaflets, characterized in that one of the first and second native leaflets is a posterior leaflet, the support structure comprises a resting element that is configured to rest against the wall of the atrium adjacent the posterior leaflet along a resting plane and thereby prevent said prolapse in combination with the retention means while still allowing swing movement of the posterior leaflet, wherein the lower support element carries a holding element for holding the retention means, and wherein an angle of 90-135° is provided within the atrium between the resting plane and the clamping plane of the upper and lower support elements.
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