Patent ID: 11864998
Assignee: MEDTRONIC VASCULAR, INC.
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 16:
17. A method of implanting a stented prosthetic heart valve, the method comprising:
delivering a guide wire to a target implant site;
advancing a delivery device loaded with a stented prosthetic heart valve over the guide wire to the target implant site, the delivery device including:
a handle,
an inner shaft assembly extending from the handle and including a shaft and a valve retainer, the inner shaft assembly defining a guide wire lumen,
an outer sheath assembly including a capsule slidably received over the inner shaft assembly, wherein the capsule is configured to compressibly retain the stented prosthetic heart valve,
a guide wire exit port proximal of the capsule and distal of the handle, the guide wire exit port being open to the guide wire lumen,
a connector assembly comprising a first tube and a second tube that define a guide wire passageway between a proximal opening of the valve retainer and the guide wire exit port, the first tube connected to the outer sheath assembly and defining the guide wire exit port, the second tube connected to the valve retainer, and
a first support body along an exterior of the outer sheath assembly proximal of the guide wire exit port, the first support body maintaining the guide wire connected to but spaced apart from the delivery device when the delivery device is bent to reduce surface contact between the guide wire and the delivery device;

wherein the step of advancing includes the guide wire being slidably received through the guide wire lumen, the guide wire exit port, and the first support body; and
operating the delivery device to deploy the stented prosthetic heart valve at the target implant site.