Patent ID: 9320598
Filing Date: 2016-04-26
CPC Classification: A61B,A61F

Claim Text:
1. A method of implanting a collapsible prosthetic heart valve, comprising: loading a collapsed prosthetic heart valve into a distal end of a delivery tube, the prosthetic heart valve comprising a self-expanding tubular leaflet frame formed of nitinol, the prosthetic heart valve further comprising three biological leaflets, each leaflet having a free edge and an outer edge, the free edges arranged to coapt within the prosthetic heart valve to provide a one-way occlusion and each outer edge attached to the leaflet frame; inserting the distal end of the delivery tube into a vasculature of a patient; positioning the distal end of the delivery tube proximal to an aortic valve; expelling the prosthetic heart valve into an annulus of the aortic valve; allowing the prosthetic heart valve to self-expand to a first diameter and into contact with the annulus of the aortic valve, wherein the tubular leaflet frame includes three cusp positioners that spring outward into the three valve sinuses and help rotationally orient the valve during the step of allowing the prosthetic heart valve to self-expand to a first diameter; and inflating a balloon within the prosthetic heart valve for expanding the prosthetic heart valve to a second diameter, the second diameter larger than the first diameter, thereby securely implanting the prosthetic heart valve within the annulus of the aortic valve.