Patent ID: 9585752
Date: 2017-03-07
CPC Classifications: A61F

Claim:
1. A combination of a prosthetic heart valve for implant at a heart valve annulus and a holder therefor, comprising: a prosthetic heart valve having a valve member with a non-expandable, non-collapsible annular support structure defining a flow orifice and an inflow end defining an inflow direction with an outflow direction opposite thereto, the valve member including valve leaflets attached to the support structure and mounted to alternately open and close across the flow orifice, and a self-expandable anchoring stent having a first end extending around the flow orifice and connected to the valve member at the inflow end of the support structure so that the first end maintains a fixed diameter, the anchoring stent having a second end projecting in the inflow direction away from the support structure and having a relaxed, expanded shape defining a first peripheral size; and a valve holder connected by a first suture to the prosthetic heart valve, wherein the first suture extends around the second end of the anchoring stent and is placed under tension to constrict the second end to a second peripheral size smaller than the first peripheral size.