Patent ID: 8147541
Filing Date: 2012-04-03
Classification: A61F

Abstract:
1. A method for deploying a prosthetic heart valve, comprising: advancing a prosthetic heart valve through vasculature of a patient to a treatment site along a wall of a blood vessel, the prosthetic heart valve comprising (i) a tubular support structure comprising a plurality of expandable segments oriented along a periphery of the support structure, and (ii) a plurality of valve leaflets coupled with the plurality of segments, wherein each expandable segment is transformable between a first shape and a second, expanded shape, and wherein at least one expandable segment is restrained in the first shape by a restraining member; removal of the restraining member from the at least one expandable segment such that the at least one expandable segment is free to spontaneously expand; and after removal of the restraining member, expanding an expandable deployment mechanism a first amount of distance against the at least one expandable segment in the first shape to cause the at least one expandable segment to expand a second amount of distance from the first shape to the second, expanded shape in contact with the vessel, wherein the first amount of distance is shorter than the second amount of distance and the expanding of the expandable deployment mechanism stops before the at least one expandable segment expands to the second, expanded shape in contact with the vessel.