A system for implanting a prosthetic aortic valve into a patient having an aorta, the system comprising: a delivery catheter configured to deploy the prosthetic aortic valve; and an embolic material blocking catheter, the embolic material blocking catheter including: a handle assembly comprising an embolic material extraction port and an insertion port configured to accommodate insertion of the delivery catheter and to inhibit leakage through the insertion port; an elongated main tube having a proximal portion coupled with the handle assembly, a distal portion, and a lumen in fluid communication with the embolic material extraction port; a retention sleeve; and an embolic material blocking element connected to the distal portion of the elongated main tube, the embolic material blocking catheter being reconfigurable from an insertion configuration to a deployed configuration, and from the deployed configuration to a captured configuration, wherein the embolic material blocking element has an inner circumference that is attached to a distal portion of the elongated main tube, wherein the embolic material blocking element is restrained in the insertion configuration between the retention sleeve and the elongated main tube, wherein in the deployed configuration the embolic material blocking element extends downstream from an outer circumference of the embolic material blocking element to an inner circumference of the embolic material blocking element attached to the distal portion of the elongated main tube to guide embolic material diverted by the embolic material blocking element to the lumen of the elongated main tube for transport to the embolic material extraction port, and wherein in the captured configuration the embolic material blocking element is captured inside of the retention sleeve, wherein the retention sleeve is repositionable from a first position adapted to retain the embolic material blocking element in the insertion configuration to a second position accommodating the embolic material blocking element in the deployed configuration and is advanceable distally along the elongated main tube from the second position to a third position restraining the embolic material blocking element in the captured configuration, thereby capturing the embolic blocking element inside of the retention sleeve, the delivery catheter being configured to be advanced through the lumen of the elongated main tube of the embolic material blocking catheter, the delivery catheter including a deployment mechanism adapted to deploy the prosthetic aortic valve from a pre-deployment configuration. a handle assembly comprising an embolic material extraction port and an insertion port configured to accommodate insertion of the delivery catheter and to inhibit leakage through the insertion port; an elongated main tube having a proximal portion coupled with the handle assembly, a distal portion, and a lumen in fluid communication with the embolic material extraction port; a retention sleeve; and an embolic material blocking element connected to the distal portion of the elongated main tube, the embolic material blocking catheter being reconfigurable from an insertion configuration to a deployed configuration, and from the deployed configuration to a captured configuration, wherein the embolic material blocking element has an inner circumference that is attached to a distal portion of the elongated main tube, wherein the embolic material blocking element is restrained in the insertion configuration between the retention sleeve and the elongated main tube, wherein in the deployed configuration the embolic material blocking element extends downstream from an outer circumference of the embolic material blocking element to an inner circumference of the embolic material blocking element attached to the distal portion of the elongated main tube to guide embolic material diverted by the embolic material blocking element to the lumen of the elongated main tube for transport to the embolic material extraction port, and wherein in the captured configuration the embolic material blocking element is captured inside of the retention sleeve, wherein the retention sleeve is repositionable from a first position adapted to retain the embolic material blocking element in the insertion configuration to a second position accommodating the embolic material blocking element in the deployed configuration and is advanceable distally along the elongated main tube from the second position to a third position restraining the embolic material blocking element in the captured configuration, thereby capturing the embolic blocking element inside of the retention sleeve, the delivery catheter being configured to be advanced through the lumen of the elongated main tube of the embolic material blocking catheter, the delivery catheter including a deployment mechanism adapted to deploy the prosthetic aortic valve from a pre-deployment configuration.