Patent ID: 7699891

Claim:
A method for treatment of regurgitating heart valves, said method comprising the steps of: evaluating a patient and determining the repair necessary to prevent regurgitation; selecting a plasty patch and annuloplasty ring requisite for the repair; making an incision in the heart valve leaflet for placement of the plasty patch; securing the plasty patch in said incision to advance the leaflet toward coaptation; prior to securing said plasty patch in place positioning a plurality of sutures around said heart valve for future securing of an annuloplasty ring; and securing an annuloplasty ring around the heart valve to laterally compress the head valve and to support the leaflet advancement toward coaptation; said annuloplasty ring being narrower in the lateral commissure dimension than an annuloplasty ring which would have formerly been selected to repair regurgitation.