Patent ID: 7931685

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; and securing an annuloplasty ring around the heart valve to laterally compress the heart valve and to support the leaflet advancement toward coaptation; said annuloplasty ring being a closed structure having two side segments, a top segment and a bottom segment, wherein the top and bottom segments are curved substantially parallel to each other; wherein prior to securing said plasty patch in place, a plurality of sutures are positioned around said heart valve for future securing of said annuloplasty ring; and wherein a gap is left in said plurality of sutures, said gap having a dimension corresponding to the length of the incision.