Patent ID: 7637943

Claim:
A method for evaluating a valve annulus to determine a proper size of a prosthetic heart valve to be sewn to the valve annulus during heart valve replacement surgery, the method comprising: providing a first prosthetic heart valve including: an annular extension having a first flexibility, and a sewing ring having a second flexibility differing from the first flexibility, providing a first flexible sizer body including: an outer ring corresponding with the sewing ring, and an annular wall coupled to and extending from the outer ring, the annular wall corresponding with the annular extension and having a flexibility substantially similar to the first flexibility of the annular extension of the first prosthetic heart valve, the annular wall forming a plurality of extremities adapted to be inwardly deflected; inserting the first flexible sizer body into an opening of the heart valve annulus to determine whether the first flexible sizer body properly fits and conforms with the heart valve annulus; evaluating whether the first prosthetic heart valve is appropriate for implanting to the heart valve annulus based upon the determination of whether the first flexible sizer body properly fit and conformed to the heart valve annulus; and evaluating deflection of the plurality of extremities to determine a spacing between the annular wall and the heart valve annulus for accessing the outer ring.