Patent ID: 7311730

Claim:
A combination comprising: a heart valve prosthesis comprising: a valve member that permits substantially unidirectional flow of fluid through the valve member; an annular support element, having a fixed annular length, positioned generally around at least a substantial part of a sidewall portion of the valve member, the support element having axially spaced apart first and second ends; a first set of substantially resilient fingers extending axially and radially outwardly from the first end of the support element and curving toward the second end of the support element; and a second set of substantially resilient fingers extending axially and radially outwardly from the second end of the support element in a generally opposing relationship relative to the first set of fingers curving toward the first end of the support element such that distal ends of the respective fingers cross through a plane that extends through the annular support element, the first and second sets of fingers are monolithically formed with the support element, wherein the first and second sets of fingers comprise a resilient material moveable from a first condition, in which the distal ends of the first and second sets of fingers extend axially and radially to provide a generally clamp-like structure, to a second condition, in which the distal ends of the first and second sets of fingers extend generally parallel relative to the support element, the fingers being capable of returning from the second to the first condition; a covering of a biocompatible flexible material that extends from the support element to cover a substantial part of an axially exposed surface of at least one of the first and second sets of the fingers, the covering having first and second end portions spaced apart from each other by a generally tubular body portion that is located within the support element, the first and second end portions of the covering extending radially outwardly from the tubular body portion and connected to a respective one of the first and second sets of fingers, such that the first and second end portions are moveable with movement of the first and second sets of the fingers for covering at least part of an axially exposed surface of the first and second sets of the fingers, the first and second end portions terminating in a peripheral edge that is spaced apart from the distal ends of the respective fingers so as to cover part of the respective first and second sets of fingers; and an implanter that includes a cylindrical member having an interior dimension substantially commensurate with an outer diameter of the support element and operative to hold the first and second sets of fingers in the second condition while located within the cylindrical member, the first and second sets of fingers moving from the second condition to the first condition after being discharged from the cylindrical member.