Patent ID: 6939359

Claim:
A medical catheter for removing a defective valve from a patient comprising: an elongate catheter shaft having a catheter distal end, a catheter distal section, a catheter proximal end, and at least a lumen between said catheter distal end and said catheter proximal end; a deployable inner catheter located within one of said at least a lumen; a coupling mechanism located at the catheter distal section configured to grip and immobilize a free edge of at least one valve leaflet of the defective valve; and an expandable and retractable cutting mechanism mounted at a distal end of the deployable inner catheter, wherein the cutting mechanism expands in diameter when the cutting member is positioned outside the catheter and retracts in diameter when positioned inside the catheter, and the cutting member is configured to cut and separate a valve base of said defective valve from a valve root of said defective valve.