Patent ID: 8382826

Claim:
A method of deploying a prosthetic valve within a native aortic valve in a human heart, the prosthetic valve comprising a radially compressible and expandable metallic stent and a flexible valvular structure mounted within the stent, the method comprising: providing a delivery system comprising a tubular sleeve and a selectively steerable section permanently attached to a distal end of the tubular sleeve, the delivery system further comprising a balloon catheter extending through a central lumen in the tubular sleeve and the steerable section and wherein a distal end portion of the balloon catheter is positioned distal to a distal end of the steerable section; crimping the prosthetic valve along the distal end portion of the balloon catheter such that the prosthetic valve is positioned distal to the distal end of the steerable section; advancing the prosthetic valve, balloon catheter, tubular sleeve and steerable section through a femoral artery and an aortic arch; actuating a pull wire for selectively controlling a curvature of the steerable section during advancement around the aortic arch, the pull wire having a distal end portion permanently fixed to the steerable section; distally advancing the balloon catheter and prosthetic valve relative to the tubular sleeve and steerable section for positioning the prosthetic valve within the native aortic valve; and radially expanding the prosthetic valve by inflating a balloon disposed along the distal end portion of the balloon catheter.