Patent ID: 8323335

Claim:
A method of treating aortic insufficiency, comprising: delivering a support structure to an outflow side of an aortic valve of a patient, the support structure comprising an annular body defining an interior; positioning the annular body around leaflets of the aortic valve such that the leaflets of the aortic valve are located within the interior of the annular body and the annular body circumscribes the leaflets of the aortic valve; after positioning the annular body around the leaflets of the aortic valve, delivering an expandable prosthetic heart valve to a vicinity of the aortic valve, the prosthetic heart valve being advanceable independently of the support structure; advancing the expandable prosthetic heart valve into the interior of the annular body while the annular body is maintained in a substantially fixed position relative to the aortic valve; and expanding the expandable prosthetic heart valve into contact with the leaflets of the aortic valve, thereby causing the leaflets of the aortic valve to be frictionally secured between an inner surface of the annular body and an outer surface of the prosthetic heart valve.