Patent ID: 8795354

Claim:
A method of implanting a replacement heart valve, comprising: mounting the replacement heart valve onto a delivery system in a delivery configuration, the replacement heart valve comprising a radially-expandable metallic stent portion, a valve portion, and a plurality of metallic longitudinal rails connecting the valve portion to the stent portion, wherein the stent portion comprises an outer surface and an inner surface defining a lumen, wherein the valve portion comprises a plurality of leaflets formed of pericardial tissue, and wherein, in the delivery configuration, at least a portion of the leaflets are positioned outside of the lumen defined by the stent portion; advancing the replacement heart valve to an implant position adjacent a heart valve annulus; transitioning the replacement valve from the delivery configuration to an operating configuration by sliding the valve portion along the plurality of longitudinal rails for advancing the valve portion relative to the stent portion and positioning the valve portion within the lumen of the stent portion; radially expanding the stent portion and the valve portion together to cause the stent portion to engage the heart valve annulus, thereby anchoring the replacement heart valve in position within the heart valve annulus; and partially inflating a balloon for engaging the valve portion and pulling the valve portion along the plurality of rails toward the stent portion with the balloon partially inflated.