Patent ID: 7708775

Claim:
A surgical method of implanting a prosthetic heart valve in a patient, comprising: providing a two-stage prosthetic heart valve comprising an expandable anchoring member and a valve member, the anchoring member being sized to contact a heart valve annulus in an expanded state and the valve member being configured to connect to the anchoring member, the anchoring member having opposed ends and the valve member having a plurality of commissure posts axially extending to tips and supporting flexible leaflets therebetween; preparing the patient for surgery by placing him/her on cardiopulmonary bypass; creating a direct access pathway to the heart valve annulus that permits direct naked eye vision of the heart valve annulus; delivering and expanding the anchoring member to contact the heart valve annulus; and delivering and connecting the valve member at a first end of the anchoring member such that the commissure post tips are located outside of the anchoring member by attaching members between the first end of the anchoring member and over the tips of the commissure posts of the valve member.