Patent ID: 7993392

Claim:
A device for minimally-invasive delivery of an expandable heart valve prosthesis including an annular inflow portion, an annular outflow portion, and an anchoring protrusion, which is able to protrude radially outward beyond the annular inflow portion and the annular outflow portion, disposed therebetween before and after deployment of the heart valve prosthesis at an implantation site, the device comprising: a carrier portion for enclosing and carrying the prosthesis, the carrier portion including a first deployment element adapted to enclose the annular outflow portion and a second deployment element adapted to enclose the annular inflow portion, wherein each of the first and second deployment elements are independently operable; a control handle coupled to the carrier portion for controlling the first and second deployment elements; wherein the first deployment element is a cap having an internal surface including a low friction material.