Patent ID: 8652203

Claim:
A multi-stage delivery system for controlled deployment of a replacement heart valve by limiting the amount of expansion during the various stages, the multi-stage delivery system comprising: an elongate inner member comprising a proximal end and a distal end; an inner retention ring on the elongate inner member, the inner retention ring being configured to engage a radially compacted proximal end of a replacement heart valve; a support tube configured to be slidable over the elongate inner member and the inner retention ring and configured to cover at least the radially compacted proximal end of the replacement heart valve when the proximal end of the replacement heart valve is engaged with the inner retention ring; an outer sheath configured to be slidable over the support tube and configured to cover a distal end of the replacement heart valve to retain the replacement heart valve in a radially compacted configuration when the proximal end of the replacement heart valve is covered by the support tube and engaged with the inner retention ring; and a secondary sheath configured to be slidable over the support tube and configured to cover at least a portion of the replacement heart valve, wherein the secondary sheath is sized to slide within the outer sheath; wherein the delivery system is configured such that when the proximal end of the replacement heart valve is both engaged with the inner retention ring and covered by the support tube, and when the distal end of the replacement heart valve is covered by the outer sheath: proximal retraction of the outer sheath relative to the elongate inner member exposes the distal end of the replacement heart valve and allows the distal end of the replacement heart valve to at least partially radially expand while the proximal end of the replacement heart valve remains covered by the support tube; and proximal retraction of the support tube relative to the elongate inner member exposes the proximal end of the replacement heart valve and allows the proximal end of the replacement heart valve to at least partially radially expand.