Patent ID: 8784483

Claim:
An apparatus for treating regurgitation of blood flow through a diseased heart valve, the diseased heart valve including an annulus, an anterior valve leaflet, a posterior valve leaflet and a subvalvular structure, said apparatus comprising: a substantially annular support member having at least a first intermediate portion, a second intermediate portion, and a posterior end portion extending between said first and second intermediate portions, said posterior end portion being dimensioned for attachment to a posterior portion of the annulus of the diseased heart valve; and at least one infra-annular support member having a free end and being securely connected to said substantially annular support member at a first location, said at least one infra-annular support member being dimensioned to extend below at least one of the posterior and anterior valve leaflets and across or behind the at least one subvalvular structure wherein the at least one infra-annular support member have a rigid or semi-rigid configuration that can be selectively adjusted to maintains a final shape; and wherein said infra-annular support member is sized and dimensioned to contact the inferior free edge of the posterior mitral leaflet.