Edwards Lifesciences Corporation
Retaining mechanisms for prosthetic valves

Abstract:

A method of implanting a prosthetic mitral valve includes advancing a delivery apparatus into a left side of a patient's heart and deploying a support structure from the delivery apparatus. The support structure extends around native mitral valve leaflets such that the native leaflets are disposed radially within the support structure. The method also includes advancing a prosthetic heart valve within the native leaflets. The prosthetic heart valve is separate from the support structure and includes an annular frame and a valve structure positioned within the annular frame, and prosthetic heart valve is in a radially collapsed configuration. The method further includes expanding the prosthetic heart valve from the radially collapsed configuration to a radially expanded configuration. In the radially expanded configuration, the annular frame of the prosthetic heart valve engages the native leaflets and is separated from the support structure by the native leaflets.