Edwards Lifesciences Corporation
APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MONITORING VALVE EXPANSION

Abstract:

Embodiments of a prosthetic valve delivery apparatus are disclosed. The delivery apparatus includes a first portion configured to maintain a fixed spatial relationship relative to a first end of the prosthetic valve and a second portion configured to maintain a fixed spatial relationship relative to a second end of the prosthetic valve during radial expansion of the prosthetic valve. The first portion includes one or more reference radiopaque markers and the second portion includes an indicator radiopaque marker. A position of the indicator radiopaque marker relative to the one or more reference radiopaque markers measures an axial distance between the first and second ends of the prosthetic valve indicative of a corresponding diameter of the prosthetic valve as it is radially expanded from a radially compressed state to a radially expanded state.