Edwards Lifesciences Corporation
METHOD FOR DEPLOYING A PROSTHETIC HEART VALVE

Abstract:

A method for deploying an expandable prosthetic heart valve in a patient includes introducing a guidewire into a patient and advancing the guidewire through a vasculature of a patient to a deployment site. A distal end portion of a delivery apparatus and the prosthetic heart valve mounted in a radially compressed configuration along the distal end portion are advanced over the guidewire. The prosthetic heart valve is positioned at the deployment site. A screw mechanism is rotated, which exerts an axially directed onto the prosthetic heart valve, causing the prosthetic heart valve to radially expand from the radially compressed configuration to a radially expanded configuration.