UNITARY QUICK-CONNECT PROSTHETIC HEART VALVE AND DEPLOYMENT SYSTEM AND METHODS

摘要

A quick-connect heart valve prosthesis that can be quickly and easily implanted during a surgical pro-cedure is provided. The heart valve includes a substantially non-expandable, non-compressible prosthetic valve and a plastically-expandable coupling stent, thereby enabling at-tachment to the annulus without sutures. A small number of guide sutures may be provided for aortic valve orienta-tion. The prosthetic valve may be a commercially available valve with a sewing ring with the coupling stent attached thereto. The coupling stent may expand from a conical de-ployment shape to a conical expanded shape, and may in-clude web-like struts connected between axially-extending posts. A system and method for deployment includes a hol-low two-piece handle through which a balloon catheter passes. A valve holder is stored with the heart valve and the handle easily attaches thereto to improve valve prepara-tion steps.