Stapled heart prosthesis and method of installing same

摘要

A prosthetic heart valve is disclosed which has a rigid shoulder with staple receiving means. Using the staple receiving means of the shoulder, the heart valve may be secured within the heart by stapling the shoulder of the prosthesis to the patient's tissue. Such a prosthesis is advantageous in that it may be secured in a much shorter time period than conventional valves thereby reducing the risks and complications of surgery.