HEART VALVE PROSTHESIS AND SUTURELESS IMPLANTATION OF A HEART VALVE PROSTHESIS

摘要

A method for implanting a heart valve into a patient's heart can include inserting the heart valve prosthesis into a barrel of an implanter apparatus, such that the heart valve prosthesis has a reduced cross-sectional dimension relative to a fully expanded cross-sectional dimension of the heart valve prosthesis. An opening is created in muscle tissue of the patient's heart to provide a substantially direct path that extends from the opening to a desired implantation site in the heart. A length of the barrel is inserted through the opening in the tissue such that an end of the barrel and the opening are along the direct path to the implantation site. The heart valve prosthesis is advanced through the barrel to the implantation site. The heart valve prosthesis is positioned at the desired implantation site. The heart valve prosthesis can be expanded at the desired implantation site from the reduced cross-sectional dimension toward the expanded cross-sectional dimension, such that an exterior portion of the heart valve prosthesis engages adjacent tissue to mitigate movement of the heart valve prosthesis relative to the adjacent tissue.