A prosthetic heart valve can include an expandable support stent, a valve assembly, and a connecting membrane. The support stent can have first and second end portions and can be configured to be radially expandable from a first configuration to a second configuration. The valve assembly can have an inlet portion, an outlet portion, and a plurality of leaflets, and the valve assembly can be supported in the support stent. The connecting membrane can be disposed radially between the support stent and the valve assembly, wherein the support stent and the valve assembly can be connected to the connecting membrane.

An annuloplasty ring holder including a head having an upper surface and an annuloplasty ring receiving surface facing opposite the upper surface. The annuloplasty ring holder also includes means for attaching an annuloplasty ring to the annuloplasty ring receiving surface. The means for attaching an annuloplasty ring to the annuloplasty ring receiving surface may include one or more suture guides operatively associated with the head and configured to position one or more sutures to removably associate an annuloplasty ring with the annuloplasty ring receiving surface. The head may include a central hub and more than one spoke radiating out from the central hub. If the head is thus configured, each spoke will include a portion of the annuloplasty ring receiving surface.

An implantable prosthetic valve has an in situ formable support structure. The valve comprises a prosthetic valve, having a base and at least one flow occluder. A first flexible component is incapable of retaining the valve at a functional site in the arterial vasculature. The first component extends proximally of the base of the valve. A second flexible component is incapable of retaining the valve at a functional site in the arterial vasculature. The second component extends distally of the base of the valve. At least one rigidity component combines with at least one of the first and second flexible components to impart sufficient rigidity to the first or second components to retain the valve at the site.

A prosthetic heart valve can include a support stent, a valve assembly, and a connection structure. The support stent can have an inlet end portion and an outlet end portion, and can be configured to be radially expandable from a crimped configuration to an expanded configuration. The valve assembly can have an inlet, an outlet, and a plurality of leaflets. The connection structure supports the valve assembly in the support stent such that the inlet of the valve assembly is spaced radially inwardly of the support stent and forms an annular space between an inner surface of the support stent and the valve assembly at the inlet of the valve assembly when the support stent is in the expanded configuration. The annular space can have a width in a radial direction between 0.5 cm and 3 cm.

Various embodiments of the present invention provide a conduit device including an attaching device configured for defining a helical pathway through a tissue wall and complementary ring in cooperation for securing the device within an aperture defined in the tissue wall. Some embodiments of the present invention further provide a system for implanting a conduit device in a tissue wall. More specifically, some embodiments provide a system including a coring device for defining an aperture in a tissue by removing and retaining a tissue core and securely implanting a conduit device therein so as to provide fluid communication between a first and second surface of the tissue wall via the conduit device.

A prosthetic heart valve can include a support stent, a valve assembly, and a connection structure. The support stent can have an inlet end portion and an outlet end portion, and can be configured to be radially expandable from a crimped configuration to an expanded configuration. The valve assembly can have an inlet, an outlet, and a plurality of leaflets. The connection structure supports the valve assembly in the support stent such that the inlet of the valve assembly is spaced radially inwardly of the support stent and forms an annular space between an inner surface of the support stent and the valve assembly at the inlet of the valve assembly when the support stent is in the expanded configuration. The annular space can have a width in a radial direction between 0.5 cm and 3 cm.

A prosthetic heart valve can include an expandable support stent, a valve assembly, and a connecting membrane. The support stent can have first and second end portions and can be configured to be radially expandable from a first configuration to a second configuration. The valve assembly can have an inlet portion, an outlet portion, and a plurality of leaflets, and the valve assembly can be supported in the support stent. The connecting membrane can be disposed radially between the support stent and the valve assembly, wherein the support stent and the valve assembly can be connected to the connecting membrane.

An implantable prosthetic valve has an in situ formable support structure. The valve comprises a prosthetic valve, having a base and at least one flow occluder. A first flexible component is incapable of retaining the valve at a functional site in the arterial vasculature. The first component extends proximally of the base of the valve. A second flexible component is incapable of retaining the valve at a functional site in the arterial vasculature. The second component extends distally of the base of the valve. At least one rigidity component combines with at least one of the first and second flexible components to impart sufficient rigidity to the first or second components to retain the valve at the site.

A method for replacing a patient's native heart valve includes delivering a prosthetic valve at the cardiovascular site from a collapsed delivery configuration to an expanded configuration, testing a performance characteristic of the prosthetic valve, at least partially reversing the deployment of the prosthetic valve, repositioning the prosthetic valve, and re-deploying the prosthetic valve.

An implantable prosthetic valve has an in situ formable support structure. The valve comprises a prosthetic valve, having a base and at least one flow occluder. A first flexible component is incapable of retaining the valve at a functional site in the arterial vasculature. The first component extends proximally of the base of the valve. A second flexible component is incapable of retaining the valve at a functional site in the arterial vasculature. The second component extends distally of the base of the valve. At least one rigidity component combines with at least one of the first and second flexible components to impart sufficient rigidity to the first or second components to retain the valve at the site.