A method of deploying a prosthesis within a native mitral valve is disclosed. The expandable frame preferably includes about twelve proximal anchors, wherein the proximal anchors have free ends positioned radially outwardly from the frame in an expanded configuration. The expandable frame preferably includes about twelve distal anchors, wherein the distal anchors also have a free ends positioned radially outwardly from the frame and extend toward a proximal end when the frame is in the expanded configuration. A valve body is supported within the frame for preventing blood flow in one direction. The expandable frame is radially expanded during deployment, which causes the free ends of the proximal and distal anchors to move closer together. In the expanded configuration, the proximal anchors are positioned on an inflow side of the native mitral valve and the distal anchors are positioned on an outflow side of the native mitral valve.

A method of refurbishing a damaged valve is disclosed that generally includes receiving a valve housing having generally collinear inlet and outlet ports in the side walls thereof and an interior annular face about each of the inlet and outlet ports, the housing comprising a first metal with a yield strength and the side walls having a predetermined thickness, creating an annular groove about an interior annular face of the inlet port, creating an annular groove about an interior annular face of the outlet port, and placing a second metal within each of the annular grooves, the second metal having a yield strength, wherein the yield strength of the first metal is less than the yield strength of the second metal.

Disclosed herein is a bellow for use in a ball valve, the bellow comprising: a metallic seat at an end of the bellow for providing a contact surface with a ball of a ball valve; and a metallic body integral with the seat; wherein the metallic body has a longitudinally elastic property such that, when the bellow is in use in a ball valve and the bellow is arranged within the housing of the ball valve so that it is always under longitudinal compression, substantially only the compression in the bellow causes the seat to apply a sealing force against the ball of the ball valve that maintains a mechanical seal between the seat and the ball valve. Advantageously, embodiments allow a new design of ball valve that maintains a high standard of performance in subsea environments over long time periods.

A prosthetic heart valve includes a radially expandable and compressible stent frame comprising a plurality of struts arranged in a plurality of rows including a first row of cells disposed at a first end portion of the stent frame and a second row of cells disposed at a second end portion of the stent frame, the stent frame having a longitudinal axis extending from the first end portion to the second end portion, a plurality of leaflets disposed inside the frame and configured to regulate a flow of blood through the frame in one direction, and an inner skirt disposed within and coupled to the stent frame. The first row of cells can include a plurality of free apices that extend toward the second end portion of the stent frame.