Stent-valves for valve replacement and associated methods and systems for surgery

A cardiac stent-valve device comprising:

• a stent component having a central axis, and an annular groove;
• a valve component housed in a section of the stent component;
• the stent component and the valve component being configured in a collapsed configuration for delivery at an implantation site, and in a self-expanding expanded configuration after delivery to the implantation site;
• wherein:
• the stent component comprises a lattice structure including a plurality of cells and a plurality of commissural posts, and a plurality of individual attachment elements projecting integrally from a stent extremity at a first axial end of the stent component,
• a commissure between two valve leaflets is attached to a respective commissural post,
• each attachment element is configured for removable attachment to a complimentary structure of a delivery system and corresponds to at least a portion of a respective commissural post,
• the annular groove is present in the expanded configuration, arranged towards a second axial end opposite the first axial end, and defined by an annular indentation of the stent component which correspondingly presents an indented interior surface of the stent component, and
• the valve component extends axially beyond the annular groove towards the attachment elements.