Methods for deploying a prosthesis

A method of deploying an implantable prosthesis in a patient via a placement catheter, wherein the placement catheter comprises an inner control wire and an outer sheath slidably disposed over the inner control wire, the method comprising:

• folding a left atrium flange and a right atrium flange of the implantable prosthesis away from each other with distal ends of flange segments of the right atrium flange aligning with a first position of the inner control wire;
• stowing the outer sheath onto the folded implantable prosthesis;
• advancing both the inner control wire and the outer sheath to a desired location adjacent to the atrial septum of the patient, such that distal ends of both the inner control wire and the outer sheath are in the left atrium;
• verifying the desired location via a non-invasive imaging technique;
• retracting the outer sheath a first instance of a fixed length proximally by a first actuation of a slider of a control device while maintaining the distal end of the inner control wire within the left atrium, and exposing a left atrium flange and legs of the implantable prosthesis in the left atrium, wherein a proximal end of the inner control wire is attached to a first portion of the control device;
• and
• while keeping the aligning between the distal ends of flange segments of the right atrium flange and the first position of the inner control wire, retracting the placement catheter and partially exposed implantable prosthesis toward a right atrium until the left atrium flange is in contact with a left atrial side of the atrial septum;
• retracting the outer sheath a second instance of a fixed length proximally by a second actuation of the slider of the control device while maintaining the distal end of the inner control wire within the left atrium, and exposing the right atrium flange of the implantable prosthesis in the right atrium, wherein a proximal end of the outer sheath is attached to a second portion of the control device,
• wherein the first and second fixed lengths are determined by fixed lengths of a track in the control device.