Assembly for replacing a heart valve or coronary angioplasty assembly including a delivery catheter with or without introducer

An assembly for replacing a heart valve of a patient's heart by a percutaneous route, comprising:

• an introducer comprising at least one tubular insertion sheath, intended to be introduced into an artery of a human body and to allow the passage of a surgical intervention device, and at least one electrically conductive element, of which a distal portion is exposed on at least one part of the outer periphery of the sheath in such a way as to be able to contact the subcutaneous tissue of the body or the artery, and of which a proximal portion is accessible from the outside of the body in such a way as to serve as a connection to one electrode of a cardiac stimulator;
• at least one guide wire intended to be introduced into the tubular sheath of the introducer for advancing an artificial valve intended to replace the heart valve, the guide wire having an electrically insulated covering on a central portion of a length of the guide wire, a distal end of the guide wire able to contact the wall of the left ventricle of the patient's heart being not electrically insulated and having an increased flexibility than the central portion, the guide wire comprising a metallic part electrically connected to or providing at least a portion of the distal tip, and serving as a connection to the other electrode of the cardiac stimulator to provide electrical contact at the distal end,
• wherein the at least one electrically conductive element is arranged:
• either at a distance, measured from the proximal end of the introducer, of between half and three quarters the height of the tubular portion of the sheath defining the proximal portion of the introducer;
• or at a distance of between 20 and 60 cm from the distal portion of the introducer.