Delivery and retrieval systems for collapsible/expandable prosthetic heart valves

Apparatus for delivering a collapsible and re-expandable prosthetic heart valve to an implant site in a patient, the prosthetic heart valve having a frame and a valve assembly supported by the frame, the apparatus comprising:

• a valve support structure around which the valve is adapted to be disposed in a collapsed condition, the valve support structure including a shaft extending in a longitudinal direction, a support body mounted on the shaft, and a valve retainer mounted on the shaft, the valve retainer being spaced from the support body in the longitudinal direction so as to define a valve-receiving compartment between the valve retainer and the support body, the valve retainer including a plurality of apertures extending therethrough in the longitudinal direction, the plurality of apertures providing fluid passageways that extend from a location proximal of the valve retainer to the valve-receiving compartment, the support body having a proximal section, a distal section and an intermediate section between the proximal section and the distal section, the proximal section including a plurality of reduced-diameter regions arranged annularly in spaced apart relationship about an outer surface of the support body, each of the plurality of reduced-diameter regions being in axial communication with the intermediate section, the proximal section being mounted to the shaft at a fixed position relative to the distal section;
• and
• a sheath adapted to surround the heart valve when the heart valve is in the collapsed condition around the valve support structure.