Retaining mechanisms for prosthetic valves

A method comprising:

• advancing a support structure and a prosthetic heart valve through an aorta of a patient and toward a heart of the patient using a delivery apparatus, wherein the support structure and the prosthetic heart valve are self-expandable, and wherein the support structure and the prosthetic heart valve are in a radially compressed state during the advancing thereof;
• radially expanding the support structure from the compressed state to an at least partially expanded state, the support structure having a support-structure interior and comprising a plurality of positioning arms, the prosthetic heart valve disposed radially within the support-structure interior;
• utilizing the delivery apparatus to position the support structure at or adjacent a native aortic heart valve of the patient using the delivery apparatus and position the prosthetic heart valve radially within the patient's native aortic heart valve;
• radially expanding the prosthetic heart valve from the compressed state to an expanded state while the prosthetic heart valve is positioned in the native heart valve, wherein the act of radially expanding the prosthetic heart valve results in a plurality of native leaflets of the native heart valve being captured between the support structure and the prosthetic heart valve;
• and
• cushioning outer native leaflet tissue of the plurality of native leaflets from a force exerted thereon by the support structure via a plurality of coverings enclosing only a distal tip of each of the plurality of positioning arms, wherein each of the plurality of coverings comprises an inner layer and an outer layer, the inner layer having an overall same size and shape relative to the outer layer, the distal tip sandwiched between the inner layer and the outer layer.

A method comprising:

• advancing a support structure and a prosthetic heart valve through an aorta of a patient and toward a heart of the patient using a delivery apparatus, wherein the support structure and the prosthetic heart valve are self-expandable, and wherein the support structure and the prosthetic heart valve are in a radially compressed state during the advancing thereof;
• radially expanding the support structure from the compressed state to an at least partially expanded state, the support structure having a support-structure interior and comprising a plurality of V-shaped positioning elements and a plurality of covers each enclosing a distal apex of one of the plurality of V-shaped positioning elements, wherein each of the plurality of covers comprises an interior layer and an exterior layer, the interior layer having an overall same shape and size relative to the exterior layer, the interior layer and the exterior layer forming an enclosed pocket within which the distal apex is received, wherein the interior layer and the exterior layer of each cover form an upper edge of the cover and two sides edges of the cover that extend downwardly from respective ends of the upper edge, wherein the upper edge of each cover has a width that is less than a distance between two adjacent proximal apices of the plurality of V-shaped positioning elements, the prosthetic heart valve disposed radially within the support-structure interior;
• monitoring a position of one or more of the plurality of V-shaped positioning elements via one or more radiopaque markers associated therewith;
• rotating the support structure to align a distal apex of each of the plurality of V-shaped positioning elements with a cusp of one of a plurality of native leaflets of a native aortic valve of the patient's heart;
• utilizing the delivery apparatus to position the support structure at or adjacent a native heart valve of the patient using the delivery apparatus and position the prosthetic heart valve radially within the native aortic valve;
• radially expanding the prosthetic heart valve from the compressed state to an expanded state while the prosthetic heart valve is positioned radially within the native aortic valve;
• and
• capturing native leaflet tissue of the plurality of native leaflets between an exterior surface of the prosthetic heart valve and interior surfaces of the plurality of V-shaped positioning elements having the plurality of covers enclosing the distal apices of the plurality of V-shaped positioning elements;
• and
• releasing the support structure and the prosthetic heart valve from the delivery apparatus after the prosthetic heart valve is radially expanded.