Systems and methods for implanting a prosthetic valve within a native heart valve

A method of implanting an expandable prosthetic valve within a native mitral valve between a heart atrium and a heart ventricle, the prosthetic valve constrained in a radially-contracted configuration during delivery and including an annular valve body, a plurality of ventricular anchors, and a plurality of atrial anchors, the plurality of atrial anchors and the plurality of ventricular anchors being connected to and extending from the annular valve body, the method comprising:

• releasing the plurality of ventricular anchors from the radially-contracted configuration by distally advancing a distal capsule portion relative to a remaining portion of a delivery capsule which houses the prosthetic valve in the radially-contracted configuration, such that terminal ends of the ventricular anchors deflect radially outward, relative to the annular valve body, while the ventricular anchors are situated within the atrium;
• releasing the plurality of atrial anchors from the radially-contracted configuration while the atrial anchors are situated within the atrium by proximally retracting a proximal capsule portion relative to the delivery capsule;
• moving the released ventricular anchors through the mitral valve and into the ventricle;
• and
• after moving the released ventricular anchors from the atrium to the ventricle, releasing the annular valve body by further distally advancing the distal capsule portion while the released ventricular anchors are in the ventricle and the released atrial anchors are in the atrium, thereby anchoring the prosthetic valve within the mitral valve,
• wherein the atrial anchors are released prior to release of the ventricular anchors.

A method of implanting an expandable prosthetic valve within a native mitral valve between a heart atrium and a heart ventricle, the prosthetic valve constrained in a radially-contracted configuration during delivery and including an annular valve body, a plurality of ventricular anchors, and a plurality of atrial anchors, the plurality of atrial anchors and the plurality of ventricular anchors being connected to and extending from the annular valve body, the method comprising:

• releasing the plurality of ventricular anchors from the radially-contracted configuration by distally advancing a distal capsule portion relative to a remaining portion of a delivery capsule which houses the prosthetic valve in the radially-contracted configuration, such that terminal ends of the ventricular anchors deflect radially outward, relative to the annular valve body, while the ventricular anchors are situated within the atrium;
• releasing the plurality of atrial anchors from the radially-contracted configuration while the atrial anchors are situated within the atrium by proximally retracting a proximal capsule portion relative to the delivery capsule;
• moving the released ventricular anchors through the mitral valve and into the ventricle;
• and
• after moving the released ventricular anchors from the atrium to the ventricle, releasing the annular valve body by further distally advancing the distal capsule portion while the released ventricular anchors are in the ventricle and the released atrial anchors are in the atrium, thereby anchoring the prosthetic valve within the mitral valve,
• wherein the annular valve body is constrained from expansion during release of the ventricular anchors and atrial anchors and during movement of the ventricular anchors into the ventricle.

A method of implanting an expandable prosthetic valve within a native mitral valve between a heart atrium and a heart ventricle, the prosthetic valve constrained in a radially-contracted configuration during delivery and including an annular valve body, a plurality of ventricular anchors, and a plurality of atrial anchors, the plurality of atrial anchors and the plurality of ventricular anchors being connected to and extending from the annular valve body, the method comprising:

• releasing the plurality of ventricular anchors from the radially-contracted configuration by distally advancing a distal capsule portion relative to a remaining portion of a delivery capsule which houses the prosthetic valve in the radially-contracted configuration, such that terminal ends of the ventricular anchors deflect radially outward, relative to the annular valve body, while the ventricular anchors are situated within the atrium;
• releasing the plurality of atrial anchors from the radially-contracted configuration while the atrial anchors are situated within the atrium by proximally retracting a proximal capsule portion relative to the delivery capsule;
• moving the released ventricular anchors through the mitral valve and into the ventricle;
• and
• after moving the released ventricular anchors from the atrium to the ventricle, releasing the annular valve body by further distally advancing the distal capsule portion while the released ventricular anchors are in the ventricle and the released atrial anchors are in the atrium, thereby anchoring the prosthetic valve within the mitral valve,
• wherein the annular valve body radially expands when released.

A method of implanting an expandable prosthetic valve within a native mitral valve between a heart atrium and a heart ventricle, the prosthetic valve constrained in a radially-contracted configuration during delivery and including an annular valve body, a plurality of ventricular anchors, and a plurality of atrial anchors, the plurality of atrial anchors and the plurality of ventricular anchors being connected to and extending from the annular valve body, the method comprising:

• releasing the plurality of ventricular anchors from the radially-contracted configuration by distally advancing a distal capsule portion relative to a remaining portion of a delivery capsule which houses the prosthetic valve in the radially-contracted configuration, such that terminal ends of the ventricular anchors deflect radially outward, relative to the annular valve body, while the ventricular anchors are situated within the atrium;
• releasing the plurality of atrial anchors from the radially-contracted configuration while the atrial anchors are situated within the atrium by proximally retracting a proximal capsule portion relative to the delivery capsule;
• moving the released ventricular anchors through the mitral valve and into the ventricle;
• and
• after moving the released ventricular anchors from the atrium to the ventricle, releasing the annular valve body by further distally advancing the distal capsule portion while the released ventricular anchors are in the ventricle and the released atrial anchors are in the atrium, thereby anchoring the prosthetic valve within the mitral valve,
• wherein each ventricular anchor includes a connection point to the annular valve body;
• and
• wherein:
• during movement of the ventricular anchors into the ventricle, the connection points of the ventricular anchors are arranged in a manner in which the connection points collectively form a first diameter, and
• the releasing of the annular valve body moves the connection points of the ventricular anchors in a manner in which the connection points collectively form a second diameter after release of the annular valve body, the second diameter being larger than the first diameter.