Handle locking mechanisms for a transcatheter delivery system

A method, comprising:

• advancing a portion of a transcatheter delivery apparatus through an introducer sheath inserted into a vessel of a patient and to a target implantation site for a prosthetic valve, wherein a distal end portion of an outer shaft of the delivery apparatus forms a capsule enclosing the prosthetic valve in a radially compressed state, wherein the outer shaft extends distally from a handle of the delivery apparatus, and wherein the introducer sheath includes a proximal portion arranged external to a point of entry into the vessel of the patient and a distal portion arranged internal to the point of entry;
• after the distal end portion of the outer shaft of the delivery apparatus reaches the target implantation site and prior to retracting the capsule to uncover the prosthetic valve, locking an axial position of the handle of the delivery apparatus relative to the proximal portion of the introducer sheath via coupling a proximal portion of a locking arm of a locking mechanism to a ring member arranged around the handle of the delivery apparatus, wherein a distal portion of the locking arm is attached to the proximal portion of the introducer sheath, and wherein the handle is arranged external to the point of entry;
• retracting the outer shaft including the capsule, to uncover the prosthetic valve;
• and
• unlocking the axial position of the handle relative to the proximal portion of the introducer sheath via pivoting the proximal portion of the locking arm away from the ring member around the handle, and wherein the locking arm remains coupled to the proximal portion of the introducer shaft when the proximal portion of the locking arm is unlocked from the handle.

An assembly, comprising:

• an introducer sheath;
• a delivery apparatus including a handle and an outer shaft extending distally from the handle, wherein the outer shaft is movable, in an axial direction arranged along a central longitudinal axis of the delivery apparatus, relative to the handle, and wherein the handle comprises a rotatable knob for translating the outer shaft to deploy an implant mounted on the delivery apparatus;
• and
• a locking mechanism, comprising:
• a locking arm having a first end portion permanently coupled to a proximal portion of the introducer sheath and a second end portion configured to be removably coupled to the handle, wherein the locking arm is movable between an unlocked, first position where the second end portion is not rigidly coupled to the handle and the handle is able to move, in the axial direction, relative to the proximal portion of the introducer sheath and a locked, second position where the second end portion is rigidly coupled to the handle and the handle is maintained at a fixed distance, in the axial direction, from the proximal portion of the introducer sheath;
• and
• a first ring member arranged around and coupled to the handle, wherein the locking arm is pivotable away from the first ring member to move from the locked, second position to the unlocked, first position.