Suture deployment of prosthetic heart valve

A medical device delivery assembly comprising:

• a stent having a plurality of apices spaced circumferentially around a first end portion of the stent, wherein the stent is configured to radially expand and axially foreshorten from a first state to a second state and to radially compress and axially elongate from the second state to the first state;
• and
• a delivery apparatus comprising a shaft, a suture guide, a plurality of sutures, a plurality of apex guides, and a suture retention member, wherein the shaft comprises a proximal end portion configured to be disposed outside of a patient's body during an implantation procedure and a distal end portion configured to be disposed inside a patient's body during the implantation procedure, wherein the suture guide is coupled to the distal end portion of the shaft,
• wherein the stent is releasably secured to the delivery apparatus by the plurality of sutures, wherein in each suture of the plurality of sutures extends from the suture guide, through at least one apex guide of the plurality of apex guides, and around at least one apex of the plurality of apices, and around the suture retention member.

A delivery apparatus for a medical device, comprising:

• a first shaft;
• a second shaft disposed within and movable relative to the first shaft;
• a suture guide coupled to the second shaft;
• a suture extending from the suture guide and configured for releasably securing the medical device to the delivery apparatus;
• an apex guide movably coupled to the suture and configured for engaging an end of the medical device and guiding the end of the medical device into the first shaft;
• and
• a suture retention member movable relative to the suture guide and the suture and configured for selectively securing the suture relative to the suture guide.