Method of Treating Aortic Stenosis Using an Implantable Prosthetic Valve

A method of implanting a prosthetic valve in a stenosed aortic valve without surgery, comprising:

• advancing a balloon catheter through a femoral artery and aorta until a distal end portion of the balloon catheter is positioned within the stenosed aortic valve;
• inflating a balloon to push aside valvular leaflets of the stenosed aortic valve, the balloon mounted on the distal end portion of the balloon catheter;
• deflating the balloon and withdrawing the distal end portion of the balloon catheter from the stenosed aortic valve;
• introducing a prosthetic valve into a patient's vasculature through an 18 F (5.7 mm) arterial introducer, the prosthetic valve comprising a radially compressible and expandable frame and a flexible valvular structure made with pericardium, the valvular structure positioned entirely between upper and lower extremities of the frame when the valvular structure is in a closed state, the prosthetic valve having an internal cover fixed on an inner wall of the frame between the lower extremity of the frame and the valvular structure;
• advancing the prosthetic valve through the femoral artery and aorta by a catheterization technique until the prosthetic valve is positioned within the stenosed aortic valve;
• and
• radially expanding the prosthetic valve within the stenosed aortic valve;
• wherein, after radial expansion, the prosthetic valve replaces the function of the stenosed aortic valve and wherein the entire method is performed without extracorporeal circulation.