Transcatheter prosthetic heart valve delivery device with biased release features

24:

• A method of percutaneously deploying a stented prosthetic heart valve to an implantation site of a patient, the method comprising:
• receiving a delivery device loaded with a radially expandable prosthetic heart valve having a stent frame to which a valve structure is attached, the delivery device including a delivery sheath assembly containing the prosthetic heart valve in a compressed arrangement over an inner shaft in a delivery state of the device, and a capture assembly attached to the inner shaft, the capture assembly including:
• a spindle attached to the inner shaft and defining at least one longitudinal capture slot,
• at least one biasing member disposed within the at least one capture slot and configured to self-transition from a deflected condition to a normal condition,
• wherein a post of the stent frame is slidably disposed within the at least one capture slot in the delivery state in a manner forcing the at least one biasing member to the deflected condition;
• delivering the prosthetic heart valve in the compressed arrangement through a bodily lumen of the patient and to the implantation site via the delivery device in the delivery state;
• proximally retracting the delivery sheath assembly from the prosthetic heart valve;
• and
• permitting the post to release from the at least one capture slot, including the at least one biasing member self-transitioning toward the normal condition to eject the post from the at least one capture slot.