Replacement heart valve systems and methods

A method of implanting a heart valve prosthesis in the heart of a patient, comprising:

• holding an anchor comprising more than two coils within an outer, flexible tube to form an assembly;
• positioning a delivery tool adjacent to a native heart valve of the patient to deliver the assembly on either or both sides of the native heart valve;
• removing the assembly from the delivery tool;
• removing the outer tube from the anchor;
• and
• implanting an expandable heart valve prosthesis inside the anchor.

A method, comprising:

• holding an anchor comprising multiple coils within an outer, flexible tube to form an assembly;
• delivering the assembly through a commissure of a native heart valve such that more than one coil of the multiple coils is positioned on a ventricular side of the native heart valve around leaflets of the native heart valve;
• holding the anchor in position with a pusher element while pulling the outer tube off the anchor;
• and
• implanting a prosthetic heart valve in the anchor such that at least a portion of the leaflets is held between the prosthetic heart valve and the anchor.

A system for docking a heart valve prosthesis, comprising:

• an anchor configured to be implanted at a native mitral heart valve and comprising multiple coils adapted to support a heart valve prosthesis, with portions of the anchor being adapted to be positioned above and/or below a heart valve annulus of the native mitral heart valve;
• and
• a flexible outer tube adapted to hold the multiple coils of the anchor within the outer tube to form an assembly;
• a delivery tool configured to deliver the assembly into position at the native mitral heart valve with the coil portions of the anchor positioned above and/or below the heart valve annulus, while the assembly is coupled to the delivery tool with at least one suture;
• and
• a pusher element;
• wherein the outer tube is adapted to be removed from the multiple coils of the anchor after the coil portions of the anchor are positioned above and/or below the heart valve annulus while the pusher element holds the anchor.

A system, comprising:

• an anchor comprising multiple coils with coil portions adapted to be positioned above and/or below a native heart valve annulus and adapted to support a prosthetic heart valve at the native heart valve annulus;
• and
• a flexible outer tube adapted to hold the multiple coils of the anchor to form an assembly, wherein the outer tube is adapted to be removed from the multiple coils of the anchor after the coil portions of the anchor are positioned above and/or below the heart valve annulus;
• and
• a prosthetic heart valve capable of being delivered to the heart valve annulus and expanded inside the multiple coils to hold the prosthetic heart valve in position in the native heart valve.

A system for docking a heart valve prosthesis, comprising:

• a helical anchor configured to be implanted at a native heart valve and formed to comprise multiple coils capable of supporting a heart valve prosthesis with coil portions of the helical anchor being adapted to be positioned above and/or below the heart valve annulus;
• and
• an outer, flexible and helical tube adapted to hold the coils of the helical anchor within the outer tube to form an assembly;
• and
• a delivery tool carrying the assembly, the delivery tool comprising multiple turns and being rotatable adjacent the native heart valve to position the assembly above and/or below the heart valve annulus,
• wherein the outer tube is formed from a low friction material adapted to slide off from the multiple coils of the helical anchor after the assembly is positioned above and/or below the heart valve annulus.