Assembly for replacing a heart valve or coronary angioplasty assembly including a delivery catheter with or without introducer

A method for replacing a heart valve of a patient's heart by a percutaneous route, the method comprising:

• inserting a distal end of a catheter device into a left ventricle of the patient's heart;
• placing a discrete electrically conductive aspect in contact with internal tissue of the left ventricle;
• inserting a distal end of a guide wire into the catheter device such that a distal end of the guide wire is in electrical communication with a chamber or vessel of the patient's heart;
• arranging the distal end of the guide wire and the electrically conductive aspect such that they are in electrical communication with one another only through tissue of the patient's heart and through a cardiac stimulator, thereby completing an electrical circuit including the patient's heart;
• inserting a replacement heart valve through the catheter device;
• and
• directing an electrical through the current electrical circuit when the replacement heart valve is disposed within the catheter device and insulated from the electrical circuit.

An assembly for replacing a heart valve of a patient's heart by a percutaneous route, comprising:

• an introducer comprising at least one tubular insertion sheath, intended to be introduced into an artery of a human body and to allow passage of a surgical intervention device;
• at least one electrically conductive element comprising a distal portion configured to contact subcutaneous tissue of the body or the artery, and a proximal portion accessible from the outside of the body in such a way as to serve as a connection to one electrode of a cardiac stimulator;
• and
• at least one guide wire intended to be introduced into the tubular sheath of the introducer for advancing an artificial valve intended to replace the heart valve, the guide wire having an electrically insulated covering on a central portion of a length of the guide wire, a distal end of the guide wire able to contact a wall of a left ventricle of the patient's heart being not electrically insulated and having an increased flexibility than the central portion, the guide wire comprising a metallic part electrically connected to or providing at least a portion of a distal tip, and serving as a connection to another electrode of the cardiac stimulator to provide electrical contact at the distal end,
• wherein the distal end of the guide wire and the at least one electrically conductive element are in electrical communication with one another only through the patient's body and through the cardiac stimulator.