Means for replacing a heart valve in a minimally invasive manner

A tool for placing a prosthesis in a patient in a minimally invasive manner comprising:

• A) a housing;
• B) an operating shaft associated with said housing and extending out of a patient's body during use;
• C) an operating handle mounted on a proximal end of said operating shaft;
• D) a fastener handing means associated with said housing for delivering and forming a fastener to attach a sewing cuff of a prosthesis valve to a patient and including
• (1) means for accommodating fasteners,
• (2) an anvil located in position to engage and close a fastener when that fastener has been forced against said anvil, and
• (3) a driver element in position to engage a fastener and force that fastener against said anvil for closing the fastener;
• E) means on another end of said operating shaft for operating said fastener handling means;
• and
• F) means for releasably mounting the sewing cuff on said housing during operation of said fastener handling means.

A tool for placing a prosthesis in a patient in a minimally invasive manner comprising:

• A) a housing;
• B) an operating handle attached to said housing and which extends out of a patient's body during use;
• C) a fastener deployment knob on said handle;
• D) an operating shaft having a first end located in said housing and a second end connected to said fastener deployment knob;
• E) cam means located in said housing and connected to said operating shaft;
• F) a driver head plate on said housing;
• G) a fastener handling mechanism mounted on said driver head plate in position to be actuated by said cam means, said fastener handling mechanism including means for storing a plurality of fasteners in said housing;
• and
• H) means for releasably mounting a sewing cuff on said housing during operation of said fastener handling mechanism.