Aortic valve repair

A method for treating a cardiac valve having one or more calcific sites, said method comprising:

• creating an embolic containment region over a single valve leaflet having a calcific site while the remaining leaflets continue to function;
• and
• delivering energy to the calcific site to disrupt calcifications at said site under conditions expected to create emboli which are contained in said containment region,
• wherein creating the embolic containment region comprises positioning a structure over the region, wherein the structure does not span an associated blood vessel,
• wherein positioning the structure comprises approximating the structure against the periphery of the single valve leaflet,
• wherein delivering energy comprises rotating an element within the structure to mechanically remove the calcifications without delivering electrical current to the valve leaflet, and
• wherein the structure delivers energy to said single valve leaflet only within said containment region.