Methods for deploying self-expanding heart valves

A method for delivering and implanting a prosthetic heart valve in a native aortic valve in a patient, comprising:

• providing a prosthetic heart valve comprising a self-expandable stent body and a plurality of leaflet-forming membranes made from bovine pericardium, the prosthetic heart valve stored with a preservative solution in a storage container while connected to a deployment mechanism;
• removing the prosthetic heart valve from the storage container;
• compressing the prosthetic heart valve to a contracted configuration;
• percutaneously advancing a catheter shaft over a guidewire and through a femoral artery while a patient's heart is beating and without cardiopulmonary bypass, the catheter shaft having the prosthetic heart valve and deployment mechanism disposed along a distal end portion thereof, the catheter shaft having a proximal operating handle disposed along a proximal end portion thereof;
• while visualizing at least one radiopaque marker on the stent body, advancing the catheter shaft through an ascending aorta until the prosthetic heart valve is positioned in a native aortic valve;
• permitting the prosthetic heart valve to self-expand from the contracted configuration to an initial expanded configuration;
• actuating the deployment mechanism via the proximal operating handle for regulating the rate of expansion of the prosthetic heart valve from the initial expanded configuration to a final expanded configuration while equilibrating expansion along proximal and distal ends of the stent body;
• locking the prosthetic heart valve in the final expanded configuration using a mechanical locking device disposed on the prosthetic heart valve;
• and
• releasing the prosthetic heart valve from the deployment mechanism and withdrawing the catheter shaft and deployment mechanism from a patient's vasculature.