Heart Valve Assemblies

Abstract

A heart valve assembly includes a base including a multi-lobular annular shape within a plane, a valve member or other annular body including a multi-lobular shape complementary to the shape of the base, and cooperating connectors on the base and the annular body for connecting the annular body to the base. The base includes an anchoring ring, and a flexible cuff for attaching the base to a biological annulus. The base and the annular body include guides for aligning their multi-lobular shapes, e.g., visual, tactile, or other markers, or tethers that extend from the base that are slidable through the annular body. During use, the base is attached to a biological annulus, the annular body is directed adjacent the annulus, oriented such that the multi-lobular shape of the annular body valve member is aligned with the base, and the annular body is attached to the base.

1 - 28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . A method of implanting a prosthetic heart valve, the method comprising:
 securing a base member to a native annulus, the base member including at least one tether;   connecting the tether to a valve member, wherein prior to the step of connecting, the valve member is free of the base member;   moving the valve member toward the base member following the step of connecting; and   attaching the valve member to the base member.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the base member further includes an annular anchor, and further wherein the tether extends away from the annular anchor. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the valve member includes an annular frame, a guide channel, and a leaflet attached to the annular frame, and further wherein the step of connecting includes directing the tether into the guide channel. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the base member includes an annular anchor, and further wherein the valve member includes an annular frame, and even further wherein the annular anchor and the annular frame have complementary shapes such that the step of attaching includes arranging the shape of the annular frame to match the shape of the annular anchor. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the annular anchor and the annular frame each have a multi-lobular shape. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the annular anchor is a generally annular-shaped body lying in a plane and defining a longitudinal axis orthogonal to the plane, and further wherein the multi-lobular shape include the annular anchor having a noncircular shape within the plane. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the step of moving includes sliding the valve member along the tether. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the step of attaching includes aligning the valve member with the base member. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the step of aligning includes reviewing at least one of visual markers and a tactile markers. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the base member and valve member each comprise at least one component of a visual marker pair and a tactile marker pair. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the base member further includes a flexible cuff extending from an annular anchor, and further w herein the step of securing includes attaching the flexible cuff to the native annulus. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the step of moving includes the valve member progressively engaging consecutive protrusions along the tether. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the step of attaching includes engaging cooperating connectors on the base member and the valve member. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the cooperating connectors comprise protrusions on one of the base member and the valve member, and corresponding apertures on the other of the base member and the valve member.