Methods and apparatus for endovascularly replacing a patient's heart valve

1. An apparatus for replacing a heart valve, comprising:

an expandable, braided anchor and a replacement heart valve secured to the expandable, braided anchor, and

a deployment system;

wherein the expandable, braided anchor has a delivery configuration within a delivery device, a partially-deployed self-expanded configuration, and a fully deployed configuration,

wherein the expandable, braided anchor comprises a distal lock element disposed on a distal region of the expandable, braided anchor and a proximal lock element disposed on a proximal region of the expandable, braided anchor,

wherein the deployment system is reversibly coupled to the expandable, braided anchor; and

wherein the distal lock element and the proximal lock element are adapted to engage one another in the fully deployed configuration to lock the expandable, braided anchor in the fully deployed configuration, the distal lock element and the proximal lock element disengaged from one another when the expandable, braided anchor is in the delivery configuration.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the braid has at least one closed end.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the braid is heat-set in the partially deployed self-expanded configuration such that the expandable anchor is adapted to self-expand from the delivery configuration to the partially-deployed self-expanded configuration.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the deployment system is reversibly coupled to the distal lock element.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the deployment system is adapted to apply a proximally directed force on the distal lock element to foreshorten the expandable anchor from the partially-deployed self-expanded configuration to the fully deployed configuration.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the deployment system is reversibly coupled to a proximal end of the expandable anchor.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the deployment system is adapted to apply a distally directed force to the proximal end of the expandable anchor to foreshorten the expandable anchor from the partially-deployed self-expanded configuration to the fully deployed configuration.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the deployment system comprises a plurality of actuation elements which are adapted to radially expand when the expandable anchor self-expands from the delivery configuration to the partially-deployed self expanded configuration outside of the delivery device.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the replacement heart valve is coupled to the distal lock element.

10. An apparatus for replacing a heart valve, comprising:

an expandable anchor having an unexpanded configuration and an expanded configuration, a proximal region and a distal region, the expandable anchor secured to a replacement heart valve, wherein the expandable anchor and the replacement heart valve are adapted to be endovascularly delivered within a delivery device to the vicinity of a heart valve,

wherein the expandable anchor comprises:

a braided shape memory material,

a first edge,

at least one buckle disposed at the proximal region of the expandable anchor, and

at least one interlocking element, the at least one interlocking element being disengaged from the buckle in the unexpanded configuration and engaged to the at least one buckle in the expanded configuration,

the braided shape memory material having closed ends, the closed ends defined by turns at the first edge,

wherein the braided material defines a plurality of cells, at least a first set of cells at the closed ends of the braid having a different configuration than a second set of cells in the braid.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the first set of cells are larger than the second set of cells in the braid.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the first set of cells are smaller than the second set of cells in the braid.