Valve replacement devices and methods

1. An embolic material blocking catheter, comprising:

a handle assembly;

an elongated element having a proximal portion coupled with the handle assembly, a distal portion having a distal end, and a lumen extending through the distal portion; and

an embolic material blocking element coupled to the distal portion of the elongated element, the embolic material blocking catheter being reconfigurable from a first configuration in which the embolic material blocking element is in an insertion configuration to a second configuration in which the embolic material blocking element is in a deployed configuration, and from the second configuration to a third configuration in which the embolic material blocking element is in a captured configuration, the insertion configuration accommodating insertion of the distal portion of the elongated element and the embolic material blocking element into a blood vessel of a patient to position the embolic material blocking element downstream of a treatment site, the deployed configuration of the embolic material blocking element having an outer circumference adapted to interface with the inner surface of the blood vessel and substantially blocking flow of embolic material through the blood vessel past the embolic material blocking element, the third configuration accommodating removal of the distal portion of the elongated element and the embolic material blocking element from the patient, wherein the embolic material blocking element is configurable to extend downstream from an outer circumference of the embolic material blocking element to an inner circumference of the embolic material blocking element attached to the distal portion of the elongated element at the distal end so as to guide embolic material diverted by the embolic material blocking element to the lumen of the elongated element for transport through the lumen for removal; and

a sheath that can be advanced and retracted relative to the elongated element to reposition the sheath from a first position adapted to retain the embolic material blocking element in the insertion configuration to a second position accommodating the embolic material blocking element in the deployed configuration, and from the second position to a third position restraining the embolic material blocking element in the captured configuration,

wherein the lumen of the elongated element is configured to:

accommodate insertion of a treatment catheter into the lumen to position a treatment device mounted to a distal end of the treatment catheter distal to the embolic material blocking element in the deployed configuration for administering a treatment at the treatment site; and

convey embolic material blocked by the embolic material blocking element away from the embolic material blocking element in the deployed configuration for extraction from the patient.

2. The embolic material blocking catheter of claim 1 , wherein the embolic material blocking element comprises a filtering membrane adapted to remove embolic material from blood flowing through the aorta.

3. The embolic material blocking catheter of claim 1 , wherein:

the handle assembly includes an embolic material extraction port in fluid communication with the lumen of the elongated element;

the lumen of the elongated element is configured to transport embolic material that is diverted by the embolic material blocking element to the embolic material extraction port; and

the embolic material extraction port is configured to be placed in fluid communication with an embolic material extraction device operable to draw embolic material from the lumen through the embolic material extraction port.

4. The embolic material blocking catheter of claim 3 , further comprising the embolic material extraction device.

5. The embolic material blocking catheter of claim 3 , wherein the embolic material blocking catheter comprises an insertion port configured to accommodate insertion a distal portion of the delivery catheter supporting the prosthetic valve in the pre-deployment configuration into the lumen of the elongated element and advancement of the distal portion of the delivery catheter through the lumen to position the prosthetic aortic valve upstream of the embolic material blocking element for deployment from the pre-deployment configuration, the insertion port being configured to inhibit leakage from the lumen.