Method for replacement of heart valve

1. A method for implanting a replacement heart valve within an insufficient native valve using a minimally invasive procedure that does not require extracorporeal cardiopulmonary bypass, the method comprising:

advancing a guidewire into a patient's heart;

advancing a valve delivery device over the guidewire into the patient's heart, the valve delivery device having the replacement heart valve disposed along a distal end portion thereof, the replacement heart valve comprising at least three leaflets made from pericardium, a collapsible and expandable stent frame made from a shape memory material, and a fluid-tight membrane formed from a single piece of material, which entirely and continuously encircles an outer perimeter of the leaflets, the fluid-tight membrane positioned between the leaflets and the stent frame, the fluid-tight membrane extending radially outwardly from the leaflets and having an inner circumferential edge that circumscribes the leaflets and an outer circumferential edge spaced radially outwardly from the inner circumferential edge; and

radially expanding the replacement heart valve from a collapsed state to an expanded state in the insufficient native valve;

wherein the stent frame self-expands to a diameter that conforms to an annulus of the insufficient native valve while the leaflets expand to a fixed diameter defined by a central opening in the fluid-tight membrane, wherein the fixed diameter of the leaflets is smaller than the annulus of the insufficient native valve such that an annular space exists between the leaflets and the stent frame and wherein the fluid-tight membrane fills the space; and

wherein the replacement heart valve is implanted within the insufficient native valve without performing a sternotomy and without using extracorporeal cardiopulmonary bypass.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the stent frame is made of Nitinol.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the insufficient native valve is a native mitral valve.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the valve delivery device includes radiopaque markers and the method includes using fluoroscopy equipment for visualizing the markers.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:

accessing the patient's heart by piercing a wall of the heart with a cannulated needle having a sharp end, wherein advancing the guidewire into the patient's heart comprises advancing the guidewire through the needle and into the patient's heart; and

installing an access device in the wall of the heart, the access device having at least one valve for preventing blood from escaping the patient's heart, wherein advancing the valve delivery device over the guidewire into the patient's heart comprising advancing the delivery device over the guidewire and through the access device.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the patient's heart is accessed via a thoracotomy.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the access device comprises multiple valves.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein purse-string sutures are applied in the wall of the heart for forming a seal around the access device extending through the wall of the heart.

9. A method for implanting a replacement heart valve within an insufficient native heart valve using a minimally invasive procedure that does not require extracorporeal cardiopulmonary bypass, the method comprising:

advancing a valve delivery device into a patient's heart, the valve delivery device having the replacement heart valve held in a collapsed state along a distal end portion thereof, the replacement heart valve comprising at least three leaflets made from pericardium, an expandable support structure made from a shape memory material, and a fluid-tight membrane extending between the leaflets and the support structure, wherein the fluid-tight membrane is formed from a single piece of material, which extends entirely and continuously around the leaflets; and

allowing the replacement heart valve to self-expand within the insufficient native valve;

wherein the support structure expands to a diameter that conforms to an annulus of the insufficient native valve and the leaflets expand to a fixed size with a diameter smaller than the annulus of the insufficient native valve and wherein an annular space between the leaflets and the support structure is filled by the fluid-tight membrane; and

wherein the method is performed without performing a sternotomy and without using extracorporeal cardiopulmonary bypass.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the insufficient native valve is a native mitral valve.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the support structure is made of Nitinol.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the fluid-tight membrane extends radially outwardly from the leaflets and has an inner circumferential edge that circumscribes the leaflets and an outer circumferential edge spaced radially outwardly from the inner circumferential edge.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein after allowing the replacement heart valve to self-expand, the method further comprises compressing the replacement heart valve and then re-positioning the replacement heart valve.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the replacement heart valve elutes a drug.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the drug prevents formation of calcium on the replacement heart valve.

16. The method of claim 9 , wherein the replacement heart valve is expanded within a previously-implanted heart valve implanted within the native valve such that the replacement heart valve dilates the previously-implanted heart valve.