Delivery device and methods of use for transapical delivery of replacement valve

1. A method of delivering an expandable replacement mitral valve, the method comprising:

advancing a delivery system through a hole in an apex of a heart into a left ventricle of the heart and within chordae tendineae, the delivery system comprising:

an elongate hollow member shaft having an elongate hollow member shaft lumen;

a nose cone shaft extending through the elongate hollow member shaft lumen;

a nose cone located on a distal end of the nose cone shaft, the nose cone having a nose cone shaft lumen extending therethrough; and

a balloon located at least partially on a radially outward facing external surface of the nose cone when in a fully inflated configuration and a fully deflated configuration, the balloon being in fluid communication with the nose cone shaft lumen;

inflating the balloon from the fully deflated configuration to an inflated configuration in order to move the chordae tendineae away from the delivery system;

advancing the delivery system through a mitral annulus into a left atrium of the heart;

inflating the balloon in the left atrium to the fully inflated configuration; and

releasing the expandable replacement mitral valve.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the releasing comprises proximally translating the elongate hollow member shaft.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising deflating the balloon after the releasing, and withdrawing the delivery system.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising deflating the balloon before the advancing.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising translating the elongate hollow member proximally to uncover the balloon prior to the inflating.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein a distal end of the balloon is aligned with a distal end of the nose cone in the fully inflated configuration.

7. A method of delivering an expandable replacement valve in a human heart, the method comprising:

advancing a delivery system through an apex of a heart and into a left ventricle of the heart, the delivery system including an expandable replacement valve, wherein the delivery system comprises:

an outer shaft having a lumen within which the expandable replacement valve is configured to be retained during the advancing of the delivery system through the apex of the heart and into the left ventricle of the heart;

an inner shaft sized to extend through the lumen of the outer shaft; and

an inflatable balloon located along a distal end portion of the inner shaft;

inflating the balloon from a deflated configuration to an inflated configuration;

advancing at least the inner shaft of the delivery system with the balloon in the inflated configuration from the left ventricle through a mitral annulus and towards a left atrium of the heart, thereby ensuring that the delivery system does not get entangled within chordae tendineae within the left ventricle or native mitral valve leaflets within the mitral annulus;

positioning the delivery system such that the expandable replacement valve is positioned at a location of the mitral annulus; and

releasing the expandable replacement valve from the delivery system within the mitral annulus for replacing the function of a native mitral valve,

wherein the releasing comprises proximally translating the outer shaft to allow at least a first portion of the expandable replacement valve to expand into an expanded configuration, and

wherein the releasing further comprises releasing at least a second portion of the expandable replacement valve from the distal end portion of the inner shaft to allow the expandable replacement valve to be fully expanded.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising inflating the balloon in the left atrium to a fully inflated configuration.

9. The method of claim 7 , further comprising deflating the balloon after the releasing, and withdrawing the delivery system from the heart.

10. The method of claim 7 , further comprising translating the outer shaft proximally to uncover the balloon prior to the inflating.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the balloon is attached to the distal end portion of the inner shaft.

12. A method for the controlled deployment of a replacement heart valve, the method comprising:

inserting a distal end of a delivery system through an aperture in a heart into a left ventricle of the heart, wherein inserting the distal end of the delivery system through the aperture in the heart into the left ventricle of the heart comprises inserting the delivery system without use of a guidewire;

inflating a balloon located on a nose cone of the delivery system;

translating the delivery system distally to pass the inflated balloon through a mitral annulus and into a left atrium of the heart; and

releasing a replacement heart valve from the delivery system into the mitral annulus.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising inflating the balloon when located in the left atrium.

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising deflating the balloon and withdrawing the delivery system from the heart.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the aperture is in an apex of the heart.