EMBOLIC PROTECTION FOR MITRAL AND TRICUSPID VALVE PROCEDURES

1 . A method for treating an atrial heart valve between a patient's atrium and ventricle, said method comprising:

placing a filter in or over a ventricular heart valve which establishes blood flow from the patient's ventricle into the patient's vasculature;

treating the atrial heart valve while the filter remains over the ventricular heart valve, wherein emboli released into the ventricle while treating the atrial heart valve is captured by the filter during ventricular systole when blood flows from the ventricle through the filter into the vasculature; and

removing the filter together with the captured emboli.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the filter is placed over a ventricular side of the ventricular heart valve.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the filter further covers a portion of a wall of the ventricle surrounding the ventricular heart valve.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the filter is placed into a root of the ventricular heart valve.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the atrial heart valve is a mitral valve and the ventricular heart valve is an aortic valve.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the atrial heart valve is a tricuspid valve and the ventricular heart valve is a pulmonary valve.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising securing the filter to prevent release of emboli before removing the filter.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the filter comprises a foraminous basket having an open end oriented to receive blood flaw and emboli

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein securing the filter to prevent release of emboli comprises cinching a loop surrounding the open end.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein placing the filter comprises advancing the filter through a vena cava into a right atrium.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the filter is further advanced through a tricuspid valve into the right ventricle and then placed over or into a pulmonary valve.

12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising performing a tricuspid valve implantation or repair procedure.

13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the filter is further advanced transeptally into a left atrium and through a mitral valve into the left ventricle and then placed over or into an aortic valve.

14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising performing a mitral valve implantation or repair procedure.

15 . A filter assembly comprising:

an elongate support element having a distal end configured to be advanced through a patient's vena cava through the patient's heart atrium into the patient's heart ventricle;

a filter comprising a foraminous basket having an open end secured to the distal end of the elongate support element;

wherein the foraminous basket is configured to be placed in or over a ventricular heart valve which establishes blood flow from the heart ventricle into the patient's vasculature;

wherein emboli released into the ventricle while treating an atrial heart valve is captured by the filter during ventricular systole when blood flows from the ventricle through the filter into the patient's vasculature.

16 . The filter assembly of claim 15 , wherein the filter is configured to be placed over a ventricular side of the ventricular heart valve.

17 . The filter assembly of claim 16 , wherein the filter is further configured to cover a portion of a wall of the ventricle surrounding the ventricular heart valve.

18 . The filter assembly of claim 16 , wherein the filter is configured to be placed into a root of the ventricular heart valve.

19 . The filter assembly of claim 15 , wherein the open end is configured to be closed to secure emboli therein prior to removal from the patient.

20 . The filter assembly of claim 19 , wherein the filter further comprises a cinching loop circumscribing the open end of the filter.