Surgical instrument for implanting prosthetic heart valves or the like

Claim 1

Instrument intended to be used in surgery for implanting a valvular bioprothesis in mitralic position, in the mitralic annulus of a patient's heart, which bioprothesis comprises: a support (CR) of a synthetic material, comprising an annular base (BA) and three cusps (CP) with pointed tops (PT) integral herewith, and three flaps or limbs of a valve of animal origin operatively supported by the support (CR), the bioprothesis being intended to be functionally united to the mitralic annulus, deprived of its own mitralic valve, by means of sewing threads previously inserted both in the annulus edge and in a flange integral with the base (BA), which instrument comprises: a tubular body (10) having a first (13) and a second end (15); a supporting means (23) for the bioprothesis carried on the tubular body; and expandable member (11) having a circular cross section mounted on the first end (13) and adapted to assume a radially retracted condition when the bioprothesis has to be fitted onto or removed from the supporting ' means (23), and a radially expanded condition wherein the member (11) has a diameter at least equal to the diameter of the supporting means (23), so that the member (11) engages and keeps away the sewing threads to avoid entanglement of the threads in any part of the bioprothesis and controlling means (16) for the member (11) mounted on the second end (15) of the body (10) for controlling the radial condition of the member (11), characterised in that the supporting means (23) is movable to vary its axial position relative to the first end (13) in accordance with the axial dimension of the bioprothesis and the expandable member (11) has a flat or slightly concave upper portion (18) and a skirt (19) depending therefrom.