Holder for heart valve prosthesis

Claim 1

A holder for holding a heart valve prosthesis during implantation in a patient, the heart valve having an annulus and at least one occluder carried therein moveable between an open position allowing flow through the annulus and a substantially closed position substantially blocking flow through the annulus, the holder comprising: a holder body generally conforming to the annulus of the heart valve prosthesis; an annular extension protruding from the holder body and adapted to protrude into the annulus of the heart valve prosthesis, at least a portion of the extension adapted to generally conform to a portion of an inner surface of the heart valve prosthesis; means coupled to the holder body for attaching the holder body to the heart valve prosthesis, wherein the means for attaching comprises an attachment suture; and an occluder engaging compliant member adjacent the holder body adapted to engage the occluder, the member positioned to contact the occluder when the holder body is attached to the heart valve prosthesis whereby the occluder is maintained in the substantially closed position and substantially protected by the annulus of the heart valve prosthesis, wherein the occluder engaging compliant member comprises an occluder engaging suture which is adapted to extend adjacent the annulus of the heart valve prosthesis and is adapted to contact the occluder to maintain the occluder in the substantially closed position.