Abstract: A sizer for assessing the geometry of a heart valve annulus. The sizer preferably includes a circular sizing portion for measuring the diameter of the valve annulus. The sizing portion has radial spokes. The spokes are used to compare the symmetry of the commissures to the expected symmetry of a normal heart valve. The sizer preferably has one or more legs attached to the sizing portion for comparing the contour of the line of valve leaflet attachment to the expected contour of a normal heart valve having a diameter substantially equivalent to the measured diameter of the valve annulus.

Abstract: A surgical instrument for holding a piece of tissue in a configuration of an open circulatory system valve to facilitate surgical attachment of the tissue to the patient's valve annulus. The instrument includes an inner member having a handle portion at one end and an inner tissue holding portion at the opposite end. The inner tissue holding portion includes one or more of inner leaves. An outer member disposed about the inner member includes an outer tissue holding portion having one or more of outer leaves that are complementary and can be engaged with the inner leaves. A collet or other actuator moves the outer leaves radially inward and outward with respect to the inner leaves. The outer leaves are separated from the inner leaves to allow placement of the tissue on the inner leaves. The outer leaves are then moved radially inward to hold the tissue between the leaves in a configuration of one or more leaflets of an open circulatory system valve to facilitate surgical attachment.

Abstract: A new and unique, optimized, two-dimensional heart valve tissue pattern, valve, and a method of reconstructing a three-dimensional semilunar heart valve, or portion thereof. In one preferred embodiment, the two-dimensional valve tissue pattern, and method of the present invention, comprises a two-dimensional configuration developed and optimized by employing, in part, the anatomy of a three-dimensional human heart valve, and said two-dimensional configuration delimits a two dimensional area that corresponds to the shape of tissue to be used in the repair of at least one leaflet of a circulatory system semilunar valve, wherein the configuration delimits at least one segment, and up to all three segments, of a three segment “trefoil” shape.

Abstract: A standardized and reproducible method and instruments related thereto for repair of atrio-ventricular, aortic and pulmonary valves is provided.

Abstract: A method for repairing a heart valve comprising steps of sizing an annulus of a heart; harvesting tissue; cutting a trefoil pattern matched to the size of the annulus from the harvested tissue; forming a valve having at least one leaflet from said trefoil pattern, where the valve has a base with an edge portion of tissue extending around an outer periphery thereof; and suturing the edge portion to the exposed annulus; also disclosed is a method of repairing a heart valve comprising steps of: sizing an annulus of a heart at a repair site; harvesting tissue; cutting a trefoil pattern from the harvested tissue specific to the size of the annulus; providing first and second formers which are specific to the size of the annulus of the valve, forming a tri-leaflet valve from said trefoil pattern by engaging blades of said first former to corresponding blades of said second former with said trefoil pattern sandwiched therebetween; exposing an edge portion of tissue extending around an outer periphery of a base of th