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An apparatus helps improve operation of a heart valve. The apparatus includes an arcuate base portion having a central axis and a buttress extending from the base portion axially relative to the base portion. The buttress has a first surface and an opposite second surface. The first surface is dime

An apparatus helps improve operation of a heart valve. The apparatus includes an arcuate base portion having a central axis and a buttress extending from the base portion axially relative to the base portion. The buttress has a first surface and an opposite second surface. The first surface is dimensioned and configured to be engaged by a first leaflet of the heart valve when the apparatus is implanted in the heart valve. The second surface is dimensioned and configured to be engaged by a second leaflet of the heart valve when the apparatus is implanted in the heart valve. The buttress permits flow of blood adjacent both the first surface of the buttress and the second surface of the buttress when the first and second leaflets are not engaging the buttress.

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What is claimed is: 1. An apparatus for helping improve operation of a heart valve, comprising: a generally annular shaped base portion having a central axis; and a buttress extending from the base portion axially relative to the base portion and interconnecting diametrically opposite locations on

What is claimed is: 1. An apparatus for helping improve operation of a heart valve, comprising: a generally annular shaped base portion having a central axis; and a buttress extending from the base portion axially relative to the base portion and interconnecting diametrically opposite locations on the base portion, the buttress having at least a first surface and an opposite second surface, the first surface being dimensioned and configured to be engaged by a first leaflet of the heart valve when the apparatus is implanted in the heart valve, the second surface being dimensioned and configured to be engaged by a second leaflet of the heart valve when the apparatus is implanted in the heart valve, whereby the buttress permits flow of blood adjacent the first surface of the buttress and the second surface of the buttress when the first and second leaflets are not engaging the buttress. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, the buttress having a plane of symmetry passing through the central axis of the base portion. 3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an outer sheath of a substantially flexible material covering at least the first and second surfaces of the buttress. 4. The apparatus of claim 3, the outer sheath completely covering the buttress and the base portion. 5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the flexible material comprises a substantially biocompatible animal tissue material. 6. The apparatus of claim 5, the biocompatible animal tissue material comprises animal pericardium. 7. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising a plurality of features extending through the outer sheath generally radially from the base portion to help maintain the apparatus at a desired position relative to the heart valve when the apparatus is implanted in the heart valve. 8. The apparatus of claim 1, the base portion being formed of a shape memory alloy material operative to urge the apparatus to an expanded cross-sectional dimension. 9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising features that extend outwardly from the base portion to help maintain the apparatus at a desired position and orientation relative to the heart valve when the apparatus is implanted in the heart valve. 10. The apparatus of claim 9, the base portion being formed of a mesh material with triangular projections at inflow and outflow ends of the base portion, the triangular projections extending outwardly from the base portion to define the features. 11. The apparatus of claim 9, the features extending different lengths from the base portion according to relative positions of the features along the base portion. 12. The apparatus of claim 1, further including a retaining member to retain the apparatus in a reduced cross-sectional condition for facilitating implantation of the apparatus in the heart valve. 13. The apparatus of claim 1, the buttress further comprising a lip portion adjacent the base portion, the lip portion having a width that is greater than a width of a distal portion of the buttress that is spaced axially apart from the lip portion. 14. An apparatus for helping improve operation of a heart valve, comprising: a base portion having a central axis; and a buttress extending axially from the base portion relative to the base portion, the buttress including a first surface and an opposite second surface, the first surface being dimensioned and configured to be engaged by a first leaflet of the heart valve when the apparatus is implanted in the heart valve, the second surface being dimensioned and configured to be engaged by a second leaflet of the heart valve when the apparatus is implanted in the heart valve, the buttress permitting flow of blood adjacent the surface of the buttress when the leaflet is not engaging the buttress, the buttress having a base and an axially opposite distal end, the base having a width, the distal end having a width less than the width of the base, the surface extending between the base and the distal end, the surface including an arcuate lip portion adjacent the base. 15. The apparatus of claim 14, the buttress having a plane of symmetry passing through the central axis of the base portion. 16. The apparatus of claim 14, the buttress permitting flow of blood adjacent both at least the first surface of the buttress and the second surface of the buttress when the first and second leaflets are not engaging the buttress. 17. The apparatus of claim 16, the lip portion including a first lip portion on the first surface of the buttress and a second lip portion on the second surface of the buttress. 18. The apparatus of claim 17, the first and second lip portions facilitating engagement and disengagement of the first and second leaflets and the first and second surfaces of the buttress. 19. The apparatus of claim 14, the base portion comprising a substantially C-shaped base portion having a length between opposed ends of the C-shaped base portion that is curved about the central axis, the buttress extending from an arc portion of the C-shaped base portion intermediate the opposed ends. 20. An apparatus for helping improve operation of a heart valve, comprising: a generally arcuate base portion having a central axis that extends through the apparatus; and a buttress extending axially from the base portion, the buttress including at least two generally opposing surfaces that extend axially from a base of the buttress, which base extends between and interconnects spaced apart locations of the base portion, and that terminates in a distal end spaced axially apart from the base of the buttress, each of the at least two generally opposing surfaces being dimensioned and configured to be engaged by respective leaflets of the heart valve when the apparatus is implanted in the heart valve, whereby the buttress permits flow of blood along the at least two generally opposing surfaces of the buttress when the leaflets are not engaging the buttress. 21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the at least two generally opposing surfaces are spaced apart from each other a distance that defines lip portion of the buttress having a first width at an axial location adjacent the base of the buttress, the first width being greater than a width of the buttress adjacent the distal end of the buttress. 22. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising a substantially flexible material that covers the at least two generally opposing surfaces of the buttress. 23. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising an implantation flange that circumscribes and extends radially outwardly from at least a portion of the base portion.