PROSTHETIC HEART VALVE WITH COLLAPSIBLE HOLDER

A prosthetic heart valve holder system includes a prosthetic heart valve having a base at an inflow end, a plurality of commissure posts extending from the base toward an outflow end, and valve leaflets secured to the commissure posts to permit flow through the heart valve. A deflector is provided at the outflow end having a central hub and a plurality of arms extending from the central hub secured to and covering the tips of respective commissure posts. A valve support body is secured to the base and a post connects the valve support body to the hub of the deflector. The plurality of arms are sufficiently collapsible such that, in a first position, free ends of the arms are located axially between the hub and the valve support body to prevent suture looping during an implant procedure, and in a second position, the hub is located axially between the free ends of the arms and the valve support body to permit removal of the deflector from the outflow side of the valve, through the valve leaflets, to the inflow side of the valve.