Apparatus for implanting a heart valve and removing debris from a blood vessel, composed of: a collapsible and deployable filter for blocking debris in a blood vessel in a patients body a circular cuff coupled to a small diameter end of the filter and defining a through passage extending from the small diameter end, the cuff having, at a first end, an internal diameter coaxial with a circular opening at the small diameter end of the filter a first sheath for housing the filter in its collapsed state and having a length sufficient to extend out of a patients body when the filter is at a desired location in a blood vessel and an assembly for implanting a prosthetic valve in the patients heart, said assembly comprising a second sheath and a catheter housed in the second sheath and carrying an implantable valve.
