A heart valve prosthesis can be formed with a harvested tissue heart valve
and a sewing rim that extends outwardly from the annulus of the harvested
heart valve for easier attachment of the prosthesis. The heart valve
prosthesis can further include a belt that extends along the annulus to
provide further support to the valve annulus. A single piece of
pericardial tissue can be used to form the sewing rim, belt and a collar
that envelopes the edge of the annulus. The harvested heart valve
prosthesis can have the diameter of its annulus adjusted using pledgeted
suture prior to the application of additional support structures such as
the belt, sewing rim and collar.