402 will be anastomosed to the aorta not shown in a manner known in the art left and right coronary arteries 430 and 432 are attached to the valve wall 402 through respective apertures 434 and 436 of the girdle 404 in particular the coronary arteries 430 and 432 terminate in buttons 438 and 440 which are anastomosed to the valve wall 402 over slits or apertures not shown that have been formed through the valve wall such slits provide access into coronary sinuses 408 and 406 of the valve 401 advantageously a girdle in accordance with the present invention stabilizes the base of the heart valve and supports the commissures so as to inhibit their inward deflection the girdle also increases the durability of the autograft and homograft valve by inhibiting annular dilation and or deformities which might otherwise occur during normal functioning of the heart such deformities often lead to malcoaptation which in turn tends to cause insufficiency and failure the girdles advantageously promote coaptation of the leaflets of the autograft and homograft this in turn reduces the likelihood of failure and the need for reoperation after surgical procedures such as the ross procedure each of the girdles of fig1 6 also may be formed entirely of an absorbable synthetic or biological material such.