Patent ID: 8460371
Filing Date: 2013-06-11
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. An anchor delivery catheter for performing catheter-based annuloplasty by delivering anchors to heart tissue, the anchor delivery catheter comprising: a distal catheter portion adapted to be received into a chamber of a heart, said distal catheter portion including a distal tip and at least one sidewall defining a lumen along the catheter; an opening in said sidewall of said distal catheter portion and spaced proximally from said distal tip, said opening communicating with said lumen to facilitate the delivery of anchors through said lumen and said opening to heart tissue; anchor delivery structure disposed in said lumen; a plurality of anchors releasably supported on said anchor delivery structure and adapted to anchor to the heart tissue, wherein each anchor includes a rigid member at a distal end thereof and the rigid member is at least partially disposed along said anchor delivery structure, wherein the anchor delivery structure extends through each of the rigid members of the plurality of anchors which are located in series along the anchor delivery structure; and at least one elongate tensile member having a free proximal end, the elongate tensile member having a distal end operatively coupled to the rigid member of the at least one anchor, the at least one elongate tensile member extending proximally from the rigid member; said anchor delivery structure being movable relative to the distal catheter portion in the chamber of the heart from a first position wherein said anchor is disposed within said lumen, to a second position wherein said anchor is moved through said opening to engage the heart tissue, and to a third position wherein said anchor is separated from said anchor delivery structure and remains engaged with the heart tissue.