Patent ID: 8951286
Filing Date: 2015-02-10
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. A tissue anchor comprising: a generally flexible elongate continuous anchor member capable of being inserted through tissue and moving between an elongate configuration and a shortened configuration suitable for anchoring against at least one side of the tissue, said anchor member having a proximal end portion, a distal end portion, and a compressible intermediate portion between said proximal end portion and said distal end portion, and a tensioning member operatively connected to said anchor member such that said anchor member can slide relative to said tensioning member, the tensioning member extending through the proximal end portion of the generally flexible elongate anchor member, to the distal end portion, and back to an anchor point at the proximal end portion, at least first and second generally parallel portions of the tensioning member and at least a portion of the intermediate portion of the generally flexible elongate anchor member extending through the tissue in a deployed configuration, said tensioning member capable of being pulled to cause said anchor member to move relative to said tensioning member from said elongate configuration to said shortened configuration wherein the compressible intermediate portion can compress and thereby adjust to the thickness of the tissue between the proximal and distal end portions and said anchor member forms at least one fold upon pulling said tensioning member; wherein material of the anchor member is selected to fold on both proximal and distal sides of the tissue in response to a transition to the shortened configuration.