Patent ID: 8262724
Filing Date: 2012-09-11
Classification: A61B,A61F

Abstract:
1. Apparatus for treating a heart valve, comprising: at least two anchoring elements configured to be anchored in at least one of an annulus of a valve to be treated and a heart wall next to the annulus in such a way that the at least two anchoring elements are spaced apart from each other, the anchoring elements each having a support surface; and at least one linking element comprising a central branch having two ends and two side branches respectively extending downward from said two ends, wherein the side branches are longer than the central branch, and wherein the linking element has at least one receptacle directly adjacent to one end of the central branch and also directly adjacent to a corresponding side branch, the receptacle being configured to receive and retain a respective support surface when the linking element is in an interconnection position; one of the side branches having a first portion configured to selectively engage the support surface of one of the at least two anchoring elements at the interconnection position and having an end configured to contact tissue at the interconnection position, and the other side branch having a first portion configured to selectively engage the support surface of the other of the at least two anchoring elements at the interconnection position and having an end configured to contact tissue at the interconnection position.