A system for treatment of bodily tissue, the system comprising: a delivery catheter having a lumen (348, 326) extending therethrough; an implantable fixation device the implantable fixation device comprising proximal gripping elements and distal fixation elements which protrude radially outward and are positionable on opposite sides of the bodily tissue to capture and retain bodily tissue therebetween; and an actuator rod disposed at least partially in the lumen (348, 326) and having a proximal end and a distal end; characterized in that the system comprises: a flexible cable at least partially disposed in the lumen (348, 326) to provide lateral support for the flexible cable, the flexible cable having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the proximal end of the flexible cable is coupled to the distal end of the actuator rod, and wherein the flexible cable is resiliently biased to return to a substantially linear configuration after being deflected 90° or more; and a coupler coupled to the distal end of the flexible cable and threadably coupled to a stud of the fixation device such that the fixation device is releasably attached to the coupler; and wherein the actuator rod and flexible cable are for actuation of the implantable fixation device the actuation rod being translatable to cause the fixation elements to rotate between an open position and a closed position in which bodily tissue is captured between the fixation and gripping elements and the actuator rod being rotatable to engage or disengage the threaded coupling with the stud to allow the fixation device to be released from the actuation rod. a delivery catheter having a lumen (348, 326) extending therethrough; an implantable fixation device the implantable fixation device comprising proximal gripping elements and distal fixation elements which protrude radially outward and are positionable on opposite sides of the bodily tissue to capture and retain bodily tissue therebetween; and an actuator rod disposed at least partially in the lumen (348, 326) and having a proximal end and a distal end; characterized in that the system comprises: a flexible cable at least partially disposed in the lumen (348, 326) to provide lateral support for the flexible cable, the flexible cable having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the proximal end of the flexible cable is coupled to the distal end of the actuator rod, and wherein the flexible cable is resiliently biased to return to a substantially linear configuration after being deflected 90° or more; and a coupler coupled to the distal end of the flexible cable and threadably coupled to a stud of the fixation device such that the fixation device is releasably attached to the coupler; and wherein the actuator rod and flexible cable are for actuation of the implantable fixation device the actuation rod being translatable to cause the fixation elements to rotate between an open position and a closed position in which bodily tissue is captured between the fixation and gripping elements and the actuator rod being rotatable to engage or disengage the threaded coupling with the stud to allow the fixation device to be released from the actuation rod. a flexible cable at least partially disposed in the lumen (348, 326) to provide lateral support for the flexible cable, the flexible cable having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the proximal end of the flexible cable is coupled to the distal end of the actuator rod, and wherein the flexible cable is resiliently biased to return to a substantially linear configuration after being deflected 90° or more; and a coupler coupled to the distal end of the flexible cable and threadably coupled to a stud of the fixation device such that the fixation device is releasably attached to the coupler; and wherein the actuator rod and flexible cable are for actuation of the implantable fixation device the actuation rod being translatable to cause the fixation elements to rotate between an open position and a closed position in which bodily tissue is captured between the fixation and gripping elements and the actuator rod being rotatable to engage or disengage the threaded coupling with the stud to allow the fixation device to be released from the actuation rod.