An apparatus for cinching a heart valve annulus, the heart valve annulus having an original shape, the apparatus comprising: a tissue engaging member including a loop of wire configured to conform with at least a portion of the original shape when the loop of wire is deployed, a plurality of anchors, each of the plurality of anchors having a pointy front end and a back end, wherein the front ends of the plurality of anchors are configured for implantation into heart valve annulus tissue in a forward direction and wherein the plurality of anchors are configured so that, subsequent to implantation, the plurality of anchors resist extraction from the heart valve annulus tissue in a backwards direction, wherein the plurality of anchors are arranged with respect to the loop of wire so that, when the loop of wire is deployed, the plurality of anchors are distributed about the loop of wire with the front ends of the plurality of anchors facing the heart valve annulus; and means for implanting the plurality of anchors into the heart valve annulus tissue so that the tissue engaging member becomes affixed to the heart valve annulus; characterized by: the loop of wire having two ends (62, 64) that are configured so that, when the tissue engaging member is affixed to the heart valve annulus, pulling the two ends (62, 64) will cinch the heart valve annulus; each of the plurality of anchors having a slot that runs in a front-to-back direction, with the loop of wire passing through the slots in the plurality of anchors; and the tissue engaging member further including a plurality of tubes threaded onto the loop of wire between the plurality of anchors, wherein an outer surface of the plurality of tubes comprises a material that promotes tissue growth. a tissue engaging member including a loop of wire configured to conform with at least a portion of the original shape when the loop of wire is deployed, a plurality of anchors, each of the plurality of anchors having a pointy front end and a back end, wherein the front ends of the plurality of anchors are configured for implantation into heart valve annulus tissue in a forward direction and wherein the plurality of anchors are configured so that, subsequent to implantation, the plurality of anchors resist extraction from the heart valve annulus tissue in a backwards direction, wherein the plurality of anchors are arranged with respect to the loop of wire so that, when the loop of wire is deployed, the plurality of anchors are distributed about the loop of wire with the front ends of the plurality of anchors facing the heart valve annulus; and a loop of wire configured to conform with at least a portion of the original shape when the loop of wire is deployed, a plurality of anchors, each of the plurality of anchors having a pointy front end and a back end, wherein the front ends of the plurality of anchors are configured for implantation into heart valve annulus tissue in a forward direction and wherein the plurality of anchors are configured so that, subsequent to implantation, the plurality of anchors resist extraction from the heart valve annulus tissue in a backwards direction, wherein the plurality of anchors are arranged with respect to the loop of wire so that, when the loop of wire is deployed, the plurality of anchors are distributed about the loop of wire with the front ends of the plurality of anchors facing the heart valve annulus; and means for implanting the plurality of anchors into the heart valve annulus tissue so that the tissue engaging member becomes affixed to the heart valve annulus; characterized by: the loop of wire having two ends (62, 64) that are configured so that, when the tissue engaging member is affixed to the heart valve annulus, pulling the two ends (62, 64) will cinch the heart valve annulus; each of the plurality of anchors having a slot that runs in a front-to-back direction, with the loop of wire passing through the slots in the plurality of anchors; and the tissue engaging member further including a plurality of tubes threaded onto the loop of wire between the plurality of anchors, wherein an outer surface of the plurality of tubes comprises a material that promotes tissue growth. the loop of wire having two ends (62, 64) that are configured so that, when the tissue engaging member is affixed to the heart valve annulus, pulling the two ends (62, 64) will cinch the heart valve annulus; each of the plurality of anchors having a slot that runs in a front-to-back direction, with the loop of wire passing through the slots in the plurality of anchors; and the tissue engaging member further including a plurality of tubes threaded onto the loop of wire between the plurality of anchors, wherein an outer surface of the plurality of tubes comprises a material that promotes tissue growth.