Patent ID: 8172856

Claim:
A catheter, comprising: an elongate flexible body, having a proximal end and a distal end, the elongate flexible body having housed therein a fastening material configured to suture two heart leaflets together; an anchor zone on a distal portion of the flexible body; a first tissue manipulator and a second tissue manipulator carried by the catheter proximally of the anchor zone, the tissue manipulators being capable of being moved independently of each other and having a fixed end and a free end, the free ends being moveable to an extended position in which the free ends are proximal of the fixed ends, the tissue manipulators being disposed in the extended position such that an angle of not more than 90 degrees is defined between a portion of the elongate flexible body disposed proximally of the fixed ends and an adjacent portion of each of the tissue manipulators facing the portion of the elongate flexible body disposed proximally of the fixed ends; a first receptacle located within the first tissue manipulator for receiving a first fixating member; a second receptacle located within the second tissue manipulator for receiving a second fixating member; and a first end of a fastening material disposed within the first receptacle and a second end of the fastening material is disposed within the second receptacle; wherein a portion of the elongate flexible body located proximal of the tissue manipulators is sufficiently flexible and has sufficient length to enable the tissue manipulators to be advanced from a peripheral venous or arterial blood vessel to a left atrium of a heart, and through a mitral valve of the heart; wherein the distal portion is configured to extend at least into an anatomical region adjoining the heart valve and the anchor zone is configured to orient and anchor the catheter so that the tissue manipulators can be positioned at the valve.