Patent ID: 8465500

Claim:
A method of repairing a heart valve in a patient with an instrument having a distal end and a movable element, the method comprising: inserting the instrument through the patient's chest wall and into the patient's chest cavity; inserting the distal end and the movable element of the instrument through an exterior heart wall; grasping a single leaflet on the heart valve between the movable element and the distal end of the instrument; confirming capture and proper positioning of the leaflet between the movable element and the distal end using a fiber optic visualization system that detects light reflected off of the leaflet when the leaflet is properly positioned between the movable element and the distal end for proper attachment of a suture to the leaflet; wherein confirming capture and proper positioning of the leaflet between the distal end and the movable element using a fiber optic visualization system includes using a fiber optic visualization system having at least one illumination fiber optic that provides the light and at least one sensor fiber optic that conveys the reflected light from the distal end; wherein the fiber optic visualization system includes a plurality of illumination fiber optics and a plurality of sensor fiber optics, at least one illumination fiber optic and at least one sensor fiber optic positioned within each of a plurality of channels extending longitudinally through the instrument and terminating adjacent the distal end such that each channel provides an independent indication of whether the leaflet is captured between the movable element and the distal end, and wherein the step of confirming capture and proper positioning of the leaflet includes viewing each of the independent indications; puncturing the leaflet with a needle disposed on the distal end of the instrument after confirming proper positioning of the leaflet to form a puncture opening and drawing the suture through the puncture opening to connect the suture to the leaflet; capturing the suture with the needle; anchoring the suture to another structure in the heart; withdrawing the instrument through the heart wall; and withdrawing the instrument from the chest cavity.