Patent ID: 8758393

Claim:
A device for repairing a valve leaflet in a beating heart of a patient, comprising: a handle assembly including a shaft extending from a distal end of the handle adapted to be extended into a chest cavity of the patient and an actuator mechanism positioned proximate a proximal end of the handle assembly, the shaft having a maximum diameter defining a generally circular cross-section along a longitudinal axis at a distal portion of the shaft that is adapted to pass through an incision in the beating heart; a capture assembly extending from the distal portion of the shaft and adapted to be positioned within the beating heart, the capture assembly including a clamping mechanism having a first clamping jaw and second clamping jaw having interior surfaces adapted to grasp and release the valve leaflet, the capture assembly having a generally rounded portion protruding outwardly relative to the shaft at a proximal clamping law of the first clamping law and the second clamping law with a maximum diameter of a cross section transverse to a longitudinal axis of the capture assembly that is greater than the maximum diameter of the shaft with the interior surfaces of the first clamping jaw and second clamping jaw capable of contacting one another along an asymmetric cross-section having a diameter greater than the maximum diameter of the shaft, wherein one of the first clamping jaw or the second clamping jaw of the clamping mechanism is selectively positionable along the longitudinal axis of the capture assembly in response to actuation of the actuator mechanism to create a space between the interior surfaces of the first clamping jaw and the second clamping jaw having an asymmetric perimeter; and a needle head slidably positionable within the capture assembly to engage a suture at least partially carried by the capture assembly in response to selective activation of a needle by the actuator mechanism as the needle penetrates the valve leaflet, such that an area of the interior surfaces used to grasp the valve leaflet is greater than an interior surface area of the generally circular cross-section of the shaft at the maximum diameter and the capture assembly is rotatable within the heart with the generally circular cross-section of the shaft positioned in the incision of the heart.