Patent ID: 7128754

Claim:
A prosthesis system comprising a fastener sized and configured for deployment in tissue, the fastener including a distal body region configured for penetrating tissue in response to an implantation force and a proximal body region including a carrier that limits penetration of the proximal body region into tissue, the carrier including an attachment element[s] that, when the distal body region is in a tissue penetrating condition, is exposed outside tissue to mark a targeted prosthesis placement site in advance of deployment of a prosthesis, a fastener attachment assembly sized and configured to be deployed to a tissue site, the fastener attachment assembly including an actuator that couples to the carrier for imparting the implantation force to the fastener to place the distal body region in the tissue penetrating condition exposing the attachment element of the carrier outside tissue to mark the targeted prosthesis placement site, a prosthesis including an attachment element configured, in response to mamipulation of the prosthesis relative to the attachment element of the carrier, to mechanically engage the attachment element of the carrier, and a prosthesis delivery catheter sized and configured to deploy the prosthesis at the targeted prosthesis placement site marked by the attachment element of the carrier and to manipulate the prosthesis body to mechanically engage the attachment element of the prosthesis with the attachment element of the carrier to thereby couple the prosthesis to the fastener at the targeted prosthesis placement site.