Patent ID: 8167933

Claim:
An annuloplasty system for repairing a valve in a patient's heart, the annuloplasty system comprising: an implant member having a longitudinal length defined between opposing, first and second end portions, where the implant member naturally self-reverts to a crescent shape along the longitudinal length, the implant member having a plurality of curves pre-formed therein and being adapted to form a partial ring along a portion of an annulus of a valve in a patient's heart, wherein the curves are interconnected to collectively apply a recoil force onto the first and second end portions to draw the first and second end portions of the implant member toward one another in an axial direction; a first anchor connected to the first end portion; a first flexible member; a first release mechanism attached to a first end of the flexible member and releasably connected with one of the first end portion and the first anchor, the first release mechanism including a holding mechanism defining an aperture sized to releasably capture a section of one of the first end portion and the first anchor such that in a first state of the holding mechanism, the flexible member is connected with the section, and in a second state of the holding mechanism, the flexible member is disconnected from the section; and a needle connected to an opposite, second end of the flexible member.