Patent ID: 8425402

Claim:
A method for treating a heart of a patient, the heart having a chamber bordered by a plurality of walls, the method comprising: inserting an introducer catheter and dilator system distally along an insertion path through a first wall of the heart; expanding an expandable member of the dilator system within the first wall; advancing the expanded expandable member of the dilator system distally through the first wall; expanding an expandable member of the introducer catheter distally of the first wall and engaging the expandable member of the introducer catheter proximally against the first wall; inserting an anchor distally of the first wall through a lumen of the introducer catheter and deploying the anchor laterally; contracting the expandable member of the introducer catheter and withdrawing the introducer catheter proximally from the first wall; and applying tension along the insertion path to the anchor so as to urge the first wall proximally against a second wall.