Patent ID: 6913608

Claim:
Apparatus for effecting a desired geometric change in the annulus of a heart valve and limiting mitral leaflet prolapse, said apparatus comprising: first and second plication bands, each said plication band comprising: first and second substantially straight and parallel legs, each having a first end, the first ends of said first and second legs being adapted to pierce heart valve tissue; and a bridge having first and second ends, the first end of said bridge being connected to said first leg and the second end of said bridge being connected to said second leg, such that the first ends of said first and second legs are separated by a first distance; said bridge being configured such that when the first ends of said first and second legs have pierced tissue at the first distance, said bridge is deformable so as to cause the first ends of said first and second legs to each move toward the other so as to thereafter be opposed to each other first end-to-first end with a distance of less than the first distance therebetween, whereby said first and second legs gather together pierced tissue to effect a contraction of the annulus of the heart valve; and an elongated linking strip having first and second ends and connected proximate the first end thereof to said first plication band and proximate the second end thereof to said second plication band, the linking strip being adapted to extend across the annulus of the heart valve and to draw the first and second plication bands toward each other.