The invention relates in some aspects to a device for use in anchoring an implant, including anchors, sutures, implants, clips, tools, lassos, and methods of anchoring among other methods. Anchors as disclosed herein could be utilized to secure a coaptation assistance device, an annuloplasty ring, an artificial valve, cardiac patch, sensor, pacemaker, or other implants. The implant could be a mitral valve ring or artificial mitral valve in some embodiments.

The present disclosure provides a heart valve repair method, comprising: advancing a distal end of a suture implanting apparatus from an outside of a body through a transapical approach into a left ventricle or a right ventricle of a heart; holding each leaflet of a heart valve with the distal end of the suture implanting apparatus; implanting at least one suture into the leaflet; withdrawing the suture implanting apparatus from the body; advancing a distal end of a suture locking apparatus from the outside of a body through a transapical approach into the corresponding left ventricle or the corresponding right ventricle; using the suture locking apparatus to lock the plurality of sutures; and withdrawing the suture locking apparatus from the body. The heart valve repair method has a simple surgical procedure, a low degree of patient trauma, and a high success rate of surgery.

A suturing device (1) for suturing parts (5,6) together of a lumen (8) with one or more sutures (3) comprises an actuator (34) having a handle (33) and first and second operating elements (60,68) slideable longitudinally on the handle (33). A tubular shield (35) extends from the handle (33), and a cannula (40) slideable in the tubular shield (35) is connected to the first operating element (60) for urging the cannula (40) between a withdrawn state within the tubular shield (35) to an extended state extending from the tubular shield (35). An elongated push rod (52) slideable in the cannula (40) terminating in a distal hook (55) is coupled to and operated by the second operating element (68). Anchor elements (22) of the suture (3) are located in the cannula (40), and are sequentially urged therefrom by the push rod (52), as the cannula (40) sequentially pierces through the parts (5,6). A loop (26) of the suture (3) is engaged by the hook (55), which is then withdrawn into the tubular shield (35) for engaging the adjustment element (25) of the suture (3) against an abutment face (38) of the tubular shield (35) for in turn drawing the anchor elements (22), and in turn the parts (5,6) of the colon (8) together. The adjustment element retains the parts (5,6) together.

A sternal tie assembly having a pair of hook-shaped needles, a length of sternal tie extending from a proximal end of each of the needles, and a pair of posterior plugs, each of the posterior plugs being slidably mounted on the tie and tethered, via suture material, to the proximal end of a respective one of the needles. A method of use of the sternal tie assembly includes creation of a hole or channel in sternum, manubrium, rib, rib cartilage, intercostal muscle, or other tissue, drawing a portion of the tie and the suture material through the channel formed in the tissue by the needle, severing the needle from the tie and suture material, continuing to advance the suture material until a post of each of the posterior plugs is pulled into the respective channel in the tissue, or at least until a head of the plug is disposed against the channel in the tissue, then threading an anterior plug onto each exposed end of the sternal tie, securing the anterior plugs into respective anterior openings in the tissue, then crossing and twisting the sternal tie ends together until the tissue ends are closed together.

A medical instrument, comprising a flexible strap portion having a proximal end and a distal end; a head portion distally extending from and connected to the distal end of the strap portion; and a tail portion proximally extending from and connected to the proximal end of the strap portion; wherein the head portion and the strap portion have a locking feature that allows the strap portion to be tightened to the head portion at a desired position, a loop having a desired size composed of a distal end side part of the strap portion and the head portion can be formed when tightened by the locking feature, and a plurality of features for keeping connected to thread are along the longitudinal direction on at least the distal end side part of the strap portion that forms the loop.

The present disclosure relates to a system for radial cinching of an opening in an internal biological structure. The system includes, a tensioning tube, a plurality of sutures disposed within the tensioning tube, a plurality of delivery tubes. Each delivery tube is configured to receive a distal end of one of the plurality of sutures. The plurality of delivery tubes are further configured to deploy the distal ends of the plurality of sutures proximate a periphery of the opening. Upon deployment of the sutures proximate the periphery of the opening, one or more of the plurality of sutures are cinched while movement of portions of the plurality of sutures are constrained by the tensioning tube causes radial cinching of the periphery to close the opening.

A traction tool for performing traction, of a suture thread under a flexible endoscope is provided. The traction toot includes a first holder configured to hold the suture thread or a suture needle attached to the suture thread; a second holder having an engaging surface configured to engage the suture, thread such that the suture thread is capable of advancing and retracting and configured to release an engagement with the suture thread; and a guide member holding the first holder and the second holder such that the first holder and the second holder are relatively movable.

A suture gripping device is described. The device includes a body formed from a flat piece of shape-memory material. The body has at least one slot extending from an edge of the body towards a medial position of the body and a first folding plane for folding a first portion of the body away from a second portion of the body to provide a bent configuration. The bent configuration is converted to a flat configuration when the temperature of the device is raised above the transition temperature of the shape-memory material. This conversion generates a gripping force against the suture when the suture is held in the slot.

A traction tool for performing traction of suture thread under a flexible endoscope is provided. The tool includes a shaft, a first holder which is provided at a distal end of the shaft and is configured to hold the suture thread or a suture needle attached to the suture thread, and second holder which is provided closer to a proximal end side of the shaft than the first holder and to which the suture thread is hooked. The second holder is expandable in a radial direction of the shaft.