Devices, systems and/or methods for fixating soft tissue to bone are provided. In one embodiment, a repair device for fixating soft tissue to bone with a bone anchor includes a soft tissue anchor and one or more flexible members. The soft tissue anchor includes a base with multiple legs extending from the base. The one or more flexible members are coupled to the base and configured to extend from the base to the bone anchor with a fixed length. With this arrangement, the fixed length of the one or more flexible members is configured to maintain a substantially fixed pre-determined distance between the soft tissue anchor and the bone anchor such that, as the bone anchor is seated into bone, the one or more flexible members pulls the soft tissue anchor down against the soft tissue to fixate the soft tissue to the bone.

Disclosed herein are various embodiments of suture adjustment mechanisms for anchors configured to be inserted into a heart wall of a patient to anchor a suture as an artificial chordae under an appropriate tension for proper valve function. Suture adjustment mechanisms can be configured to retain suture ends extending from the leaflet to the anchor with sufficient force to prevent natural movement of the leaflet from adjusting a length of the suture between the anchor and the leaflet. Free ends of the suture can extend from the anchor external to the body as tensioning strands. A surgeon can supply sufficient force on the tensioning strands from external the body to adjust a length and tension of the suture between the anchor and the leaflet.

Embodiments of the invention include an anchoring system (1) and method of inserting an anchor (100). Suture (305) and graft (550) may be implanted with anchors (100) of some embodiments. Some anchor embodiments may include at least one side that is cut away (115) to provide a protected space, such as central portion (116), for suture (305) and graft (550) and may provide a connection mechanism, such as a connector hole (107), that may be pushed or pulled by an inserter (200) of the anchoring system (1).

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.

Apparatus and methods are provided, including a plurality of anchoring elements, each of the anchoring elements being an elongate element that is curved to define an opening. A housing holds each of the anchoring elements. A mandrel is reversibly disposable through the openings defined by the anchoring elements. The anchoring elements are configured such that, in response to removal of the mandrel from the openings, ends of the anchoring elements automatically move outwardly, and diameters of the openings decrease, due to elastic loading of the anchoring elements. Other embodiments are also described.

The present disclosure provides new and innovative bone anchors and bone anchor insertion systems that enable smaller bone holes by eliminating the need for a cannula to transport the bone anchor. The provided bone anchors and insertion systems also help prevent damage to suture used in a bone anchor insertion procedure. The bone anchor includes a securement portion that surrounds a core portion. The securement portion includes multiple wings that are shape-set to be splayed outward from the core portion, though may be bent towards or away from the core portion in response to an applied force. The core portion includes a rod extending from a head. The rod includes a drive feature such that a surgeon may engage an inserter with the rod to drive the bone anchor through a bone hole. The bone hole walls maintain the bone anchor in a compressed state.

An apparatus for affixing a first tissue to a second tissue and methods of manufacturing and using the same. The apparatus comprises an elongated needle; a handle disposed at a proximal end of the elongated needle; a superelastic anchor disposed within the elongated needle, the anchor comprises: at least one normally-expanded elongated hook that is biased to a contracted state to fit within the elongated needle; a securing element; and an advancement mechanism triggerable by the handle and being configured to: eject the anchor out of a distal end of said elongated needle to allow the elongated hook to extend distally outward from the longitudinal axis of the elongated needle, into or beyond a tissue, and following the ejection of the anchor, eject the securing element from the apparatus to prevent movement of the anchor in at least one direction.

Devices, systems and/or methods for repairing soft tissue adjacent a soft tissue repair site. In one embodiment, the repair device includes an anchor member having a base with at least four legs extending from the base. The base extends with a generally flat circular profile defining an upper surface and an underside surface with a central opening extending therethrough. Further, the at least four legs extend from the base with an elongated angled portion, the elongated angled portion being oriented at an angle less than seventy-five degrees relative to the underside surface of the base. With this arrangement, the anchor member may be fixated to soft tissue by rotating the base with a delivery tool so that the elongated angled portion of the at least four legs facilitates the anchor member sinking into the soft tissue and fixating thereto.

The present disclosure relates generally to the field of medical devices for delivering artificial chordae tendineae in a patient. A system for adjusting tension in an artificial chordae tendineae includes an artificial chordae tendineae coupleable between a clip and an anchor. The clip is engageable with a leaflet of a heart valve while the anchor is engageable with a papillary muscle or heart wall. The anchor includes a body portion, and a locking portion coupleable with the artificial chordae tendineae and configured to allow movement of the artificial chordae tendineae in a first direction while preventing movement of the artificial chordae tendineae in a second direction opposite the first direction. An actuator is coupled to the locking portion for selectively releasing the locking portion to enable selective movement of the artificial chordae tendineae in the second direction.

The disclosure provides a dynamic vascular access and closure device for radial cinching of an access site. The device includes a tensioning tube, a resilient member disposed within the tensioning tube, and a plurality of sutures extending axially between a distal end of the tensioning tube and a proximal end of the tensioning tube. A proximal end of each of the plurality of sutures can be configured to attach to the resilient member such that movement of that suture causes compression or extension of the resilient member within the tensioning tube to provide cinching to the sutures.