A method for treating a native heart valve of a patient includes anchoring a plurality of anchors of an implant into tissue around an annulus of the valve. At the annulus, a force-distribution element is incorporated into the implant such that the force-distribution element extends along a longitudinal portion of the elongate contracting member. The method can also include circumferentially tightening the annulus by pulling the plurality of anchors closer together, such as by actuating a contracting mechanism of a contracting system, such that (i) the contracting mechanism, coupled to an elongate contracting member of the implant, applies a longitudinal tensioning force to the elongate contracting member, and (ii) the force-distributing element distributes the longitudinal tensioning force over at least two of the anchors. Other embodiments are also described.

Apparatus and methods are described for treating a subject with a diseased mitral valve. A docking element is implanted within the subject's left atrium such that no portion of the docking element extends through the subject's mitral valve. The docking element includes a ring having a smaller size than that of the subject's mitral annulus, and which configured to be implanted within 15 mm of the mitral annulus. A frame extends upwardly from the ring, a portion of the frame being configured to be disposed in a vicinity of the mitral annulus and to generate tissue ingrowth from the subject's atrial walls in the vicinity of the mitral annulus. A material disposed between the portion of the frame and the ring is configured to form a seal between atrial walls in the vicinity of the mitral annulus and the ring. Other applications are also described.

A medical arrangement is configured to introduce an object, such as an implant or medicament, from a distal end of the arrangement into an anatomical target position. The medical arrangement comprises a first and second introducer, both having distal and proximal ends. The first introducer is an outer introducer and the second introducer is configured to be operated inside and guided by the first introducer. In addition, at least a portion of the first introducer is configured to take a first curved shape, and at least a portion of the second introducer is configured to take a second curved shape so that the first and second curved shapes are concentric curved shapes so all curves are in the same hand direction and thereby form a helical loop structure.

A prosthetic aortic valve includes an annular, annulus inflow portion that is designed to reside in or near the patient's native aortic valve annulus, and an annular, aortic outflow portion that is designed to reside in the patient's aorta downstream from at least a portion of the valsalva sinus. The annulus inflow portion and the aortic outflow portion are connected to one another by a plurality of connecting struts that are confined to regions near the commissures of the patient's native aortic valve. The connecting struts are designed to bulge out into the valsalva sinus to help anchor the prosthetic valve in place. The valve is circumferentially collapsible to a relatively small diameter for less-invasive delivery into the patient. The valve circumferentially expands to a larger operational diameter when deployed at the implant site.

Disclosed are methods, systems, and devices for the endovascular repair of cardiac valves, particularly the atrioventricular valves which inhibit back flow of blood from a heart ventricle during contraction. The procedures described herein can be performed with interventional tools, guides and supporting catheters and other equipment introduced to the heart chambers from the patient's arterial or venous vasculature remote from the heart. The interventional tools and other equipment may be introduced percutaneously or may be introduced via a surgical cut down, and then advanced from the remote access site through the vasculature until they reach the heart.

According to various aspects and embodiments, a prosthetic valve assembly for controlling fluid flow in an annulus is provided. The prosthetic valve assembly includes a suture ring formed from two or more segments, where each segment is configured to attach to the annulus, and a leaflet subassembly that attaches to an inner portion of at least one segment of the suture ring. The leaflet subassembly includes at least one leaflet configured for controlling a flow of fluid through the prosthetic valve assembly.

Prosthetic heart valve devices for percutaneous replacement of native heart valves and associated systems and method are disclosed herein. A prosthetic heart valve device configured in accordance with a particular embodiment of the present technology can include an anchoring member having an upstream portion configured to engage with tissue on or near the annulus of the native heart valve and to deform in a non-circular shape to conform to the tissue. The device can also include a mechanically isolated valve support coupled to the anchoring member and configured to support a prosthetic valve. The device can further include an atrial extension member extending radially outward from the upstream portion of the anchoring member and which is deformable without substantially deforming the anchoring member. In some embodiments, the upstream portion of the anchoring member and the extension member may be deformed while the valve support remains sufficiently stable.

An exemplary valve repair device for repairing a native valve of a patient includes: a strip of material; a coaption element formed from the strip of material; a collar connected to the coaption element; and a pair of paddles formed from the strip of material and connected to the coaption element. The paddles are movable between an open position and a closed position and are configured to attach to the native valve of the patient.

Systems and methods treat a heart valve using a magnetically adjustable annuloplasty ring attached to or near a cardiac valve annulus. A changing magnetic field may be used to selectively increase or decrease a circumference of, or otherwise modify the shape of, the implanted annuloplasty ring. The adjustable annuloplasty ring includes a tubular body member, one or more adjustable members, and an internal magnet within the tubular body member. The tubular body member and the one or more adjustable members form a ring shape. The internal magnet is configured to rotate in response to a rotating external magnetic field. The internal magnet is coupled to the one or more adjustable members to change a dimension of the ring shape as the internal magnet rotates. A system for treating a heart valve may include an external adjustment device having one or more external magnets to generate the rotating external magnetic field.

Mitral valve prolapse and mitral regurgitation can be treating by implanting in the mitral annulus a transvalvular intraannular band. The band is positioned so that it extends transversely across a coaptive edge formed by the closure of the mitral valve leaflets, to inhibit prolapse into the left atrium. At least one marginal chordae is severed, to permit leaflet closure against the band.