A system for treating a heart includes a catheter that is advanceable into a chamber of the heart and that is repositionable within the chamber between a septal wall and an external wall to enable penetration of the septal and external walls via a needle that is disposed within a lumen of the catheter. A first guidewire is deliverable through the penetration of the septal wall so that a distal end of the first guidewire is disposed within another chamber of the heart. A second guidewire is deliverable through the penetration of the external wall so that a distal end of the second guidewire is disposed externally of the external wall. The first guidewire is connectable to the second guidewire to join or form a path within the chamber that extends between the septal wall and the external wall.

Apparatus is provided that includes first and second tissue-engaging elements, and first and second flexible longitudinal members, coupled at respective first end portions thereof to the first and the second tissue-engaging elements, respectively. The apparatus further includes a first flexible-longitudinal-member-coupling element coupled to a second end portion of the first flexible longitudinal member, a second flexible-longitudinal-member-coupling element coupled to a second end portion of the second flexible longitudinal member, and a flexible longitudinal guide member reversibly coupled to the first flexible-longitudinal-member-coupling element. The first and second flexible-longitudinal-member-coupling elements are configured to be couplable together to couple together the first and the second flexible longitudinal elements. Other applications are also described.

A heart valve stent having a section with a heart valve implant and several proximally disposed tissue anchors, also comprising a plurality of anchoring threats, each with a proximate end fastened to the stent or valve and a distal end attached to tissue within a heart chamber to provide tension between the heart chamber tissue and the stent.

A method is provided for reducing tricuspid valve regurgitation of a patient. The method includes implanting a first tissue anchor at a first implantation site in cardiac tissue in the vicinity of the tricuspid valve of the patient, and implanting a second tissue anchor at a second implantation site in cardiac tissue of the patient opposite the first implantation site across the tricuspid valve. Using a spool that winds therewithin at least a portion of a longitudinal member that couples the first and the second tissue anchors together, tension is applied between the first and the second tissue anchors to alter the geometry of the tricuspid valve by rotating the spool.

Delivery systems, methods and associated devices to facilitate delivery and deployment of a heart implant. Such delivery systems and methods of delivery include use of a pair of magnetic catheters, including an anchor delivery catheter carrying an anchor, which can be stacked with or can be axially offset from the magnetic head. Such systems further include use of a puncturing guidewire advanceable through the magnetic head of the anchor delivery catheter to establish access to a chamber of a heart and which is attached to a bridging element such that continued advancement of the guidewire draws a bridging element attached to the first anchor across the chamber of the heart while the bridging element remains covered by the magnetically coupled catheters. Methods and devices herein also allow for cutting and removal of a bridge element of a deployed heart implant.

A heart valve therapeutic device (1) comprises a coaptation assist valve (20) comprising a conduit (2) with an outer surface (3) for coaption with the native leaflets, and a prosthetic flow valve (5) mounted within the conduit (2) to allow one-way flow through the conduit (2). Support for the coaptation assist valve (20) is provided by a support (10) for positioning the conduit (2) across the native leaflets, and connectors (15) attaching the conduit (2) to the support (10).

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.

An anchor for securing medical devices within a patient and/or sealing an opening in a body structure can be deployed via a catheter. The anchor may include a distal plate, and proximal plate, and a bridge portion connecting the plates. The anchor may include a tensioning member which can pull the plates together in order to secure the anchor in place and/or seal the opening in the body structure. A single anchor can be used, or multiple anchors, to secure tethers and other medical devices within a patient.

The present invention provides ventricular restoration devices and snare devices as part of a papillary muscle approximation and ventricular restoration (PAP-VR) system and methods for using the same to repair mitral regurgitation (MR). The ventricular restoration devices include two collapsible anchors positioned at opposing ends of a collapsible stent, wherein the devices are threaded through a subject's anatomy such that the anchors rest outside of tissue and are held taut by the stent inbetween. The snare devices comprise an out-of-plane curved construction to navigate magnetized trapping lines around difficult to reach anatomy to lasso and tighten anatomical structures.

Methods and devices that prevent stasis in the LAA by either increasing the flow through the LAA or by closing off or sealing the LAA. Increasing the flow is accomplished through shunts, flow diverters, agitators, or by increasing the size of the ostium. Closing off the LAA is accomplished using seals or by cinching the LAA.