Within a delivery passage of a catheter, an elongated and flexible annuloplasty structure is transluminally advanced toward a heart of a subject while the annuloplasty structure is in a substantially linear configuration in which a distal end of the annuloplasty structure is closer than a proximal end of the annuloplasty structure to a distal opening of the catheter. Subsequently, the distal end of the annuloplasty structure is advanced, followed by the proximal end of the annuloplasty structure, out of the catheter and into an atrium of the heart. Within the atrium, the annuloplasty structure is transitioned toward a ring form by the distal end of the annuloplasty structure being brought towards the proximal end of the annuloplasty structure. While the annuloplasty structure remains in the ring form, the annuloplasty structure is placed against tissue of the annulus and is anchored to the tissue.

An exemplary valve repair device for repairing a native valve of a patient includes: a coaption element formed from a strip of material; a pair of extension members; a pair of paddles formed from the strip of material and connected to the coaption element; and a cap attached to the paddles. The paddles are movable between an open position and a closed position, are disposed over the extension member, and are configured to attach to the native valve of the patient. Movement of the cap toward the coaption element causes the pair of paddles to move to the closed position, and movement of the cap away from the coaption element causes the pair of paddles to move to the open position. The cap has a retention body for receiving attachment portions of the extension members, a retaining nut, and a retaining bolt for securing the retaining nut.

A medical arrangement is configured to introduce an object, such as an implant, from a distal end into an anatomical target position. The medical arrangement comprises a first introducer having distal and proximal ends, and a second introducer having distal and proximal ends. The first introducer is an outer introducer and said second introducer is configured to be operated inside and guided by said first introducer. 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. The portion of the second introducer configured to take said second curved shape comprises a tubular member inside said second introducer for enabling introducing of the object or implant through said tubular member and thereby over at least said second curved shape of said second introducer.

A kit for repairing and/or replacing a mitral valve includes a mitral valve prosthesis and a loop-shaped element with a proximal end, a distal end, and a curved body. A proximal portion of the curved body is sized for positioning on an atrial side of the mitral valve and a distal portion of the curved body is sized for positioning on a ventricular side of the mitral valve. The distal portion has a first curved region with a radius of curvature that is larger than the radius of curvature of a second curved region so that the distal portion passes between heart muscle wall and chordae and circumflex the chordae of the mitral valve when the distal portion is rotated into place at the ventricular side of the native mitral valve.

An annuloplasty ring including elastic features that make the ring optimal for receiving a subsequent prosthetic valve via a “Valve In Ring Procedure.” The elastic features provide a squeezing force on the native valve annulus that both ensures coaptation of the native valve leaflets and also prevents paravalvular leakage around a subsequently-placed prosthetic valve.

A suturing device for minimally invasive surgery is disclosed. The suturing device has a head defining one or more ferrule holders and a tissue bite area. The device also has a first needle comprising a flywheel portion and one or more curved arms extending from the flywheel portion, each of the one or more curved arms comprising a ferrule engaging tip, wherein the first needle is pivotably coupled to the head. The suturing device further has a first actuator coupled to the first needle and configured to rotate it from a retracted position, where the ferrule engaging tip of each of the one or more curved arms starts away from the one or more ferrule holders, through the tissue bite area, and to an engaged position where the ferrule engaging tip of each of the one or more curved arms is operationally aligned with the one or more ferrule holders.

An annuloplasty device is disclosed comprising first and second support rings having a coiled configuration, and respective first and second retention units, the first support ring transitions to the second support ring over a transition section, the transition section is adapted to be arranged at a commissure of the heart valve leaflets, a first posterior bow of the first support ring and a second posterior bow of the second support ring extend in respective first and second coil planes being essentially perpendicular to the central axis, the transition section bends at least partly along the central axis so that the first coil plane is separated a distance from the second coil plane along the central axis at the transition section.

An annuloplasty band and method of implantation. The band is shaped and sized to avoid the adjacent aortic valve structure and better protects against dehiscence along the muscular mitral annulus. The band is asymmetric and when implanted spans more around the side of the mitral annulus having the posterior commissure than the side with the anterior commissure. The band has a saddle shape with a posterior upward bow centered on a minor axis of the mitral annulus, and a span extending clockwise therefrom is longer than a span extending counter-clockwise. The longer span may be 150° while the shorter span extends 90°. A set of rings may have different saddle profiles and different plan view shapes for different sized bands. A method includes implanting so that the band extends over the posterior leaflet and a short distance past the posterior commissure outside of the anterior leaflet.

The present disclosure relates to methods, systems, subsystems, and kits for aligning an annuloplasty ring or a toroidal portion thereof with a natural fiducial in an annular target.

A mitral valve prosthesis to be implanted in a heart, comprises an asymmetrical ring, the asymmetrical ring is dimensioned to mimic a native mitral annulus of a patient; an anterior flexible leaflet and a posterior flexible leaflet, said leaflets suspended from the asymmetrical ring and configured to substantially coapt with each other; and at least four sets of cords, each set of cords attached to the anterior or posterior leaflet on a first end and attached into a cap on a second end, the cap is configured to be attached onto papillary muscles of the heart on another end of the cap.