Methods and devices for transvascular prosthetic chordae tendinea implantation are disclosed. A catheter is advanced into the left atrium. From an atrium side, a leaflet connector carried by a distal end of the catheter can be anchored to a superior surface of a mitral valve leaflet. A needle is axially advanceable through the leaflet connector and through the leaflet. A leaflet anchor having a leaflet suture can be advanced out of the needle to secure the mitral valve leaflet to the leaflet suture. A ventricular anchor is anchored to the wall of the ventricle to secure the ventricular wall to a ventricle suture. The leaflet suture and the ventricle suture may be tensioned and connected by a suture lock to form an artificial chordae.

A tissue repair construct having first and second implants coupled via a flexible element is provided. The flexible element forms an adjustable loop closed with a sliding knot, and has first and second free ends extending from the knot formed by wrapping the second end around the first end. The second implant can have a changeable configuration. The construct can be placed within a surgical site in a patient's body such that the first implant is passed into a bone adjacent to soft tissue and the second implant is disposed on an opposed side of the soft tissue. The first free end of the flexible element is configured to be tensioned to decrease a size of the loop and thereby change the configuration of the second implant and to thereby cause at least the second implant to move towards the first implant.

According to one embodiment, a protective device for use in congestive heart failure treatments, and other treatments, includes a control mechanism, an elongate shaft, and a protective plate. The control mechanism is coupled with a proximal end of the elongate shaft and the protective plate is pivotably coupled with a distal end of the elongate shaft. The elongate shaft enables the protective plate to be inserted within a body and navigated distally of a heart wall. The protective plate has a relatively wide and thin body portion and is pivotable relative to the elongate shaft by operation of the control mechanism. Pivoting and/or navigating of the protective plate within the body allows the protective plate to be positioned adjacent the heart wall to shield body organs or tissue surrounding the heart wall from being damaged by surgical instruments inserted through the heart wall.

A system for passing suture through biological tissue using a cannula, introducer or other minimally invasive means, to approximate, ligate, fixate, and/or close biological tissue. The system includes a hand actuator mechanism, an elongated tubular member housing a deformable tubular needle therein in operative communication with the hand actuator mechanism, and a jaw mechanism disposed on the tubular member distal end. The jaw mechanism having top and bottom members and a floating pivot mechanism, the top and bottom members in operative communication with the floating pivot mechanism. The floating pivot mechanism providing pivotal and axial articulation of the top member with respect to the bottom member.

A suture passer comprising: a shaft having an axis; a first jaw mounted to the shaft in alignment with the axis, the first jaw being configured to releasably support a length of suture thereon; a second jaw movably mounted to the shaft; and a needle movably mounted to the shaft, the needle having a hook and being configured to reciprocate in alignment with the axis so that the hook can selectively pass by the second jaw and engage suture releasably supported on the first jaw; wherein the first jaw comprises a spring for selectively binding the suture to the first jaw, and further wherein the spring comprises a recess for receiving the suture therein.

A suture passer includes a shaft having an axis, a first jaw mounted to the shaft in alignment with the axis, the first jaw being configured to releasably support a length of suture thereon; a second jaw movably mounted to the shaft, and a needle movably mounted to the shaft, the needle having a hook and being configured to reciprocate in alignment with the axis so that the hook can selectively pass by the second jaw and engage suture releasably supported on the first jaw, wherein the first jaw comprises a spring for selectively binding the suture to the first jaw, and further wherein the spring comprises a recess for receiving the suture therein.

Disclosed herein are suture systems and method of use thereof. The suture systems can include a passer, a needle, a first suture, and a second suture. The needle can be sized to pass through a cavity defined by the passer and define an attachment member. The first suture can include a first end, a second end, and a portion sized to be received by the attachment member and pass through the passer. The second suture can include a suture passage extending from a suture inlet to a suture exit. The first suture can be operable to pull a portion of the second suture at least partially around an anatomical structure. The second suture can be operable to reduce an anatomical structure when a first end of the second suture is passed through the suture passage.

Disclosed is a suturing needle having a thread attachment portion and a ramp portion comprising a tapered portion extending from a proximal end of the needle to cover at least a portion of a suture thread swaged in the thread attachment portion. The tapered portion of the ramp portion provides a smooth transition from a diameter of the suture thread to a diameter of the needle body. The tapered transition portion allows for engaging the suture needle on rollers of a rotational needle driver in one smooth motion. The suturing needle includes a hollow flexible extension component having a distal end and a proximal end, the distal end connected to the proximal end of the thread attachment component, and the proximal end attached to the distal end of the tapered extension ramp portion. The suturing needle can include a combination of flexible and non-flexible sections and/or a combination of straight and curved sections.

A medical device includes a surgical needle attached to a hollow tubular suture. The suture is constructed of macroporous hollow tubular wall that facilitates and allows tissue integration into the suture core subsequent to introduction to the body, thereby preventing suture pull-through and improving biocompatibility.

A trocar wound closure system includes a suture passing needle and a guide for directing the needle through the wound site. A distal portion of the needle includes a capture rod with a slot. An obturator tube with a cutout section can be axially actuated to align the cutout section with the slot, and then moved out of alignment so as to capture the suture. The guide includes at least two tracks for directing the needle through the tissue track. A suture catcher is located adjacent to the exit of each track and configured to be actuated from a radially extended configuration to a retracted configuration so as to capture the suture section inserted through each loop. Radially expandable arms at distal section are movable between an expanded configuration and a slender configuration.