Abstract: Improved methods and apparatuses for heart valve repair in a beating heart of a patient utilize an exchangeable heart valve repair system. Heart valve repair system can include a port adapted to be seated in the heart wall and an imaging catheter slidable within the port. The imaging catheter can be selectively locked relative to the port for insertion into the heart and unlocked once the port is seated to allow the imaging catheter to move distally towards target tissue. A deployment catheter slidably disposed in the imaging catheter and a repair cartridge slidably disposed in the deployment catheter can be used to capture the target tissue and deploy a repair device into the tissue after proper capture is confirmed. System elements can be selectively removed from and replaced within port to deploy additional repair devices while port maintains a seal while elements are and are not inserted.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for heart valve repair utilize a heart valve repair device including a generally annular ring-like structure and a net structure. The ring-like structure is seated in the valve annulus with the net structure extending from the ring-like structure through the coaptation zone between leaflets. The net structure can then be anchored to a heart structure with a suture. Net structure extending between leaflets helps prevent prolapse of leaflets and can aid in coaptation.

Abstract: Improved methods and apparatuses for heart valve repair in a beating heart of a patient utilize an exchangeable heart valve repair system. Heart valve repair system can include a port adapted to be seated in the heart wall and a catheter slidable within the port. The catheter can be selectively locked relative to the port for insertion into the heart and unlocked once the port is seated to allow the catheter to move distally towards target tissue. System elements can be selectively removed from and replaced within port to deploy repair devices while port maintains a seal while elements are and are not inserted.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for heart valve repair utilize a heart valve repair device including a generally annular ring-like structure and a net structure. The ring-like structure is seated in the valve annulus with the net structure extending from the ring-like structure through the coaptation zone between leaflets. The net structure can then be anchored to a heart structure with a suture. Net structure extending between leaflets helps prevent prolapse of leaflets and can aid in coaptation.

Abstract: Improved methods and apparatuses for heart valve repair in a beating heart of a patient utilize an exchangeable heart valve repair system. Heart valve repair system can include a port adapted to be seated in the heart wall and a catheter slidable within the port. The catheter can be selectively locked relative to the port for insertion into the heart and unlocked once the port is seated to allow the catheter to move distally towards target tissue. System elements can be selectively removed from and replaced within port to deploy repair devices while port maintains a seal while elements are and are not inserted.

Abstract: Improved methods and apparatuses for heart valve repair in a beating heart of a patient utilize an exchangeable heart valve repair system. Heart valve repair system can include a port adapted to be seated in the heart wall and an imaging catheter slidable within the port. The imaging catheter can be selectively locked relative to the port for insertion into the heart and unlocked once the port is seated to allow the imaging catheter to move distally towards target tissue. A deployment catheter slidably disposed in the imaging catheter and a repair cartridge slidably disposed in the deployment catheter can be used to capture the target tissue and deploy a repair device into the tissue after proper capture is confirmed. System elements can be selectively removed from and replaced within port to deploy additional repair devices while port maintains a seal while elements are and are not inserted.

Abstract: A method of repairing a heart valve provides intravascular access for repair of a heart valve through a ventricular trans-septal approach. An external guide catheter can be inserted through a vein of a patient into the right ventricle via the right atrium. An internal guide catheter can be inserted through the external guide and can provide access to the septum for a puncture tool to create an opening through the septum to the left ventricle. The internal guide can then be advanced into the left ventricle and used to guide a deployment catheter that deploys a repair device onto the heart valve.

Abstract: Improved methods and apparatuses for heart valve repair in a beating heart of a patient utilize an exchangeable heart valve repair system. Heart valve repair system can include a port adapted to be seated in the heart wall and an imaging catheter slidable within the port. The imaging catheter can be selectively locked relative to the port for insertion into the heart and unlocked once the port is seated to allow the imaging catheter to move distally towards target tissue. A deployment catheter slidably disposed in the imaging catheter and a repair cartridge slidably disposed in the deployment catheter can be used to capture the target tissue and deploy a repair device into the tissue after proper capture is confirmed. System elements can be selectively removed from and replaced within port to deploy additional repair devices while port maintains a seal while elements are and are not inserted.