Abstract: A buoy system for treating cardiac valve regurgitation comprising a movable plug having atrial and ventricular ends, wherein a through-hole passes from the atrial to the ventricular end, wherein during systole, the plug travels toward a cardiac atrium, wherein during diastole, the plug travels into a cardiac ventricle; a tether having atrial and ventricular ends, wherein the tether passes through the through-hole of the moving plug, wherein the atrial end of the tether projects into an atrium, wherein the atrial end of the tether includes a cap to engage a delivery tool; at least one distal anchor located in the ventricle, wherein the distal anchor is coupled to the ventricular end of the tether, and wherein the system is percutaneously delivered and optionally recaptured via catheter and recapture tool at the cap of the tether, respectively.

Abstract: A buoy system for treating cardiac valve regurgitation comprising a movable plug having atrial and ventricular ends, wherein a through-hole passes from the atrial to the ventricular end, wherein during systole, the plug travels toward a cardiac atrium, wherein during diastole, the plug travels into a cardiac ventricle; a tether having atrial and ventricular ends, wherein the tether passes through the through-hole of the moving plug, wherein the atrial end of the tether projects into an atrium, wherein the atrial end of the tether includes a cap to engage a delivery tool; at least one distal anchor located in the ventricle, wherein the distal anchor is coupled to the ventricular end of the tether, and wherein the system is percutaneously delivered and optionally recaptured via catheter and recapture tool at the cap of the tether, respectively.

Abstract: Soft body tissue structure can be remodeled by shortening the distance between first and second portions of that tissue structure. First and second anchor structures are respectively implanted in the first and second portions of the tissue structure. These anchor structures are linked by a linking structure, the length of which between the anchor structures can be shortened to pull the tissue structure portions toward one another. Each of the anchor structures may include two screw structures that are driven into the associated tissue structure portion transverse to the linking structure and with a spacer between the two screws. The entire prosthesis can be implanted percutaneously if desired. An illustrative use of the prosthesis is to shorten the annulus of a patient's mitral valve, with at least a portion of the prosthesis implanted in the patient's coronary sinus.

Abstract: An implant structure for use in pulling two soft body tissue areas closer together in a patient (e.g., two points along or adjacent to the patient's mitral valve annulus) includes at least two tissue anchor structures that are respectively implantable into the two tissue areas. A tether structure links the two tissue anchors and can be shortened and held in that condition by a cinch structure. Bracing structures are used between the anchors and the tether to help keep the longitudinal axes of the anchors transverse to the tether axis even when the tether is under tension. The tether may be sheathed in a cushioning sleeve to help protect adjacent tissue from erosion by the tether.

Abstract: A patient's soft body tissue can be remodelled by implanting first and second anchor structures in the tissue at respective first and second spaced locations. A linking structure between the anchor structures is then operated to change the distance between the first and second anchor structures. Examples of use are repair of a patient's mitral and/or tricuspid valve(s) and/or remodeling of a patient's left ventricle.