Abstract: A method for beneficially displacing a papillary muscle, the method comprising: anchoring one end of an implant suture to a trigone or central fibrous body of the mitral valve; passing another end of the implant suture through a papillary muscle so that the implant suture extends between a trigone or central fibrous body of the mitral valve and the papillary muscle; tensioning the implant suture while displacing the papillary muscle toward the trigone or central fibrous body of the mitral valve; and securing the tensioned implant suture to the displaced papillary muscle so as to maintain the displaced papillary muscle in position relative to the trigone or central fibrous body of the mitral valve; wherein the foregoing steps of anchoring, passing, tensioning and securing are all effected while the heart is beating.

Abstract: A method for beneficially displacing a papillary muscle, the method comprising: anchoring one end of an implant suture to a trigone or central fibrous body of the mitral valve; passing another end of the implant suture through a papillary muscle so that the implant suture extends between a trigone or central fibrous body of the mitral valve and the papillary muscle; tensioning the implant suture while displacing the papillary muscle toward the trigone or central fibrous body of the mitral valve; and securing the tensioned implant suture to the displaced papillary muscle so as to maintain the displaced papillary muscle in position relative to the trigone or central fibrous body of the mitral valve; wherein the foregoing steps of anchoring, passing, tensioning and securing are all effected while the heart is beating.

Abstract: Apparatus, the apparatus comprising: an anchor, the anchor comprising: an elongated body having a distal end and a proximal end, and a first side and a second side; a through-hole formed in the body intermediate the distal end and the proximal end and extending through the body from the first side to the second side, the through-hole being sized to receive a spanning suture; a proximal slot formed in the first side of the body and communicating with the through-hole, the proximal slot being sized to receive a spanning suture; and a distal slot formed in the second side of the body and communicating with the through-hole, the distal slot being sized to receive a spanning suture; at least a portion of the proximal slot being axially aligned with at least a portion of the distal slot so that the proximal slot, the through-hole and the distal slot together form an axial passageway extending from the distal end of the elongated body to the proximal end of the elongated body, with the axial passageway being sized t