Abstract: Multiple anchors are transluminally slid distally over and along a first portion of a tether to a heart of a subject. The anchors are anchored to tissue of the heart, with the first portion of the tether extending transluminally to the heart. Within the heart, a bight of the tether is secured to the tissue by the anchors. A second portion of the tether extends from the bight to a second end of the tether. The first portion of the tether is subsequently slidably coupled to the second end of the tether such that the tether forms a closed loop. The tissue is subsequently reshaped by the loop being reduced in size by the first portion being slid through the slidable coupling. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: An anchor driver is transluminally advanceable to a heart of a subject, and comprises (a) a shaft; (b) a head, coupled to the shaft at a distal part of the anchor driver, and configured to engage a tissue anchor; and (c) a stiffening element that, while the head remains engaged with the tissue anchor, is repositionable from outside of the subject in a manner that transitions the anchor driver between (i) a first state, and (ii) a second state in which the distal part of the anchor driver is stiffer than in the first state. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for use with a tissue anchor and an anchor driver. The apparatus includes a housing, shaped to define a channel. The channel includes (i) an anchor-storage zone, and (ii) a proximal opening configured to provide access for the anchor driver to the anchor-storage zone. The channel is configured to enable sliding of the tissue anchor therewithin to be stored in the anchor-storage zone. The apparatus also includes a retaining member, shaped to define a cradle for cradling and holding the tissue anchor in the anchor-storage zone. The retaining member includes a pillar pivotable with respect to the cradle, and configured to support the tissue anchor at the cradle. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: An implantable device or implant is configured to be positioned within a native heart valve to allow the native heart valve to form a more effective seal. The implantable device can be removed using one or more of a cutting device, a capture device, and a stabilization component. The stabilization component can control the position of the implantable device while the cutting device resects one or more of the leaflets to which the implantable device is engaged.

Abstract: A system comprises an anchor (20) comprising an inner helical tissue-engaging element (24); an outer helical tissue-engaging element (22); and a head assembly (29). The head assembly comprises a first head (25), fixed to a proximal end of the inner tissue-engaging element, and a second head (26), fixed to a proximal end of the outer tissue-engaging element. The system further comprises a driver (28), reversibly interfacing with and engaging the first head and the second head, in order to anchor the anchor in the target tissue. Other applications are also described.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for use with a valve of a heart. An implant (100) includes a wing (120); a flexible frame (124); and a pair of anchor receivers (150). A pair of shafts (660) are transluminally advanced through a catheter (40), while the shafts are each engaged with a respective anchor receiver (150), to deploy the implant out of the catheter such that the wing extends away from the anchor receivers and over a first leaflet of the valve and toward an opposing leaflet of the valve, with a contact face (122) of the wing facing the first leaflet. A pair of drivers (70) secure the implant using a pair of anchors (30) to anchor each anchor receiver to tissue at respective sites of the heart. Other implementations are also described.

Abstract: A system, for use with a leaflet of a valve of a subject's heart, comprises a catheter, a cutting device, a helical needle, and a suture. The catheter is transluminally advanceable toward the heart. The cutting device is advanceable distally out of the catheter, and is adapted to cut through tissue of the leaflet to form cut tissue and cut edges at the cardiac valve. The helical needle defines a helical lumen, the helical needle configured to be advanced distally out of the catheter and to rotationally extend through, and secure together, two tissue segments of the leaflet. The suture extends through the helical lumen of the helical needle. The helical needle and the suture are configured to extend along the two tissue segments of the leaflet to suture the two tissue segments to each other. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: An implant includes a frame, and a textile mounted on the frame. The textile includes fibers formed from a mixture of a polymer and an additive molecule. The additive molecule includes a polyurethane backbone and one or more fluorinated end-groups at at least one end of the backbone. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: A catheter device includes a tube that has a distal opening that is configured to be transluminally advanced into the subject; and an extracorporeal unit that is coupled to a proximal end of the tube. A series of cartridges is arranged along the extracorporeal unit, each of the cartridges having an initial position in which the cartridge holds a respective anchor. Each of the cartridges is, moveable from the initial position to a deployment position while remaining coupled to the extracorporeal unit. A driver is configured to, for each of the anchors, sequentially, while the respective cartridge is in the deployment position, move the anchor out of the respective cartridge and through the tube toward the distal opening. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods disclosed herein can be provided for medical treatment, including transcatheter medical treatments and/or functional mitral valve regurgitation within a human heart. The treatments may include reshaping a native annulus of the patient's heart, including the mitral valve and the tricuspid valve. The systems, apparatuses, and methods disclosed herein can include an anchor dispensing apparatus including a plurality of dispenser arms configured to extend radially outward from a central portion of the dispensing apparatus. A plurality of anchors can be provided, with one or more contraction members for cinching the plurality of anchors. A plurality of spacer bodies can be used to space the plurality of anchors from each other when the plurality of anchors are anchored to tissue.

Abstract: An implant includes an interface and a wing that is coupled to the interface. A catheter is transluminally advanceable to a heart chamber upstream of a heart valve of a subject and houses the implant. A delivery tool comprises a shaft and a driver. Via engagement with the interface, the shaft is configured to (i) deploy the implant out of the catheter such that, within the chamber, the wing extends away from the interface; and (ii) position the implant in a position in which the interface is at a site in the heart and the wing extends over a first leaflet of the valve toward an opposing leaflet of the valve. The driver is configured to secure the implant in the position by driving an anchor through the interface and into tissue at the site. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for use with a tissue anchor and an anchor driver. The apparatus includes a housing, shaped to define a channel. The channel includes (i) an anchor-storage zone, and (ii) a proximal opening configured to provide access for the anchor driver to the anchor-storage zone. The channel is configured to enable sliding of the tissue anchor therewithin to be stored in the anchor-storage zone. The apparatus also includes a retaining member, shaped to define a cradle for cradling and holding the tissue anchor in the anchor-storage zone. The retaining member includes a pillar pivotable with respect to the cradle, and configured to support the tissue anchor at the cradle. Other embodiments are also described.