4tech Inc.

Charlotte Murphy

Michael Gilmore

Kevin Lynn

Paolo Denti

Thomas Campbell

Andrea Guidotti

Hugo Vanermen

John Matthew Mullins

Idan Tobis

Francesco Maisano

Evin William Donnelly

Gareth Clarke

John Mullins

Gabriel Sobrino-Serrano

A tissue anchor system is provided that includes a first tissue anchor, a second tissue anchor that is separate and distinct from the first tissue anchor, and one or more tethers, which are configured to couple the first tissue anchor to the second tissue anchor. When the first tissue anchor is unconstrained, a head thereof is coaxial with an axis of a shaft thereof, and a tissue-coupling element thereof extends from a distal end of the shaft, is generally orthogonal to the axis, and is shaped such that if the tissue-coupling element were to be projected onto a plane that is perpendicular to the axis, at least 80% of an area of a projection of the tissue-coupling element on the plane would fall within a first angle of 180 degrees in the plane having a vertex at the axis. Other embodiments are also described.

Off-center tissue anchors

A tissue anchor is provided that includes a head connected to a shaft, and a tissue-coupling element extending from the shaft. The shaft includes a seal that is configured to form a blood-tight seal between the shaft and a heart wall, and to promote hemostasis. When the tissue anchor is unconstrained, the head is coaxial with an axis of the shaft, and the tissue-coupling element is generally orthogonal to the axis and is shaped such that if the tissue-coupling element were to be projected onto a plane that is perpendicular to the axis, at least 80% of an area of a projection of the tissue-coupling element on the plane would fall within a first angle of 180 degrees in the plane having a vertex at the axis. Other embodiments are also described.

A tissue anchor is provided for delivery by a deployment tool in a constrained state, the tissue anchor including a shaft; a tissue-coupling element, which includes a wire including a shape-memory alloy; and a flexible elongate tension member, which is distinct from the wire. The flexible elongate tension member includes a distal portion that is fixed to a site on the wire such that, when the tissue anchor is not constrained by the deployment tool, the flexible elongate tension member applies, to the tissue-coupling element, tension that constrains lateral expansion of the tissue-coupling element away from a central longitudinal axis of the shaft, by preventing the tissue-coupling element from automatically assuming a predetermined shape provided by the shape-memory alloy of the wire. Other embodiments are also described.

A tissue anchor includes a shaft, a tissue-coupling element, and a flexible elongate tension member. The tissue-coupling element includes a wire, which is shaped as an open loop having more than one turn when the tissue anchor is unconstrained. The tension member includes a distal portion that is fixed to a site on the open loop, a proximal portion, which has a longitudinal segment that runs alongside at least a portion of the shaft, and a crossing portion, which (i) is disposed between the distal and the proximal portions along the tension member, and (ii) crosses at least a portion of the open loop when the tissue anchor is unconstrained. The tissue anchor is configured to allow relative axial motion between the at least a portion of the shaft and the longitudinal segment of the proximal portion of the tension member when the tissue anchor is unconstrained.

Off-center tissue anchors with tension members

A method is provided including introducing, during a transcatheter procedure, a tissue anchor into a cardiac chamber of a heart of a subject, while a tissue-coupling element of the tissue anchor is constrained by a deployment tool. The tissue-coupling element is delivered distally through a cardiac wall. The tissue anchor is at least partially released from the deployment tool such that the tissue-coupling element is unconstrained by the deployment tool. After the tissue-coupling element is delivered through the cardiac wall and the tissue anchor is at least partially released from the deployment tool, whether the tissue-coupling element overlies a coronary blood vessel is ascertained, and, if the tissue-coupling element overlies the coronary blood vessel, the tissue anchor is rotated until the tissue-coupling element no longer overlies the coronary blood vessel. Thereafter, the tissue-coupling element is proximally pulled by applying tension to the tissue anchor. Other embodiments are also described.

A tissue anchor is provided that is configured to be delivered in a constrained state within a deployment tool. The tissue anchor includes a shaft and a tissue-coupling element, which (a) extends from a distal end of the shaft, and (b) is configured to be advanced through a heart wall and be coupled to a far side of the heart wall. The tissue anchor further includes a sealing element, which is (a) disposed around the shaft, (b) sized and shaped to be disposed entirely within the heart wall, and (c) configured to promote hemostasis. Other embodiments are also described.

Tissue anchors with hemostasis seal

A tissue anchor is provided that includes a head connected to a shaft, and a tissue-coupling element extending from the shaft. When the tissue anchor is unconstrained, the head is coaxial with an axis of the shaft, and the tissue-coupling element is generally orthogonal to the axis and is shaped such that if the tissue-coupling element were to be projected onto a plane that is perpendicular to the axis, (a) at least 80% of an area of a projection of the tissue-coupling element on the plane would fall within a first angle of 180 degrees in the plane having a vertex at the axis, and (b) the area would partially overlap, at least 3 mm from the vertex, both rays of a second angle of between 45 and 180 degrees in the plane having the vertex at the axis. Other embodiments are also described.

A tissue anchor is provided for delivery in a constrained state within a deployment tool. The tissue anchor includes a tissue-coupling element; a flexible elongate tension member, which includes (a) a distal portion that is fixed to a site on the tissue-coupling element, and (b) a proximal portion, which is slidably disposed through a passage defined by the tissue anchor; and a load-limiting element, which is attached to the flexible elongate tension member. The load-limiting element and the passage are sized and shaped such that the size and shape of the passage prevent proximal movement of the load-limiting element past the passage, such that the load-limiting element limits a total load that can be applied to the tissue-coupling element by the flexible elongate tension member.

Apparatus is provided that includes a tissue anchor, which (a) includes a helical tissue-coupling element which has a distal tissue-penetrating tip at a distal end of the tissue anchor, and which is configured to be advanced into soft tissue, and (b) is shaped so as to define a longitudinal channel extending to the distal end of the tissue anchor. The apparatus further includes a depth-finding tool, which includes a radiopaque bead that is axially moveable along the channel so as to serve as a marker indicating a depth of penetration of the tissue-coupling element into the soft tissue.

Soft tissue depth-finding tool

Apparatus for use with a deployment tool is provided. The apparatus includes a tissue anchor configured to be delivered in a constrained state within the deployment tool. The tissue anchor includes a shaft and a tissue-coupling element, which extends from a distal end of the shaft and is configured to be advanced through an incision in a wall of a cardiac chamber and be coupled to a far outer side of the wall. A spring is disposed proximal to a sealing element, and is configured to distally push the sealing element against an inner side of the wall to seal the incision. Other embodiments are also described.

A method is provided that includes implanting (a) a venous first tissue anchor in a vein selected from the group of veins consisting of: a superior vena cava and an inferior vena cava, (b) an atrial second tissue anchor at an atrial site selected from the group of sites consisting of: an annulus of a tricuspid valve, and a wall of a right atrium of a heart above the annulus of the tricuspid valve, (c) a venous third tissue anchor in a coronary sinus, and (d) one or more tethers, which connect the venous first tissue anchor, the atrial second tissue anchor, and the venous third tissue anchor. A size of a tricuspid orifice is reduced by tensioning the one or more tethers. Other embodiments are also described.

Multiple anchoring-point tension system

A method is provided that includes implanting (a) a first venous tissue anchor in a superior vena cava, an inferior vena cava, or a coronary sinus, (b) exactly two atrial tissue anchors, which consist of second and third atrial tissue anchors, at respective different atrial sites, each of which sites is selected from: an annulus of a tricuspid valve, and a wall of a right atrium of a heart above the annulus, and (c) a pulley system, which includes (i) a pulley, which is connected to the second atrial tissue anchor, and (ii) a tether, which (A) is connected to the first venous tissue anchor and the third atrial tissue anchor, (B) is moveable through the pulley, and (C) has a length, measured between the first venous and the third atrial tissue anchors, of at least 30 mm. A size of a tricuspid orifice is reduced by tensioning the tether.

A tether-securing device is provided that includes a tubular element, which is shaped so as define a lateral wall that surrounds a lumen. The lateral wall is shaped so as to define a one-way locking opening. The tether-securing device further includes at least one tether, which (a) has at least a first tether end portion, and (b) passes through the lumen and the one-way locking opening. The tether-securing device additionally includes first and second tissue anchors. The first tissue anchor is connected to the first tether end portion. The one-way locking opening is configured to (a) allow sliding of the at least one tether in a first direction through the one-way locking opening, and (b) inhibit sliding of the at least one tether in a second direction opposite the first direction. Other embodiments are also described.

Percutaneous tether locking

A tissue anchor () includes a shaft (), a tissue-coupling element (), and a flexible elongate tension member (). The tissue-coupling element () includes a wire (), which is shaped as an open loop () having more than one turn when the tissue anchor () is unconstrained. The tension member () includes a distal portion () that is fixed to a site () on the open loop (), a proximal portion (), which has a longitudinal segment () that runs alongside at least a portion () of the shaft (), and a crossing portion (), which (i) is disposed between the distal and the proximal N portions () along the tension member (), and (ii) crosses at least a portion of the open loop () when the tissue anchor () is unconstrained. The tissue anchor () is configured to allow relative axial motion between the at least a portion () of the shaft () and the longitudinal segment () of the proximal portion () of the tension member () when the tissue anchor () is unconstrained.

A radially-expandable stent () is shaped so as to define one or more tether interfaces (), a lower-securement portion (), and a higher-securement portion (). The lower-securement portion () extends (a) along at least a contiguous lower-securement axial segment () of the stent () and (b) circumferentially around a contiguous lower-securement circumferential portion () of the stent (), which lower-securement axial segment () and lower-securement circumferential portion () include the one or more tether interfaces (). The higher-securement portion () extends (a) along at least a contiguous higher-securement axial segment () of the stent () and (b) circumferentially around between 215 and 330 degrees of a circumference (C), at all circumferential locations other than those of the lower-securement circumferential portion (). The stent () is shaped so as to define a plurality of outward protrusions () at respective circumferential locations () around the higher-securement portion (), and not around the lower-securement portion (). One or more tethers () are coupled to the one or more tether interfaces (), respectively, and to one or more tissue anchors (), respectively.

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County Galway, Ireland

Charlotte Murphy