Valtech Cardio Ltd.

Edwards Lifesciences Innovation (israel) Ltd.

Slava Starobinsky

Tal Reich

Yuval Zipory

Yaron Herman

Alexei Koifman

Ehud Iflah

Ehud Aviv

System for use with tissue of a heart comprises a tissue anchor comprising an engaging head that has a coupling eyelet that defines an eyelet plane, and a helical tissue-coupling element, reversibly anchorable to the tissue, and having a central helix axis that lies on the eyelet plane. The system also comprises an anchor driver, having a distal portion that has a casing that defines a slot, the slot defining a slot plane, and dimensioned to receive at least part of the eyelet therein in a manner in which the eyelet plane is coplanar with the slot plane. The anchor driver also comprises a detent, configured to reversibly inhibit movement of the eyelet with respect to the slot. The anchor driver is configured to anchor the tissue anchor to the tissue by rotating the tissue anchor by applying a rotational force to the eyelet. Other embodiments are also provided.

Percutaneous tissue anchor techniques

An example anchor-manipulation tool includes (i) at a distal portion of the tool, an anchor-engaging element and an actuator, (ii) at an extracorporeal proximal portion of the tool, a controller, and (iii) a flexible longitudinal member extending between the proximal portion and the distal portion. The distal portion of the tool can be transluminally advanced to an anchor that is intracorporeally implanted in a subject. Subsequently, the anchor-engaging element can be engaged with an eyelet defined by a head of the anchor. Subsequently, the controller can be used to transition the tool into an articulatably-coupled state in which: (i) the eyelet at least in part inhibits movement of the anchor-engaging element away from the anchor, and (ii) the distal portion of the anchor-manipulation tool is deflectable with respect to the anchor. Subsequently, the anchor can be de-anchored by using the anchor-manipulation tool to apply a de-anchoring force to the eyelet.

A first element () includes a first arm () and a second arm coupled thereto and having a concavity () facing the first arm and defining a space (). In an open state, a tissue anchor portion () moves into the space through a gap between distal portions () of the first and second arms. In the closed state, the anchor portion is not movable through the gap. A second element () is movable with respect to the first element, such that, while the portion () of the anchor () is within the space, and the first element is in the closed state, in a first position of the second element, the portion of the anchor is movable within the space, and in a second position of the second element, the second element applies torque to the anchor by rotating the second element. Other embodiments are also described.

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Netanya, Israel

Slava Starobinsky