Exchangeable System for Minimally Invasive Beating Heart Repair of Heart Valve Leaflets

Abstract

Improved methods and apparatuses for heart valve repair in a beating heart of a patient utilize an exchangeable heart valve repair system. Heart valve repair system can include a port adapted to be seated in the heart wall and an imaging catheter slidable within the port. The imaging catheter can be selectively locked relative to the port for insertion into the heart and unlocked once the port is seated to allow the imaging catheter to move distally towards target tissue. A deployment catheter slidably disposed in the imaging catheter and a repair cartridge slidably disposed in the deployment catheter can be used to capture the target tissue and deploy a repair device into the tissue after proper capture is confirmed. System elements can be selectively removed from and replaced within port to deploy additional repair devices while port maintains a seal while elements are and are not inserted.

1 - 27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . A method of repairing a heart valve in a beating heart of a patient, comprising:
 inserting a catheter into a beating heart of a patient, the catheter carrying a first suture;   grasping a valve leaflet of the heart with the catheter;   inserting the first suture through the valve leaflet and anchoring the first suture to another location in the heart; and   inserting a second suture through the valve leaflet without withdrawing the catheter from the heart and anchoring the second suture to another location in the heart.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein inserting a catheter into a beating heart of a patient includes inserting the catheter through a wall of the heart. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein inserting the catheter through a wall of the heart includes inserting the catheter through an apex of the heart. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising seating a port in the wall of the heart and wherein inserting a catheter into a beating heart of a patient includes inserting the catheter through the port. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the port includes a sealing element configured to create a seal around the catheter. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the seal includes a plurality of slits capable of retaining sutures therein. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising inserting a third suture through the valve leaflet withdrawing the catheter from the heart and anchoring the second suture to another location in the heart. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the catheter is at least partially flexible. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein anchoring the first suture to another location in the heart and anchoring the second suture to another location in the heart includes anchoring the first suture and the second suture at locations interior to the heart. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein anchoring the first suture to another location in the heart and anchoring the second suture to another location in the heart includes anchoring the first suture and the second suture at locations exterior to the heart. 
     
     
         38 . A method of repairing a heart valve in a beating heart of a patient, comprising:
 seating a port comprising a flexible material in a portion of a patient's heart;   inserting a catheter into a beating heart of a patient and adjacent a valve leaflet of the heart utilizing the port, the catheter carrying a suture;   grasping the valve leaflet with the catheter; and   inserting the suture through the valve leaflet and anchoring the suture to another location in the heart.   
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein inserting a catheter into a beating heart of a patient includes inserting the catheter through a wall of the heart. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein inserting the catheter through a wall of the heart includes inserting the catheter through an apex of the heart. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the port includes a sealing element configured to create a seal around the catheter. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the seal includes a plurality of slits capable of retaining sutures therein. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the catheter is at least partially flexible. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein anchoring the suture to another location in the heart includes anchoring the suture interior to the heart. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein anchoring the suture to another location in the heart includes anchoring the suture exterior to the heart.