Valve repair using tissue anchors

Abstract

A tissue anchor delivery includes comprises a needle including a hollow shaft portion, a tip portion, and an outlet opening. The tissue anchor delivery device further includes a plurality of tissue anchors disposed within the shaft portion of the needle and a suture coupled to each of the plurality of tissue anchors and disposed at least partially within the shaft portion of the needle.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A tissue anchor delivery device comprising:
 a needle including a hollow shaft portion, a tip portion, and an outlet opening;   a plurality of tissue anchors disposed within the shaft portion of the needle; and   a suture coupled to each of the plurality of tissue anchors and disposed at least partially within the shaft portion of the needle.   
     
     
         2 . The tissue anchor delivery device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the plurality of tissue anchors comprises a plurality of pledgets; and   the plurality of pledgets are configured in a compressed configuration within the shaft portion of the needle.   
     
     
         3 . The tissue anchor delivery device of  claim 2 , wherein the compressed configuration is a cylindrically-rolled configuration. 
     
     
         4 . The tissue anchor delivery device of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of pledgets are configured to automatically transition to an expanded configuration when deployed from the outlet opening of the needle. 
     
     
         5 . The tissue anchor delivery device of  claim 1 , further comprising a pusher device disposed at least partially within the shaft portion of the needle and configured to move the plurality of tissue anchors within the shaft portion, wherein the suture is disposed at least partially within a lumen of the pusher device. 
     
     
         6 . The tissue anchor delivery device of  claim 1 , wherein the outlet opening is an opening in a sidewall of the shaft portion of the needle. 
     
     
         7 . The tissue anchor delivery device of  claim 1 , wherein the outlet opening is associated with the tip portion of the needle. 
     
     
         8 . The tissue anchor delivery device of  claim 1 , further comprising a suction device configured to hold the tissue anchor delivery device to a heart valve annulus. 
     
     
         9 . The tissue anchor delivery device of  claim 1 , further comprising a retractable puncturing feature configured to extend from the tip portion of the needle. 
     
     
         10 . The tissue anchor delivery device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the tip portion is a separate component from the shaft portion; and   the tip portion is attached to an end of the shaft portion.   
     
     
         11 . A tissue anchor device comprising:
 an elongate body portion;   a tab portion projecting from the body portion; and   a suture engagement feature associated with the tab portion.   
     
     
         12 . The tissue anchor of  claim 11 , wherein the body portion has a flat surface configured to engage a surface of a heart valve. 
     
     
         13 . The tissue anchor of  claim 12 , wherein the flat surface is configured to provide substantially even load distribution for the tissue anchor when engaged with a surface of biological tissue. 
     
     
         14 . The tissue anchor of  claim 11 , wherein the suture engagement feature is an aperture in the tab portion dimensioned to allow for threading of a suture therethrough. 
     
     
         15 . The tissue anchor of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a tongue feature associated with a first end of the body portion; and   a groove feature associated with a second end of the body portion.   
     
     
         16 . The tissue anchor of  claim 11 , wherein the tab portion and the body portion define a first recess on a first side of the tab portion and a second recess on a second side of the tab portion. 
     
     
         17 . A tissue anchor delivery device comprising:
 a shaft having a distal opening;   one or more tissue anchors disposed in the shaft, the one or more tissue anchors comprising:
 a main body portion having a tongue portion and a groove portion; 
 a tab portion; 
 an opening; and 
 a suture that extends through the opening of each of the one or more tissue anchors; 
 wherein the tongue portion of an tissue anchor of the one or more tissue anchors and the groove portion of an adjacent tissue anchor of the one or more tissue anchors are engaged when the tissue anchor and the adjacent tissue anchor are disposed in the shaft; 
   an advancement member configured to move the one or more tissue anchors through the shaft and out of the opening of the delivery member; and   a puncturing member that is configured to puncture a tissue member.   
     
     
         18 . The tissue anchor delivery device of  claim 17 , wherein each of the one or more tissue anchors comprises a recess, and wherein at least a portion of the suture is disposed in the recess when the one or more tissue anchors are disposed in the shaft of the delivery member. 
     
     
         19 . The tissue anchor delivery device of  claim 17 , wherein the delivery member comprises an extended portion disposed in the shaft and proximate the opening, wherein the engagement portion is configured to rotate each tissue anchor of the one or more tissue anchors when the tissue anchor is moved out of the opening by the advancement member. 
     
     
         20 . The tissue anchor delivery device of  claim 17 , wherein the puncturing member is retractable.