Percutaneous tissue anchor techniques
First Claim
1. Apparatus for use with a tissue of a subject, the apparatus comprising:
- a tissue anchor, comprising (i) an engaging head that defines an eyelet, and (ii) a helical tissue-coupling element, the tissue anchor being transluminally deliverable to the tissue, and reversibly anchorable to the tissue by the tissue-coupling element being screwed into the tissue by rotation of the engaging head; and
an anchor-manipulation tool having a distal portion deliverable to the tissue via a body lumen of the subject, the anchor-manipulation tool comprising;
at the distal portion of the tool, an anchor-engaging element and an anchor-engaging-element actuator,at a proximal portion of the tool, a controller configured to control the anchor-engaging-element actuator, anda flexible longitudinal member extending between the proximal portion and the distal portion, such that when the distal portion is delivered to the tissue via the body lumen, the longitudinal member is disposed within the body lumen,the apparatus having at least two states, comprising;
an uncoupled state in which the anchor-engaging element is not in contact with the tissue anchor, andan articulatably-coupled state in which;
the eyelet at least in part inhibits movement of the anchor-engaging element away from the tissue anchor, andthe distal portion of the anchor-manipulation tool is deflectable with respect to the tissue anchor,wherein, while the distal portion of the tool is at the tissue, and the longitudinal member is disposed within the body lumen;
the anchor-engaging-element actuator being configured to facilitate transition of the apparatus from the uncoupled state to the articulatably-coupled state, andthe anchor-manipulation tool, in at least one of the at least two states, being configured to unscrew the tissue anchor from the tissue by rotating the tissue anchor by applying a de-anchoring rotational force to the eyelet.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A first element (91) includes a first arm (92) and a second arm coupled thereto and having a concavity (103) facing the first arm and defining a space (96). In an open state, a tissue anchor portion (46) moves into the space through a gap between distal portions (94) of the first and second arms. In the closed state, the anchor portion is not movable through the gap. A second element (82) is movable with respect to the first element, such that, while the portion (46) of the anchor (40) 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.
771 Citations
22 Claims
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1. Apparatus for use with a tissue of a subject, the apparatus comprising:
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a tissue anchor, comprising (i) an engaging head that defines an eyelet, and (ii) a helical tissue-coupling element, the tissue anchor being transluminally deliverable to the tissue, and reversibly anchorable to the tissue by the tissue-coupling element being screwed into the tissue by rotation of the engaging head; and an anchor-manipulation tool having a distal portion deliverable to the tissue via a body lumen of the subject, the anchor-manipulation tool comprising; at the distal portion of the tool, an anchor-engaging element and an anchor-engaging-element actuator, at a proximal portion of the tool, a controller configured to control the anchor-engaging-element actuator, and a flexible longitudinal member extending between the proximal portion and the distal portion, such that when the distal portion is delivered to the tissue via the body lumen, the longitudinal member is disposed within the body lumen, the apparatus having at least two states, comprising; an uncoupled state in which the anchor-engaging element is not in contact with the tissue anchor, and an articulatably-coupled state in which; the eyelet at least in part inhibits movement of the anchor-engaging element away from the tissue anchor, and the distal portion of the anchor-manipulation tool is deflectable with respect to the tissue anchor, wherein, while the distal portion of the tool is at the tissue, and the longitudinal member is disposed within the body lumen; the anchor-engaging-element actuator being configured to facilitate transition of the apparatus from the uncoupled state to the articulatably-coupled state, and the anchor-manipulation tool, in at least one of the at least two states, being configured to unscrew the tissue anchor from the tissue by rotating the tissue anchor by applying a de-anchoring rotational force to the eyelet. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. Apparatus for use with a tissue of a subject, the apparatus comprising:
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a tissue anchor, comprising (i) an engaging head that defines an eyelet, and (ii) a helical tissue-coupling element, the tissue anchor being transluminally deliverable to the tissue, and reversibly anchorable to the tissue by the tissue-coupling element being screwed into the tissue by rotation of the engaging head; and an anchor-manipulation tool having a distal portion transluminally deliverable to the tissue, the anchor-manipulation tool comprising; at the distal portion of the tool, an anchor-engaging element and an anchor-engaging-element actuator, and at a proximal portion of the tool, a controller configured to control the anchor-engaging-element actuator, the apparatus having a plurality of states, comprising; an uncoupled state in which the anchor-engaging element is not in contact with the tissue anchor, and an articulatably-coupled state in which; the eyelet at least in part inhibits movement of the anchor-engaging element away from the tissue anchor, the distal portion of the anchor-manipulation tool is deflectable with respect to the tissue anchor, and a rigidly-coupled state in which the distal portion of the anchor-manipulation tool is inhibited from deflecting with respect to the tissue anchor, wherein; the anchor-engaging-element actuator is configured to facilitate transition of the apparatus from the uncoupled state to the articulatably-coupled state, the anchor-engaging-element actuator is a housing that defines a compartment, and the anchor-engaging-element actuator is configured to transition the apparatus from the articulatably-coupled state to the rigidly-coupled state by sliding the eyelet into the compartment, and the anchor-manipulation tool, in at least one of the states, being configured to unscrew the tissue anchor from the tissue. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. An apparatus comprising:
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a tissue anchor, comprising (i) an engaging head, and (ii) a helical tissue-coupling element, the tissue anchor being transluminally deliverable to the tissue, and reversibly anchorable to the tissue by the tissue-coupling element being screwed into the tissue by rotation of the engaging head; and an anchor-manipulation tool having a distal portion transluminally deliverable to the tissue, the anchor-manipulation tool comprising; at the distal portion of the tool, an anchor-engaging-element actuator, and at a proximal portion of the tool, a controller configured to control the anchor-engaging-element actuator, the apparatus transitionable between a plurality of states, the plurality of states comprising; an uncoupled state in which the anchor-manipulation tool is not in contact with the tissue anchor, and an articulatably-coupled state in which the engaging head at least in part inhibits movement of the anchor-manipulation tool away from the tissue anchor, and a rigidly-coupled state in which the distal portion of the anchor-manipulation tool is inhibited from deflecting with respect to the tissue anchor, wherein; the anchor-engaging-element actuator is configured to facilitate transition of the apparatus from the uncoupled state to the articulatably-coupled state, the anchor-engaging-element actuator is a housing that defines a compartment, and the anchor-engaging-element actuator is configured to transition the apparatus from the articulatably-coupled state to the rigidly-coupled state by sliding the engaging head into the compartment, and the anchor-manipulation tool, in at least one of the states, being configured to unscrew the tissue anchor from the tissue while at least a portion of the anchor-manipulation tool is positioned inside a blood vessel.
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Specification