Tissue protecting devices for treatment of congestive heart failure and other conditions

A method for treating congestive heart failure comprising:

• inserting a protective plate of a protective device within an incision of a body, the protective plate being pivotably coupled with a distal end of an elongate shaft of the protective device;
• advancing the protective plate within the body to position the protective plate distally of a rear wall of a heart;
• operating a control mechanism to pivot the protective plate relative to the elongate shaft to position the protective plate adjacent the rear wall of the heart;
• inserting a needle through the rear wall of the heart, the protective plate being positioned between the needle and body organs or tissue surrounding the rear wall to shield the body organs or tissue from being damaged by the needle;
• inserting an anchor through the rear wall of the heart, the anchor being coupled at a distal end of a tension member that extends through the rear wall of the heart;
• and
• tensioning the tension member to engage the anchor with the rear wall and urge the rear wall toward another wall of the heart.