Epicardial valve repair system

An epicardial device for reducing or preventing regurgitation of blood through a tricuspid valve of a heart, said device comprising:

• a main body adapted to apply force to an epicardial surface of the heart;
• a member that applies counterforce to said force applied by said segment;
• and
• an adjuster that is operable to change the force applied by said segment;
• wherein said adjuster can be operated before or after anchoring of said device to the epicardial surface;
• and
• wherein said main body comprises two segments comprising rods that extend through opposite end portions of said main body and are joined together by an actuator configured so that said segments are drivable in opposite directions to one another, to increase or decrease a distance between ends of said main body.

An epicardial device for placement on an epicardial surface of a heart in order to reshape an annulus of a valve of the heart, the epicardial device comprising:

• a main body having a generally U-shape or C-shape when viewed from a top or bottom view, said main body including a lateral segment interconnecting an anterior segment and a posterior segment;
• a sleeve provided separately of said main body, said sleeve being configured and dimensioned to receive said anterior segment;
• and
• a pad provided separately of said main body, said pad comprising an engagement feature configured to engage with said posterior segment;
• wherein said main body is configured to be non-flexible relative to forces applied thereto by the heart;
• and
• wherein said engagement feature comprises a hook extending from a surface of said pad.

An epicardial device for reducing or preventing regurgitation of blood through a tricuspid valve of a heart, said device comprising:

• a main body having a segment adapted to apply force to an epicardial surface of the heart;
• a member that applies counterforce to said force applied by said segment;
• and
• an adjuster that is operable to change the force applied by said segment;
• wherein said adjuster can be operated before or after anchoring of said device to the epicardial surface;
• wherein said segment comprises a rigid structural rib contained within a pad;
• wherein said pad comprises a contact surface configured to apply said force to the epicardial surface;
• wherein said adjuster comprises a channel having stops formed therein;
• wherein a first set of said stops maintains said rib at a first predetermined distance from said contact surface;
• and
• wherein a second set of said stops maintains said rib at a second predetermined distance from said contact surface, said second predetermined distance being unequal to said first predetermined distance.