Methods and devices for papillary suturing

A minimally invasive method for suturing papillary muscles, comprising:

• drawing a suture through a first papillary muscle using a needle;
• drawing the suture through a second papillary muscle;
• wrapping a bendable catheter at least partially around the first papillary muscle;
• engaging a distal end of the bendable catheter with a proximal portion of the bendable catheter while the bendable catheter is at least partially wrapped around the first papillary muscle;
• aligning a suture capture portion of the suture with a first side of the first papillary muscle;
• extending the needle through a second side of the first papillary muscle into engagement with the suture capture portion;
• retracting the needle through the first papillary muscle to draw the suture capture portion through the first papillary muscle;
• and
• tightening the suture to move at least one of the first papillary muscle and the second papillary muscle towards the other of the first papillary muscle and the second papillary muscle,
• wherein aligning the suture capture portion of the suture with the first side of the first papillary muscle comprises aligning a first opening of the bendable catheter with the first side of the first papillary muscle, the first opening of the bendable catheter holding the suture capture portion, and
• wherein extending the needle through a second side of the first papillary muscle into engagement with the suture capture portion comprises advancing the needle from a second opening of the bendable catheter, the second opening being aligned with the second side of the first papillary muscle.