Transcatheter system and method for reducing tricuspid regurgitation

A method of treating tricuspid valve regurgitation in a patient's heart, comprising:

• having a cerclage filament;
• having a sleeve tube comprising;
• (a) a main segment;
• (b) a coronary sinus leg;
• (c) a tricuspid valve leg;
• (d) a spacer body mounted on the tricuspid valve leg;
• wherein the tricuspid valve leg is longer than the coronary sinus leg;
• wherein the main segment is longer than the tricuspid valve leg and longer than the coronary sinus leg;
• making a vascular entry site into an entry vein;
• inserting the cerclage filament through the vascular entry site and entry vein, and further into the patient's heart such that it takes a path into a right atrium, through a coronary sinus, through a great cardiac vein, out into a right ventricle, through a tricuspid valve, back into the right atrium, back through the entry vein, and exit back out of the vascular entry site;
• sliding the sleeve tube onto the cerclage filament;
• advancing the sleeve tube towards the patient's right atrium;
• positioning the spacer body between leaflets of the patient's tricuspid valve;
• creating a locked cerclage loop by fastening together an entry segment of the cerclage filament to an opposing return segment of the cerclage filament, wherein the fastening together occurs at a location outside the right atrium
• wherein the entry vein is a femoral vein and the cerclage filament passes through an inferior vena cava of the patient;
• wherein the fastening together occurs at a location in the inferior vena cava at a position superior to a renal vein of the patient;
• and
• wherein a proximal end of the sleeve tube terminates at a location in the inferior vena cava at a position superior to a renal vein of the patient.