Apparatus and methods for removal of heart valve ligation clip

A clip removal apparatus for removing a tissue ligation clip that includes a pair of pivotably coupled tissue engaging elements, the apparatus comprising:

• an outer delivery sheath defining a lumen and terminating at a distal end;
• a shaft slidably disposed within the lumen of the outer delivery sheath;
• a wedge assembly including a tapered wedge member including a blunt tip, the wedge assembly including a delivery arrangement in which the tapered wedge member is positioned within a first lumen of the shaft and a deployed arrangement in which the tapered wedge member is positioned outside the first lumen, wherein the tapered wedge member is configured to be advanced between the tissue engaging elements of the tissue ligation clip to pivot open the tissue engaging elements to non-destructively remove the tissue ligation clip;
• a backstop assembly including a backstop member, the backstop assembly including a delivery arrangement in which the backstop member is positioned with a second lumen of the shaft a deployed arrangement in which the backstop member is positioned outside the second lumen with at least a portion of the backstop member disposed distal of a distal end of the tapered wedge member with the tapered wedge member and the backstop member in the deployed arrangement such that the backstop member is disposed distal of a distal end of the tissue ligation clip to capture the tissue ligation clip while the tapered wedge member is advanced between the tissue engaging elements of the tissue ligation clip,
• wherein the backstop assembly further includes a first support slidably positioned within the second lumen in the delivery arrangement, wherein in the deployed arrangement a distal end portion of the support is positioned outside of the second lumen and includes the backstop member, and
• wherein the first support includes a loop snare at the distal end portion.