Device for heart repair

Abstract

A catheter device for repair of the heart by implanting an artificial chordae line, a method of use of a catheter device for repair of the heart by implanting an artificial chordae line, and a method of manufacture of a catheter device for repair of the heart by implanting an artificial chordae line are described. A catheter device (102) for repair of the heart by implanting an artificial chordae line (114), the catheter device (102) comprising: a housing section extending from a distal end of the catheter device along the length of the catheter device toward a proximal end of the catheter device; a leaflet anchor (110) for placement in a leaflet (12) of a heart valve, wherein the leaflet anchor (110) is arranged to be coupled to the artificial chordae line (114); and a leaflet anchor deployment mechanism for deploying the leaflet anchor (110) to attach it to the leaflet (12) of the heart, wherein the leaflet anchor deployment mechanism comprises a mechanical gripper device (106) for grasping the leaflet (12) of the heart valve, and a leaflet anchor tube (138) for housing the leaflet anchor (110) in a folded configuration; the gripper device (106) and leaflet anchor (110) being arranged such that when, in use, the gripper device (106) grasps the leaflet (12), the leaflet anchor (110) can be pushed out of a leaflet anchor tube (138) to pierce the leaflet (12) and form the leaflet anchor (110) into an unfolded configuration so that hooked formations of the leaflet anchor (110) can, in use, secure the leaflet anchor (110) in the leaflet (12); wherein the mechanical gripper device (106) includes a gripper arm (130) rotatably coupled to a main body of the catheter device (102) so that the gripper arm (130) can rotate relative to the catheter device (102) to move an outer end of the gripper arm (130) away from the main body of the catheter device (102); and wherein the leaflet anchor tube (138) is arranged to implant the leaflet anchor (110) in the leaflet (12) of the heart by piercing the leaflet (12) from an atrial side of the leaflet (12).

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.