Transvenous staples, assembly and method for mitral valve repair

An assembly for effecting mitral valve annulus geometry of a heart, the assembly comprising:

• an elongated catheter being placeable in the coronary sinus of the heart adjacent the mitral valve annulus;
• at least one staple carried within the catheter, the at least one staple including first and second leg portions, each leg portion terminating in a tissue piercing end, and a connection portion extending between the first and second leg portions, the connection portion having an initial stressed and distorted configuration to separate the first and second leg portions by a first distance when the tissue piercing ends pierce the mitral valve annulus and a final unstressed and undistorted configuration after the tissue piercing ends pierce the mitral valve annulus to separate the first and second leg portions by a second distance, the second distance being shorter than the first distance;
• and
• a tool that forces the at least one staple from the catheter to cause the tissue piercing ends of the first and second leg portions of the at least one staple to pierce the mitral valve annulus with the connection portion of the at least one staple in the initial configuration.

A method of effecting mitral valve annulus geometry of a heart, the method including the steps of:

• providing at least one staple including first and second leg portions, each leg portion terminating in a tissue piercing end, and a connection portion extending between the first and second leg portions, the connection portion having an initial stressed and distorted configuration to separate the first and second leg portions by a first distance when the tissue piercing ends pierce the mitral valve annulus and a final unstressed and undistorted configuration after the tissue piercing ends pierce the mitral valve annulus to separate the first and second leg portions by a second distance, the second distance being shorter than the first distance;
• placing the at least one staple into a catheter;
• locating the catheter in the coronary sinus of the heart so that the at least one staple is adjacent the mitral valve annulus;
• and
• releasing the at least one staple from the catheter to cause the tissue piercing ends of the first and second leg portions of the at least one staple to pierce the mitral valve annulus with the connection portion of the at least one staple in the initial configuration.

An assembly for effecting mitral valve annulus geometry of a heart, the assembly comprising:

• an elongated catheter being placeable in the coronary sinus of the heart adjacent the mitral valve annulus;
• at least one staple carried within the catheter, the at least one staple including first and second tissue piercing portions, each tissue piercing portion terminating in a tissue piercing end, and a connection portion extending between the first and second tissue piercing portions, the connection portion having an initial stressed and distorted configuration to separate the first and second tissue piercing portions by a first distance when the tissue piercing ends pierce the mitral valve annulus and a final unstressed and undistorted configuration after the tissue piercing ends pierce the mitral valve annulus to separate the first and second tissue piercing portions by a second distance, the second distance being shorter than the first distance;
• and
• a tool that forces the at least one staple from the catheter to cause the tissue piercing ends of the first and second tissue piercing portions of the at least one staple to pierce the mitral valve annulus with the connection portion of the at least one staple in the initial configuration.

An assembly for effecting tissue geometry of an organ, the assembly comprising:

• an elongated catheter being placeable in a vessel of the body adjacent the tissue to be effected;
• at least one staple carried within the catheter, the at least one staple including first and second leg portions, each leg portion terminating in a tissue piercing end, and a connection portion extending between the first and second leg portions, the connection portion having an initial stressed and distorted configuration to separate the first and second leg portions by a first distance when the tissue piercing ends pierce the tissue and a final unstressed and undistorted configuration after the tissue piercing ends pierce the tissue to separate the first and second leg portions by a second distance, the second distance being shorter than the first distance;
• and
• a tool that forces the at least one staple from the catheter to cause the tissue piercing ends of the first and second leg portions of the at least one staple to pierce the tissue with the connection portion of the at least one staple in the initial configuration.

A method of effecting tissue geometry of an organ, the method including the steps of:

• providing at least one staple including first and second tissue piercing portions, each tissue piercing portion terminating in a tissue piercing end, and a connection portion extending between the first and second tissue piercing portions, the connection portion having an initial stressed and distorted configuration to separate the first and second tissue piercing portions by a first distance when the tissue piercing ends pierce the tissue and a final unstressed and undistorted configuration after the tissue piercing ends pierce the tissue to separate the first and second tissue piercing portions by a second distance, the second distance being shorter than the first distance;
• placing the at least one staple into a catheter;
• locating the catheter in a vessel of the body so that the at least one staple is adjacent the tissue to be effected;
• and
• releasing the at least one staple from the catheter to cause the tissue piercing ends of the first and second tissue piercing portions of the at least one staple to pierce the tissue to be effected with the connection portion of the at least one staple in the initial configuration.