Leaflet-restraining techniques

Apparatus for use with a heart of a subject, the apparatus comprising:

• a catheter, transluminally advanceable to the heart;
• an implant, comprising:
• a flexible tubular member comprising a wall that defines a lumen, and
• a linking member that extends, outside of the tubular member, from a first linking site of the tubular member to a second linking site of the tubular member,
• the implant having:
• a delivery state in which (1) the implant is slidable through at least part of the catheter, (2) the flexible tubular member is coaxial with the catheter, and (3) at least a portion of the linking member is disposed alongside the tubular member, and
• an implanted state in which (1) a first distance between the first linking site and the second linking site, measured along the tubular member, is greater than a second distance between the first linking site and the second linking site, measured along the linking member, (2) the linking member has a mid-portion disposed outside of the tubular member between the first linking site and the second linking site, and (3) the mid-portion is not in contact with the wall of the tubular member for at least 0.5 cm of the linking member;
• a plurality of tissue anchors, slidable within the lumen;
• and
• at least one anchor driver, slidable within the catheter and within the lumen, and configured to drive the tissue anchors through the wall and into tissue of the heart.