Atrioventricular valve repair using tension

A system for repairing an atrioventricular valve of a patient, the system comprising:

• first and second tissue-engaging elements, configured for implantation at first and second implantation sites of the patient, respectively;
• a first flexible longitudinal member, which is coupled at a first end portion thereof to the first tissue-engaging element, and which comprises an element selected from the group consisting of:
• a braided polyester suture and a plurality of wires that are intertwined to form a rope structure;
• a second flexible longitudinal member, which is coupled at a first end portion thereof to the second tissue-engaging element, and which comprises an element selected from the group consisting of:
• a braided polyester suture and a plurality of wires that are intertwined to form a rope structure;
• a first flexible-longitudinal-member-coupling element coupled to a second end portion of the first flexible longitudinal member, wherein the first and the second end portions of the first flexible longitudinal member are disposed at opposite longitudinal ends of the first flexible longitudinal member;
• a second flexible-longitudinal-member-coupling element coupled to a second end portion of the second flexible longitudinal member, wherein the first and the second end portions of the second flexible longitudinal member are disposed at opposite longitudinal ends of the second flexible longitudinal member;
• and
• wherein the first and the second flexible-longitudinal-member-coupling elements are configured to be couplable together during an implantation procedure to couple together the first and the second flexible longitudinal elements.

A method for repairing an atrioventricular valve of a patient, the method comprising:

• implanting, at a first implantation site of the patient, a first tissue-engaging element, to which a first end portion of a first flexible longitudinal member is coupled, wherein a first flexible-longitudinal-member-coupling element is coupled to a second end portion of the first flexible longitudinal element, wherein the first and the second end portions of the first flexible longitudinal member are disposed at opposite longitudinal ends of the first flexible longitudinal member, and wherein the first flexible longitudinal element comprises an element selected from the group consisting of:
• a braided polyester suture and a plurality of wires that are intertwined to form a rope structure;
• implanting, at a second implantation site of the patient, a second tissue-engaging element, to which a first end portion of a second flexible longitudinal member is coupled, wherein a second tissue-engaging element is coupled to a first end portion of the second flexible longitudinal member, where the first and the second end portions of the second flexible longitudinal member are disposed at opposite longitudinal ends of the second flexible longitudinal member, and wherein the second flexible longitudinal element comprises an element selected from the group consisting of:
• a braided polyester suture and a plurality of wires that are intertwined to form a rope structure;
• and
• coupling together the first and the second flexible-longitudinal-member-coupling elements in situ, thereby coupling together the first and the second flexible longitudinal elements.