Methods and apparatus for cardiac valve repair

A system for permanently implanting a fastener for reducing regurgitation of a cardiac valve in a patient's body, the valve having a plurality of movable leaflets, the leaflets having a superior surface on a first side and an inferior surface on an opposing side, the system comprising:

• a catheter shaft having a proximal end and a distal end;
• and
• a permanently implantable fastener removably connected to the catheter shaft and including
• a pair of articulating arms coupled together and forming an angle therebetween, the articulating arms movable from an open position in which portions of the articulating arms are spaced apart with a first angle therebetween, to a closed position in which the portions of the articulating arms are closer together with a second angle therebetween less than the first angle, and to positions between the open position and the closed position, the pair of articulating arms being configured to engage the inferior surfaces of the leaflets;
• a control mechanism operatively coupled to the articulating arms and adapted to open and close the pair of articulating arms, wherein the pair of articulating arms can be closed thereby reducing the angle therebetween, to engage the leaflets and thereafter be opened to allow release of the leaflets;
• a central member coupled to the pair of articulating arms and removably coupled to the catheter shaft near the distal end, the catheter shaft adapted for delivering the pair of articulating arms into a heart and detaching from the central member once the articulating arms are engaged with the leaflets, the central member and articulating arms being left in the patient's body while maintaining the leaflets in the coapted configuration after the catheter shaft has been removed from the patient's body;
• and
• a pair of superior elements movably coupled to the catheter shaft near the distal end thereof, the superior elements comprising a radially adjustable loop, the loop including an extender element, wherein actuation of the extender element or the catheter shaft radially adjusts the loop and, wherein the pair of superior elements are configured to engage the superior surfaces of the leaflets, the superior elements cooperating with the articulating arms to capture and pinch the valve leaflets therebetween thereby affixing the fastener to the valve leaflets, and
• wherein the pair of articulating arms are moved independently of the pair of superior elements.