Method and apparatus for performing catheter-based annuloplasty using local plications

An anchor delivery catheter for performing catheter-based annuloplasty by delivering anchors to heart tissue, the anchor delivery catheter comprising:

• a distal catheter portion adapted to be received into a chamber of a heart, said distal catheter portion including a distal tip and at least one sidewall defining a lumen along the catheter;
• an opening in said sidewall of said distal catheter portion and spaced proximally from said distal tip, said opening communicating with said lumen to facilitate the delivery of anchors through said lumen and said opening to heart tissue;
• anchor delivery structure disposed in said lumen;
• at least first and second anchors releasably and serially supported on said anchor delivery structure and adapted to anchor to the heart tissue, wherein each anchor includes a rigid member at a distal end thereof and each rigid member is at least partially disposed along said anchor delivery structure, wherein the anchor delivery structure extends through each of the rigid members of the first and second anchors, the rigid members being supported in series along the anchor delivery structure;
• and
• at least first and second elongate tensile members each having a free proximal end, and each elongate tensile member having a distal end operatively coupled to a respective rigid member of the at first and second anchors, the at least first and second elongate tensile members extending independently and alongside one another and proximally the respective rigid members;
• said anchor delivery structure being movable relative to the distal catheter portion in the chamber of the heart from a first position wherein said first anchor is disposed within said lumen, to a second position wherein said first anchor is moved through said opening to engage the heart tissue, and to a third position wherein said first anchor is separated from said anchor delivery structure and remains engaged with the heart tissue while said elongate tensile members extend alongside one another proximally to a location that is accessible exteriorly of a patient.