Tissue anchor for annuloplasty device

Abstract

A method is provided, including positioning a tissue anchor along an annulus of a patient's valve. The anchor includes a distal tissue coupling element including (1) a pointed tip to puncture tissue of the annulus, and (2) a longitudinal element extending proximally from the distal tissue coupling element and including an implant-restraining element at a proximal end of the longitudinal element. The tissue coupling element couples the anchor to the patient's tissue. The method includes restraining a valve-repair implant from separating from the annulus by the implant-restraining element, by, subsequently to the positioning of the anchor, facilitating movement between (1) the implant, and (2) the longitudinal element of the anchor, such that the implant-restraining element extends around at least a portion of the implant. The longitudinal element facilitates sliding between the implant and the tissue anchor. Other applications of the present invention are also described.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.