Mitral valve leaflet clip

Abstract

A clip used to repair the tissue of a heart valve leaflet may include a shaft having a barb and a plurality of legs connected to the shaft. The plurality of legs may extend away from the barb in a first condition, and may extend towards the barb in a use condition. The clips may be delivered to the heart valve leaflet and applied to the same in a minimally invasive procedure using a transcatheter device. The device may be used to apply a single clip to the leaflet tissue or multiple clips.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A system for attaching a clip to tissue of a heart valve leaflet, comprising:
 a catheter assembly extending in a longitudinal direction, the catheter assembly including
 an outer tube having a proximal end and a distal end; 
 a plurality of containment tubes assembled in the outer tube, each of the containment tubes being slidable between a retracted position and an extended position; and 
 a grasping member slidably disposed in each of the containment tubes and operable to grasp the leaflet tissue; and 
   a clip contained in the outer tube for attachment to the leaflet tissue, the clip being restrained in the outer tube in an at least partially open condition and being biased to a use condition upon deployment from the outer tube.   
     
     
         3 . The system as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein each of the grasping members is a wire formed from a shape memory material. 
     
     
         4 . The system as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein, for each of the containment tubes, the grasping member is slidable between a first position retracted within the containment tube and a second position extended from the containment tube, a distal portion of the grasping member changing from a substantially linear shape to a hook shape upon extension of the grasping member from the containment tube. 
     
     
         5 . The system as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the outer tube is formed from an echogenic material. 
     
     
         6 . The system as claimed in  claim 2 , further comprising a handle at the proximal end of the outer tube, the handle including an actuator for controlling sliding movement of the containment tubes and the grasping members. 
     
     
         7 . The system as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the actuator includes a first portion operatively connected to at least one of the containment tubes for controlling sliding movement of the containment tube, and a second portion operatively connected to the grasping member disposed in the at least one containment tube for controlling sliding movement of the grasping member, the second portion of the actuator being slidable relative to the first portion of the actuator. 
     
     
         8 . The system as claimed in  claim 2 , further comprising a retaining arm disposed in the outer tube for restraining the clip in the at least partially open condition. 
     
     
         9 . A system for attaching a clip to tissue of a heart valve leaflet, comprising:
 a catheter assembly extending in a longitudinal direction, the catheter assembly including
 an outer tube having a proximal end and a distal end; 
 a containment tube slidable in the outer tube between a retracted position and an extended position; and 
 a plurality of grasping members slidably disposed in the containment tube and operable to grasp the leaflet tissue; and 
   a clip contained in the outer tube for attachment to the leaflet tissue, the clip being restrained in the outer tube in an at least partially open condition and being biased to a use condition upon deployment from the outer tube.   
     
     
         10 . The system as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein each of the grasping members is a wire formed from a shape memory material. 
     
     
         11 . The system as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein each of the grasping members is slidable between a first position retracted with the containment tube and a second position extended from the containment tube, a distal portion of each of the grasping members changing from a substantially linear shape to a hook shape upon extension of the grasping member from the containment tube. 
     
     
         12 . The system as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the outer tube is formed from an echogenic material. 
     
     
         13 . The system as claimed in  claim 9 , further comprising a handle at the proximal end of the outer tube, the handle including an actuator for controlling sliding movement of the containment tube and the grasping members. 
     
     
         14 . The system as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the actuator includes a first portion operatively connected to the containment tube for controlling sliding movement of the containment tube, and a second portion operatively connected to at least one of the grasping members for controlling sliding movement of the grasping member, the second portion of the actuator being slidable relative to the first portion of the actuator. 
     
     
         15 . The system as claimed in  claim 9 , further comprising a retaining arm disposed in the outer tube for retaining the clip in the at least partially open condition. 
     
     
         16 . A clip for attachment to tissue of a heart valve leaflet, comprising:
 a shaft having a first end, a second end, a connection point located between the first end and the second end, a first shaft section between the first end and the connection point and a second shaft section between the second end and the connection point;   a sharpened tip on the first end of the shaft; and   a plurality of legs, each leg having one end connected to the shaft at the connection point and a free end, the legs having a first condition in which the free ends of the legs point away from the first end of the shaft and define a cone surrounding the second portion of the shaft, and the legs having a second condition in which the free ends of the legs point away from the second end of the shaft and define a cone around the first portion of the shaft, the legs being biased from the first condition to the second condition.   
     
     
         17 . The clip as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of legs in the first condition are evenly spaced around the second portion of the shaft. 
     
     
         18 . The clip as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein in the first condition the second portion of the shaft is equally spaced from the free end of each of the plurality of legs. 
     
     
         19 . The clip as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of legs in the second condition are arranged equally on either side of the first portion of the shaft.