Methods, systems and devices for cardiac valve repair

Abstract

Disclosed are methods, systems, and devices for the endovascular repair of cardiac valves, particularly the atrioventricular valves which inhibit back flow of blood from a heart ventricle during contraction. The procedures described herein can be performed with interventional tools, guides and supporting catheters and other equipment introduced to the heart chambers from the patient's arterial or venous vasculature remote from the heart. The interventional tools and other equipment may be introduced percutaneously or may be introduced via a surgical cut down, and then advanced from the remote access site through the vasculature until they reach the heart.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A device for treating a heart valve, comprising:
 a first wedge-shaped element; and   an anchor coupled to the first wedge-shaped element and configured to secure the first wedge-shaped element to heart tissue;   wherein the first wedge-shaped element is configured to provide support to a lower surface of a first heart valve leaflet.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the first wedge-shaped element comprises a contoured shape configured to provide the support to the lower surface of the first heart valve leaflet. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the first wedge-shaped element is configured to be positioned below the first heart valve leaflet and a second heart valve leaflet. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the first wedge-shaped element has a size configured to shift a line of coaptation of the heart valve. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the first wedge-shaped element comprises an ungula-of-a-cylinder shape. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the first wedge-shaped element comprises a cone shape. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the first wedge-shaped element comprising a frustoconical shape. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a second wedge-shaped element. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein the second wedge-shaped element is configured to provide support to a lower surface of a second heart valve leaflet. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 9 , wherein the second wedge-shaped element comprises a contoured shape configured to provide the support to the lower surface of the second heart valve leaflet. 
     
     
         11 . A method for treating a heart valve, comprising:
 providing a device comprising
 a first wedge-shaped element, and 
 an anchor coupled to the first wedge-shaped element; 
   advancing the device to the heart valve through vasculature of a patient;   engaging the first wedge-shaped element with a bottom side of a first heart valve leaflet; and   securing the first wedge-shaped element to heart tissue to provide support to a lower surface of the first heart valve leaflet.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the first wedge-shaped element comprises a contoured shape configured to provide the support to the lower surface of the first heart valve leaflet. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein engaging the first wedge-shaped element with the bottom side of the first heart leaflet comprises providing support to a lower surface of the first heart leaflet. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising engaging the first wedge-shaped element with the bottom side of the second heart valve leaflet. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the device further comprises a second wedge-shaped element. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising engaging the second wedge-shaped element with a bottom side of a second heart valve leaflet. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising securing the second wedge-shaped element to heart tissue to provide support to a lower surface of the second heart valve leaflet. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , where the second wedge-shaped element comprises a contoured shape configured to provide the support to the lower surface of the second heart valve leaflet.