Tissue fastening systems and methods utilizing magnetic guidance

1. A system for modifying an annulus of a heart valve to reduce regurgitation of blood through the valve, comprising:

a first catheter,

a first magnet coupled with said first catheter in such a manner that said first catheter is operative to deliver said first magnet adjacent to the annulus,

a second catheter having a body including a magnetic guiding portion and an anchor delivery portion in the form of a leg that extends outwardly from the body and is formed at an angle relative to the magnetic guiding portion which defines a distal end of the body;

a second magnet coupled with said second catheter and located within the magnetic guiding portion in such a manner that said second catheter is operative to deliver said second magnet adjacent to the annulus, and

a fastener delivery device coupled to the second catheter and configured to secure a first fastener to the annulus, wherein the respective first and second magnets coupled to the first and second catheters are positioned such that the first fastener can pass through the anchor delivery portion into the annulus while the first and second magnets are coupled to one another.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein said fastener delivery device comprises a steerable catheter portion so as to enable delivery of a fastener to a desired position.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein said fastener delivery device is inclined at predetermined angle relative to an axis of magnetic attraction between said first and second magnets.

4. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of fastener delivery devices coupled to at least one of said first and second catheters and configured to deliver respective fasteners at spaced apart locations along the annulus.

5. The system of claim 4 , further comprising the plurality of fasteners coupled together with at least one flexible tensile member such that said flexible tensile member is capable of drawing the fasteners together and thereby reducing the circumferential length of the annulus.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein said fastener delivery device further comprises a catheter portion, and further comprising:

an RF powered element extendable from within said catheter portion and operable to form an aperture in the annulus for insertion of the fastener.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of said first and second catheters is coupled with an inflatable member configured to stabilize said fastener delivery device adjacent the annulus.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein said fastener delivery device is a catheter portion, and further comprising:

said first fastener coupled with a flexible tensile member and received within said catheter portion, said first fastener and flexible tensile member deployable through said catheter portion.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein said first fastener further comprises a torsion spring member configured to expand after deployment from said catheter portion.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein said torsion spring member locks against said flexible tensile member upon deployment from said catheter portion.

11. The system of claim 8 , further comprising:

a second fastener coupled with said flexible tensile member, at least one of said first and second fasteners movable along and then lockable to said flexible tensile member thereby allowing a distance between said first and second fasteners to be shortened and locked resulting in a shortening of the circumferential length of the annulus.

12. A system for modifying an annulus of a heart valve, the system comprising:

a first catheter sized and configured to be received within the coronary sinus of a heart;

a first opening proximate a distal end of the first catheter, the first opening being configured to be positionable so as to confront a wall of the coronary sinus when disposed therein;

a second catheter sized and configured to be received within the left ventricle of the heart for positioning beneath the mitral valve annulus;

a second opening at a terminal end of the second catheter, the second opening being configured to be positionable so as to confront the mitral valve annulus when positioned beneath the mitral valve;

a tissue fastener carried by the first catheter; and

magnetic material carried by the distal end of each of the first and second catheters and adjacent to at least one of the first and second openings, the magnetic material sized and configured to magnetically couple the distal end of the first catheter to the distal end of the second catheter with the first and second openings in an alignment and the magnetic material is positioned such that the tissue fastener can pass between the distal ends of the first and second catheters through the first and second openings, wherein the magnetic material comprises a magnet formed of separable halves to allow removal of the magnet after the tissue fastener has been delivered.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the first catheter includes an elongated shaft having a first end, and a head carried at the first end in which the first opening is formed, the head including the magnetic material.

14. A method comprising:

providing a system as defined in claim 12 ;

deploying the first and second catheters;

magnetically coupling the distal end of the first catheter to the distal end of the second catheter; and

passing the tissue fastener between the distal ends of the first and second catheters.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

passing the tissue fastener through tissue disposed between the distal end of the first catheter and the distal end of the second catheter.

16. A system for modifying an annulus of a heart valve to reduce regurgitation of blood through the valve, comprising:

a first catheter sized and configured to be received within the coronary sinus of a heart and having a distal end;

a pair of first magnets coupled with said first catheter in such a manner that said first catheter is operative to deliver said first magnet adjacent to the annulus, wherein the pair of first magnets are arranged such that like magnetic poles of the magnets are facing one another;

a second catheter sized and configured to be received within the left ventricle of the heart for positioning beneath the mitral valve annulus, wherein the second catheter has a body including a magnetic guiding portion and an anchor delivery portion in the form of a leg that extends outwardly from the body and is formed at an angle relative to the magnetic guiding portion which defines a distal end of the body;

a second magnet coupled with said second catheter and located within the magnetic guiding portion in such a manner that said second catheter is operative to deliver said second magnet adjacent to the annulus, and

a fastener delivery device coupled to the second catheter and configured to secure a first fastener to the annulus, wherein the respective first pair of magnets and the second magnet coupled to the first and second catheters respectively are positioned such that the first fastener can pass through the anchor delivery portion into the annulus while the pair of first magnets and the second magnet are coupled to one another.