Apparatus and method for heart valve repair

1. A transcatheter method of gathering tissue of a heart valve leaflet, the method comprising:

inserting an elongated catheter assembly to a position adjacent the heart valve leaflet, the catheter assembly including a capture tool moveable between a retracted position and an extended position, a tissue support, and a clamping member moveable between an open position spaced from the tissue support and a closed position adjacent the tissue support;

moving the capture tool from the retracted position to the extended position;

moving the clamping member from an initial position to the open position adjacent the heart valve leaflet;

manipulating the catheter assembly so that tissue of the heart valve leaflet is positioned between the tissue support and the clamping member;

partially retracting the capture tool from the extended position toward the retracted position to gather an additional amount of tissue of the heart valve leaflet between the tissue support and the clamping member;

moving the clamping member from the open position toward the closed position so as to clamp a substantial portion of the gathered tissue of the heart valve leaflet between the tissue support and the clamping member, the clamped tissue having a gathered configuration; and

applying a clip from the catheter assembly to the clamped tissue so as to hold the clamped tissue substantially in the gathered configuration,

wherein the gathered configuration includes a W-shaped pleat.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein a distal end of the capture tool has a hook shape.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the capture tool extends in a longitudinal direction, and a distal end of the capture tool includes an arm extending in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction, the arm having a serrated edge.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the capture tool includes a grasping wire slideably disposed in a containment tube, the method further comprising sliding a distal portion of the grasping wire out from the containment tube so that the distal portion of the grasping wire changes from a linear shape to a hook shape.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the grasping wire is made from a memory metal material.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein a distal portion of the clamping member has a fork shape.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the catheter assembly extends in a longitudinal direction, and the tissue support includes first and second bodies spaced apart in the longitudinal direction.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the catheter assembly further includes a retaining arm moveable between a distal position for retaining the clip and a proximal position for releasing the clip, and the step of applying the clip includes moving the retaining arm from the distal position to the proximal position, whereby the clip is released for application to the clamped tissue.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the clip is biased from an open condition to a clamping condition and the retaining arm holds the clip in the open condition, and the step of moving the retaining arm from the distal position to the proximal position releases the clip for movement to the clamping condition.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the catheter assembly further includes an operating handle having a first actuating member moveable in opposite longitudinal directions, and the step of moving the capture tool from the retracted position to the extended position includes moving the first actuating member in a first one of the longitudinal directions.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the step of partially retracting the capture tool includes moving the first actuating member in a second one of the longitudinal directions opposite the first longitudinal direction.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the operating handle includes a second actuating member moveable in the opposite longitudinal directions, and the step of moving the clamping member from the initial position to the open position includes moving the second actuating member in the first longitudinal direction.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the step of moving the clamping member from the open position toward the closed position includes moving the second actuating member further in the first longitudinal direction.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the operating handle includes a third actuating member moveable in a direction transverse to the longitudinal directions, and the step of applying the clip includes moving the third actuating member in the direction transverse to the longitudinal directions.

15. A transcatheter method of gathering tissue of a heart valve leaflet, the method comprising:

inserting an elongated catheter assembly to a position adjacent the heart valve leaflet, the catheter assembly including a capture tool moveable between a retracted position and an extended position, a tissue support, and a clamping member moveable between an open position spaced from the tissue support and a closed position adjacent the tissue support;

moving the capture tool from the retracted position to the extended position;

moving the clamping member from an initial position to the open position adjacent the heart valve leaflet;

manipulating the catheter assembly so that tissue of the heart valve leaflet is positioned between the tissue support and the clamping member;

partially retracting the capture tool from the extended position toward the retracted position to gather an additional amount of tissue of the heart valve leaflet between the tissue support and the clamping member;

moving the clamping member from the open position toward the closed position so as to clamp a substantial portion of the gathered tissue of the heart valve leaflet between the tissue support and the clamping member, the clamped tissue having a gathered configuration; and

applying a clip from the catheter assembly to the clamped tissue so as to hold the clamped tissue substantially in the gathered configuration,

wherein the catheter assembly extends in a longitudinal direction, and the step of moving the clamping member from the initial position to the open position includes moving a distal portion of the clamping member distally in the longitudinal direction and laterally away from the tissue support in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the step of moving the clamping member from the open position toward the closed position includes moving the distal portion of the clamping member further distally in the longitudinal direction and laterally toward the tissue support in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the step of moving the clamping member from the initial position to the open position includes sliding a first cam surface of the clamping member against a guide surface fixed relative to the catheter assembly to cause the distal portion of the clamping member to move laterally away from the tissue support, and the step of moving the clamping member from the open position toward the closed position includes sliding a second cam surface of the clamping member against the guide surface to cause the distal portion of the clamping member to move laterally toward the tissue support.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the gathered configuration includes a W-shaped pleat.

19. A transcatheter method of gathering tissue of a heart valve leaflet, the method comprising:

inserting an elongated catheter assembly to a position adjacent the heart valve leaflet, the catheter assembly including a capture tool moveable between a retracted position and an extended position, a tissue support, and a clamping member moveable between an open position spaced from the tissue support and a closed position adjacent the tissue support;

moving the capture tool from the retracted position to the extended position;

moving the clamping member from an initial position to the open position adjacent the heart valve leaflet;

manipulating the catheter assembly so that tissue of the heart valve leaflet is positioned between the tissue support and the clamping member;

partially retracting the capture tool from the extended position toward the retracted position to gather an additional amount of tissue of the heart valve leaflet between the tissue support and the clamping member;

moving the clamping member from the open position toward the closed position so as to clamp a substantial portion of the gathered tissue of the heart valve leaflet between the tissue support and the clamping member, the clamped tissue having a gathered configuration; and

applying a clip from the catheter assembly to the clamped tissue so as to hold the clamped tissue substantially in the gathered configuration,

wherein the catheter assembly further includes an operating handle having a first actuating member moveable in opposite longitudinal directions, and the step of moving the capture tool from the retracted position to the extended position includes moving the first actuating member in a first one of the longitudinal directions, and

wherein the capture tool includes a grasping wire slidably disposed in a containment tube, the first actuating member has first and second portions that are moveable relative to one another in the longitudinal directions, and the step of moving the capture tool from the retracted position to the extended position further includes moving the second portion relative to the first portion to slide a distal portion of the grasping wire out from the containment tube so that the distal portion of the grasping wire changes from a linear shape to a hook shape.