Cardiac tissue anchoring devices, methods, and systems for treatment of congestive heart failure and other conditions

1. A heart tissue gripping device comprising:

a body portion that is grippable by a user to allow the user to control the device such that one or more components of the device are insertable through an incision in a body to position the one or more components adjacent a surface of the heart;

an elongate shaft having a proximal end coupled with the body portion and a distal end;

a tissue gripping member that is fixedly coupled to the distal end of the elongate shaft so that the tissue gripping member is fixed in position relative to the distal end of the elongate shaft, the tissue gripping member having a main body and a lumen extending coaxially through the main body from a proximal most end of the main body to a distal most end of the main body, the tissue gripping member being insertable through the incision in the body so that the entire tissue gripping member is positionable within the body and against the heart surface when the tissue gripping member is inserted through the incision, the tissue gripping member being configured to releasably attach to tissue of the heart surface, wherein the distal end of the elongate shaft is attached to and extends laterally from a sidewall of the main body between the distal most end and the proximal most end of the main body such that the elongate shaft extends off-axis from the lumen of the tissue gripping member and such that when the tissue gripping member is inserted within the incision, the proximal most end of the main body is disposed within the body so as to be exposed to the surrounding environment within the body while the distal most end of the main body is positioned against the heart surface; and

a coupling feature for releasably attaching a catheter device and/or tissue penetrating device to the tissue gripping member to allow said device to access the tissue of the heart surface;

wherein the proximal end of the elongate shaft is directly coupled to the body portion such that when the entire tissue gripping member is positioned within the body and against the heart surface, at least a portion of the elongate shaft is configured to remain outside the incision in the body.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the elongate shaft is directly coupled to the body portion so that as the user manipulates the body portion outside the incision in the body, the elongate shaft maneuvers the tissue gripping member and controls the motion and movement of the tissue gripping member, and wherein the elongate shaft is malleable such that the tissue gripping member is insertable through the incision and positionable adjacent the heart surface with the tissue gripping member substantially offset from an axis of the elongate shaft, and wherein the elongate shaft is sufficiently rigid so as to resist bending as the tissue gripping member is inserted and positioned maneuvered within the body.

3. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a fastening component that is configured to releasably fasten with a tension member that is inserted through a wall of the heart to allow the tissue gripping member to be removed from the body while providing hemostasis to the heart wall.

4. The device of claim 3 , wherein the fastening component is a wire noose that is cinchable around the tension member by tensioning the wire noose.

5. The device of claim 4 , wherein the tissue gripping member comprises an annular channel formed on an exterior surface that is configured to receive the wire noose to allow the wire noose to be releasably coupled with the tissue gripping member.

6. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a second shaft having a proximal end coupled with the body portion and a distal end coupled with a cannular member, the cannular member having a lumen through which one or more devices are insertable, the second shaft being malleable to allow the cannular member to be coaxially aligned with and positioned above the tissue gripping member while the tissue gripping member is attached to the heart surface and while the cannular member is positioned outside the body.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the tissue gripping member is switchable between an on-state in which the tissue gripping member attaches with the heart tissue and an off-state in which the gripping member detaches from the heart tissue.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the coupling feature comprises a threaded central lumen of the tissue gripping member.