TECHNIQUES FOR SECURING PROSTHETIC VALVES USING HELICAL ANCHORS
A distal portion of a catheter is transluminally advanced to a heart of a subject. Via an atrium of the heart, a ventricular anchor-helix is transluminally advanced out of the distal portion of the catheter to a ventricular site in a ventricle of the heart. An atrial anchor-helix is transluminally advanced out of the distal portion of the catheter to an atrial site. A prosthetic valve, in a compressed state thereof, is transluminally delivered to a mitral valve of the heart. The prosthetic valve is expanded at the mitral valve and held in place using the ventricular anchor-helix and the atrial anchor-helix, such that an upstream portion of the prosthetic valve is disposed in the atrium, and a downstream portion of the prosthetic valve is disposed in the ventricle. Other embodiments are also described.
1 - 45 . (canceled)
46 . A method for use at a mitral valve disposed between an atrium and a ventricle of a heart of a subject, the method comprising:
transluminally advancing a distal portion of a catheter to the heart;
transluminally advancing, via the atrium, a ventricular anchor-helix out of the distal portion of the catheter to a ventricular site;
transluminally advancing an atrial anchor-helix out of the distal portion of the catheter to an atrial site;
transluminally delivering, to the mitral valve, a prosthetic valve in a compressed state thereof; and
expanding the prosthetic valve at the mitral valve and holding the prosthetic valve in place using the ventricular anchor-helix and the atrial anchor-helix, such that an upstream portion of the prosthetic valve is disposed in the atrium, and a downstream portion of the prosthetic valve is disposed in the ventricle.
47 . The method according to claim 46 , wherein transluminally advancing the atrial anchor-helix out of the distal portion of the catheter to the atrial site comprises using a tool, extended out of the distal end of the catheter, to transluminally advance the atrial anchor-helix to the atrial site.
48 . The method according to claim 47 , further comprising guiding the tool within the heart by sliding the tool over and along an elongated flexible member.
49 . The method according to claim 46 , wherein delivering the prosthetic valve comprises delivering the prosthetic valve subsequently to advancing the ventricular anchor-helix to the ventricular site.
50 . The method according to claim 46 , wherein advancing the atrial anchor-helix to the atrial site comprises advancing the atrial anchor-helix to the atrial site subsequently to delivering the prosthetic valve.