Heart valve sealing devices and delivery devices therefor

1. A mitral valve repair system comprising:

a delivery sheath;

a mitral valve repair device comprising;

a coaption portion;

a pair of paddles connected to the coaption portion; and

a pair of gripping members, each having a fixed arm fixed to one of the paddles and a movable arm connected to the fixed arm such that each gripping member has an open end and a closed end;

wherein the mitral valve repair device is disposed in the delivery sheath in an extended condition where:

the pair of paddles extend distally away from the coaption portion; wherein the gripping members are in a closed condition such that the closed end of each gripping member faces toward the coaption portion and the open end of each gripping member faces from away the coaption portion while the mitral valve repair device is in the extended condition in the delivery sheath.

2. The mitral valve repair system of claim 1 wherein the pair of paddles comprises a pair of inner paddles connected to the coaption element, and a pair of outer paddles connected to the pair of inner paddles.

3. The mitral valve repair system of claim 2 wherein the aripping members are attached to the inner paddles.

4. The mitral valve repair system of claim 2 wherein the pair of outer paddles are spaced apart from a distal end of the coaption element by the pair of inner paddles when the mitral valve repair device is in the extended condition.

5. The mitral valve repair system of claim 2 wherein the pair of inner paddles extend away from a distal end of the coaption element when the mitral valve repair device is in the extended condition.

6. The mitral valve repair system of claim 2 wherein the pair of inner paddles become disposed alongside the coaption element when the mitral valve repair device is moved from the extended condition to a closed condition.

7. The mitral valve repair system of claim 6 wherein the gripping members are disposed between the inner paddles and the coaption element when the mitral valve repair device is in the closed condition.

8. The mitral valve repair system of claim 1 wherein the mitral valve repair device is configured to be moved out of the delivery shaft into a left atrium of a human heart in the extended condition.

9. A mitral valve repair system comprising:

a delivery sheath;

a mitral valve repair device disposed in the delivery sheath in an extended condition; wherein the mitral valve repair device comprises a coaption element, a pair of paddles connected to the coaption element, and a pair of gripping members connected to the pair of paddles;

wherein each gripping member has a fixed arm fixed to one of the paddles and a movable arm connected to the fixed arm such that each gripping member has an open end and a closed end;

wherein the pair of paddles extend away from a distal end of the coaption element when the mitral valve repair device is in the extended condition;

wherein the gripping members are in a closed condition such that the closed end of each gripping member faces toward the coaption portion and the open end of each gripping member faces away from the coaption portion while the mitral valve repair device is in the extended condition in the delivery sheath.

10. The mitral valve repair system of claim 9 wherein the gripping members remain in the closed condition while the mitral valve repair device is closed from the extended condition to a closed condition.

11. The mitral valve repair system of claim 9 wherein the pair of paddles comprises a pair of inner paddles connected to the coaption element, and a pair of outer paddles connected to the pair of inner paddles.

12. The mitral valve repair system of claim 11 wherein the gripping members are attached to the inner paddles.

13. The mitral valve repair system of claim 11 wherein the pair of outer paddles are spaced apart from a distal end of the coaption element by the pair of inner paddles when the mitral valve repair device is in the extended condition.

14. The mitral valve repair system of claim 11 wherein the pair of inner paddles extend away from a distal end of the coaption element when the mitral valve repair device is in the extended condition.

15. The mitral valve repair system of claim 11 wherein the pair of inner paddles become disposed alongside the coaption element when the mitral valve repair device is moved from the extended condition to a closed condition.

16. The mitral valve repair system of claim 15 wherein the gripping members are disposed between the inner paddles and the coaption element when the mitral valve repair device is in the closed condition.

17. A mitral valve repair system comprising:

a delivery sheath;

a mitral valve repair device disposed in the delivery sheath in an extended condition;

wherein the mitral valve repair device comprises a coaption element, a pair of inner paddles connected to the coaption element, a pair of outer paddles connected to the pair of inner paddles, and a pair of gripping members connected to the pair of inner paddles;

wherein each gripping member has a fixed arm fixed to one of the paddles and a movable arm connected to the fixed arm such that each gripping member has an open end and a closed end;

wherein the pair of inner paddles extend away from a distal end of the coaption element and the pair of outer paddles extend away from the pair of outer paddles and the coaption element when the mitral valve repair device is in the extended condition;

wherein the gripping members are in a closed condition such that the closed end of each gripping member faces toward the coaption portion and the open end of each gripping member faces away from the coaption portion while the mitral valve repair device is in the extended condition in the delivery sheath.

18. The mitral valve repair system of claim 17 wherein the gripping members remain in the closed condition while the mitral valve repair device is closed from the extended condition to a closed condition.

19. The mitral valve repair system of claim 17 wherein the pair of inner paddles become disposed alongside the coaption element when the mitral valve repair device is moved from the extended condition to a closed condition.

20. The mitral valve repair system of claim 19 wherein the gripping members are disposed between the inner paddles and the coaption element when the mitral valve repair device is in the closed condition.

21. A mitral valve repair system comprising:

a delivery sheath;

a mitral valve repair device comprising;

a pair of paddles; and

a pair of gripping members, each having a fixed arm fixed to one of the paddles and a movable arm connected to the fixed arm such that each e4asp gripping member has an open end and a closed end;

wherein the mitral valve repair device is disposed in the delivery sheath in an extended condition where:

the pair of paddles extend distally; and

the gripping members are in a closed condition such that the closed end of each tripping member faces proximally and the open end of each gripping member faces distally.

22. The mitral valve repair system of claim 21 wherein the pair of paddles comprises a pair of inner paddles, and a pair of outer paddles connected to the pair of inner paddles.

23. The mitral valve repair system of claim 22 wherein the gripping members are attached to the inner paddles.

24. The mitral valve repair system of claim 23 wherein the gripping members are disposed between the inner paddles when the mitral valve repair device is in the closed condition and the gripping members are disposed outside the inner paddles when the mitral valve repair device is in the extended condition.

25. The mitral valve repair system of claim 21 wherein the mitral valve repair device is configured to be moved out of the delivery shaft into a left atrium of a human heart in the extended condition.