Method and apparatus for repairing or replacing chordae tendinae

1. A method of performing mitral valve chordal repair on a patient while the patient's heart is beating, the method comprising:

making an incision in a ventricular wall of the patient;

inserting a catheter through the incision into a left ventricle of the patient;

navigating a distal end of the catheter to a mitral valve leaflet of the patient, the catheter containing at least one filament, the filament having a first end and a second end;

passing the first end of the filament through an eyelet of a first attachment point at the mitral valve leaflet, the eyelet being sized to allow the filament to move relative to the eyelet;

navigating the distal end of the catheter to a position at or near a papillary muscle, the position being at or near a second attachment point on the papillary muscle;

passing the first end of the filament through the second attachment point;

adjusting the length of the filament by adjusting tension of the filament in the catheter;

passing the first end of the filament through a securing device;

securing the first end of the filament to another portion of the filament within the left ventricle using the securing device to form a filament loop entirely within the left ventricle;

removing excess material from the filament loop; and

withdrawing the catheter from the left ventricle.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of adjusting the length of the filament further comprises passing the first end of the filament into the catheter to facilitate manual adjustment of tension of the filament in the catheter.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second attachment point comprises a moveable stitch.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the securing device comprises a zip-tie device.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein adjusting the length of the filament by adjusting tension of the filament in the catheter comprises changing the length of the filament between the first and second attachment points, the filament being movable relative to both of the first and second attachment points.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the incision is made at or near the apex of the heart.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the act of securing the first end of the filament to another portion of the filament within the left ventricle using the securing device comprises delivering the securing device through the catheter and securing the securing device to the first end of the filament and the another portion of the filament.

8. A method of performing mitral valve chordal repair on a patient while the patient's heart is beating, the method comprising:

making an incision in a ventricular wall of the patient;

inserting an introducer sheath through the incision to provide access to a left ventricle of the patient;

delivering a catheter through the introducer sheath to a vicinity of a papillary muscle of the patient and attaching a first anchor device to the papillary muscle of the patient, the first anchor device comprising an eyelet for receiving a filament;

moving the catheter to a vicinity of a mitral valve leaflet of the patient and attaching a second anchor device to the mitral valve leaflet of the patient, the second anchor device comprising an eyelet for receiving the filament;

forming a filament loop between the first and second anchor devices by passing a first end of the filament out of the catheter and through the eyelet of the first anchor device and the eyelet of the second anchor device;

passing the first end of the filament back into the catheter after forming the filament loop;

adjusting the length of the filament between the first and second anchor devices by adjusting the tension of the filament in the catheter;

passing the first end of the filament through a securing device;

fixing the length of the filament between the first and second anchor devices by attaching the securing device to the filament within the left ventricle to form the filament loop entirely within the left ventricle; and

withdrawing the catheter from the left ventricle.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the securing device comprises a clip secured to the filament at the first anchor device.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the securing device comprises a weld, the weld securing the filament to itself at a point along the filament loop.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein passing the first end of the filament through the eyelet of the second anchor device results in a portion of the filament extending between the eyelets of the first and second anchor devices.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the adjusting the length of the filament comprises adjusting the length of the filament between the eyelets of the first and second anchor devices, and wherein the filament is movable relative to each eyelet.

13. A method of performing mitral valve chordal repair on a patient while the patient's heart is beating, the method comprising:

making an incision in a ventricular wall of the patient;

inserting an introducer sheath system through the incision to provide access to a left ventricle of the patient;

attaching a first anchor device to a mitral valve leaflet of the patient, the first anchor device comprising an eyelet for receiving a filament;

attaching a second anchor device to a papillary muscle of the patient, the second anchor device comprising an eyelet for receiving a filament;

inserting a distal end of a catheter through the introducer sheath system, the catheter containing at least one filament, the filament having a first end and a second end;

navigating the distal end of the catheter to the first anchor device;

passing the first end of the filament through the eyelet of the first anchor device;

navigating the distal end of the catheter to the second anchor device;

passing the first end of the filament through the eyelet of the second anchor device so that a portion of the filament extends between the eyelets of the first and second anchor device;

adjusting the length of the filament by adjusting tension of the filament in the catheter while the catheter is within the left ventricle, the filament being movable relative to both the first and second anchor devices; and

securing the first end of the filament to an intermediate portion of the filament to form a filament loop entirely within the left ventricle; and

withdrawing the catheter from the left ventricle.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the incision is made at or near the apex of the heart.