Percutaneous tissue anchor techniques

1. A method, comprising:

transluminally advancing a distal portion of an anchor-manipulation tool to an anchor that is intracorporeally implanted in a subject, a tissue-coupling element of the anchor being anchored within tissue of the subject, and the anchor-manipulation tool including:

at the distal portion, an anchor-engaging element and an actuator, the actuator configured to actuate the anchor-engaging element,

at an extracorporeal proximal portion of the anchor-manipulation tool, a controller, and

a flexible longitudinal member extending between the proximal portion and the distal portion;

subsequently, engaging the anchor-engaging element with an eyelet defined by a head of the anchor;

subsequently, using the controller to transition the tool into an articulatably-coupled state in which:

the eyelet at least in part inhibits movement of the anchor-engaging element away from the anchor, and

the distal portion of the anchor-manipulation tool is deflectable with respect to the anchor; and

subsequently, de-anchoring the anchor by unscrewing the tissue-coupling element from the tissue by using the anchor-manipulation tool to apply a de-anchoring rotational force to the eyelet.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein de-anchoring the anchor comprises de-anchoring the anchor while the tool is in the articulatably-coupled state.

3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising, prior to de-anchoring the anchor, using the controller to transition the tool into a rigidly-coupled state in which the distal portion of the anchor-manipulation tool is inhibited from deflecting with respect to the tissue anchor.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein using the controller to transition the tool into the rigidly-coupled state comprises using the controller to transition the tool from the articulatably-coupled state into the rigidly-coupled state.

5. The method according to claim 3 , wherein de-anchoring the anchor comprises de-anchoring the anchor while the tool is in the rigidly-coupled state.

6. The method according to claim 3 , wherein de-anchoring the anchor comprises de-anchoring the anchor while the tool is in the articulatably-coupled state.

7. The method according to claim 3 , wherein:

the actuator is a housing that defines a compartment, and

using the controller to transition the tool into the rigidly-coupled state comprises using the controller to transition the tool into the rigidly-coupled state by sliding the eyelet into the compartment.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein sliding the eyelet into the compartment comprises sliding the eyelet into the compartment such that a central longitudinal axis of the anchor becomes axially aligned with the distal portion of the tool.

9. The method according to claim 7 , wherein:

the eyelet is dimensioned to fit snugly within the compartment, and

using the controller to transition the tool into the rigidly-coupled state by sliding the eyelet into the compartment comprises using the controller to transition the tool into the rigidly-coupled state by sliding the eyelet snugly into the compartment.

10. The method according to claim 7 , wherein:

the housing includes one or more protrusions that protrude radially inward into the compartment, and

using the controller to transition the tool into the rigidly-coupled state by sliding the eyelet into the compartment comprises using the controller to transition the tool into the rigidly-coupled state by sliding the eyelet into the compartment such that the eyelet becomes disposed in a circumferential space between the one or more protrusions.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein using the anchor-manipulation tool to apply the de-anchoring force to the eyelet comprises pressing the one or more protrusions against the eyelet by rotating the housing with respect to the anchor.

12. The method according to claim 7 , wherein:

the eyelet has an arch portion that has a generally parabolic shape, and

sliding the eyelet into the compartment comprises sliding, into the compartment, the arch portion that has the generally parabolic shape.

13. The method according to claim 7 , wherein:

the eyelet has an arch portion that has a height and a width, the height being at least 50% greater than the width, and

sliding the eyelet into the compartment comprises sliding, into the compartment, the arch portion that has the height that is at least 50% greater than the width.

14. The method according to claim 7 , wherein:

the eyelet has an arch portion that is defined by a bar that has a thickness of between 0.25 mm and 0.4 mm, and

sliding the eyelet into the compartment comprises sliding, into the compartment, the arch portion that is defined by the bar that has the thickness of between 0.25 mm and 0.4 mm.

15. The method according to claim 1 , wherein:

the articulatably-coupled state is an articulatably-coupled state in which the distal portion of the anchor-manipulation tool is rotatable with respect to the anchor, and

using the controller to control the actuator to transition the tool into the articulatably-coupled state comprises using the controller to control the actuator to transition the tool into the articulatably-coupled state in which the distal portion of the anchor-manipulation tool is rotatable with respect to the anchor.

16. The method according to claim 1 , wherein:

the articulatably-coupled state is an articulatably-coupled state in which the distal portion of the anchor-manipulation tool is deflectable in at least 1 steradian with respect to the tissue anchor, and

using the controller to control the actuator to transition the tool into the articulatably-coupled state comprises using the controller to control the actuator to transition the tool into the articulatably-coupled state in which the distal portion of the anchor-manipulation tool is deflectable in at least 1 steradian with respect to the tissue anchor.

17. The method according to claim 16 , wherein:

the articulatably-coupled state is an articulatably-coupled state in which the distal portion of the anchor-manipulation tool is deflectable in at least 3 steradians with respect to the tissue anchor, and

using the controller to control the actuator to transition the tool into the articulatably-coupled state comprises using the controller to control the actuator to transition the tool into the articulatably-coupled state in which the distal portion of the anchor-manipulation tool is deflectable in at least 3 steradians with respect to the tissue anchor.

18. The method according to claim 17 , wherein:

the articulatably-coupled state is an articulatably-coupled state in which the distal portion of the anchor-manipulation tool is deflectable in at least 7 steradians with respect to the tissue anchor, and

using the controller to control the actuator to transition the tool into the articulatably-coupled state comprises using the controller to control the actuator to transition the tool into the articulatably-coupled state in which the distal portion of the anchor-manipulation tool is deflectable in at least 7 steradians with respect to the tissue anchor.

19. The method according to claim 1 , wherein:

an implant includes a sleeve that defines a lumen and a proximal opening that provides access to the lumen,

the anchor that is intracorporeally implanted in the subject is anchoring the implant to the tissue, with:

the eyelet disposed within the lumen, and

the tissue-engaging element extending through the sleeve and into the tissue within which the tissue-engaging element is anchored,

transluminally advancing the distal portion of the anchor-manipulation tool to the anchor comprises transluminally advancing the distal portion of the anchor-manipulation tool through the opening and into the lumen, and

engaging the anchor-engaging element with the eyelet comprises engaging the anchor-engaging element with the eyelet within the lumen.

20. The method according to claim 19 , wherein:

the anchor is a target anchor of a plurality of anchors, each of the anchors anchoring a respective longitudinal site of the sleeve to the tissue, with:

the eyelet of each of the anchors disposed within the lumen, and

the tissue-engaging element of each of the anchors extending through the sleeve and into the tissue within which the tissue-engaging element is anchored,

a proximal one of the anchors is disposed between the target anchor and the opening, and

transluminally advancing the distal portion of the anchor-manipulation tool to the anchor comprises transluminally advancing the distal portion of the anchor-manipulation tool through the opening, into the lumen, past the proximal one of the anchors, and to the target anchor.

21. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising implanting the anchor in the subject by driving the tissue-coupling element into the tissue.

22. The method according to claim 21 , wherein implanting the anchor in the subject comprises implanting the anchor in the subject using the anchor-manipulation tool.

23. A method, comprising:

transluminally advancing a distal portion of an anchor-manipulation tool to an anchor that is intracorporeally implanted in a subject, a tissue-coupling element of the anchor being anchored within tissue of the subject, and the anchor-manipulation tool including:

at the distal portion, an anchor-engaging element and an actuator, the actuator configured to actuate the anchor-engaging element,

at an extracorporeal proximal portion of the anchor-manipulation tool, a controller, and

a flexible longitudinal member extending between the proximal portion and the distal portion;

subsequently, engaging the anchor-engaging element with an eyelet defined by a head of the anchor;

subsequently, using the controller to transition the tool into an articulatably-coupled state in which:

the eyelet at least in part inhibits movement of the anchor-engaging element away from the anchor, and

the distal portion of the anchor-manipulation tool is deflectable with respect to the anchor;

subsequently, while the anchor remains intracorporeally implanted in the subject, using the controller to transition the anchor-manipulation tool into a rigidly-coupled state in which the distal portion of the anchor-manipulation tool is inhibited from deflecting with respect to the tissue anchor; and

subsequently, and facilitated by the anchor-manipulation tool being in the rigidly-coupled state, de-anchoring the anchor by removing the tissue-coupling element from the tissue by using the anchor-manipulation tool to apply a de-anchoring force to the eyelet.

24. A method, comprising:

transluminally advancing a distal portion of an anchor-manipulation tool to an anchor that is intracorporeally implanted in a subject, a tissue-coupling element of the anchor being anchored within tissue of the subject, and the anchor-manipulation tool including:

at the distal portion, an anchor-engaging element and an actuator, the actuator configured to actuate the anchor-engaging element,

at an extracorporeal proximal portion of the anchor-manipulation tool, a controller, and

a flexible longitudinal member extending between the proximal portion and the distal portion;

subsequently, engaging the anchor-engaging element with an eyelet defined by a head of the anchor;

subsequently, using the controller to transition the tool into an articulatably-coupled state in which:

the eyelet at least in part inhibits movement of the anchor-engaging element away from the anchor, and

the distal portion of the anchor-manipulation tool is deflectable with respect to the anchor;

subsequently, while the anchor remains intracorporeally implanted in the subject, using the controller to transition the anchor-manipulation tool into a rigidly-coupled state in which the distal portion of the anchor-manipulation tool is inhibited from deflecting with respect to the tissue anchor; and

while the anchor-manipulation tool remains in the rigidly-coupled state, de-anchoring the anchor by removing the tissue-coupling element from the tissue by using the anchor-manipulation tool to apply a de-anchoring force to the eyelet.