Patent attributes
A clip of a self-closing type is used for valve repair. The clip is generally U-shaped with two end points separated from each other when constrained to be in an open configuration, but tends to coil up to assume its natural closed configuration if the constraint is removed. At least one end point is connected through a suture to a tissue-penetrating needle. A needle holder has an outer tube and an inner member which has a slit at the front and is slidable inside the outer tube. A double-arm clip assembly with each of the end points of the clip attached through a suture to a separate needle may be used for valve repair and may contain two of such clips mutually connected by a flexible connector whereby two leaflets are held together by the connector, with the two clips each anchored to a corresponding one of the leaflets.
