| CPC A61F 2/2457 (2013.01) [A61B 17/0401 (2013.01); A61F 2/2466 (2013.01); A61B 2017/0409 (2013.01); A61B 2017/0417 (2013.01); A61B 2017/0437 (2013.01); A61B 2017/0458 (2013.01); A61B 2017/0464 (2013.01)] | 13 Claims |
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1. A method of replacing or supplementing damaged natural chordae tendineae of a human or animal heart of a patient in need thereof, the method comprising the steps of:
providing an implant, the implant comprising a distal implant part, a proximal implant part and an artificial or allograft or xenograft chord connecting the distal implant part and the proximal implant part, the chord having a fixed chord length and thereby defining a maximum distance between the distal implant part and the proximal implant part;
providing a tubular element and arranging the implant, which has the distal implant part, the proximal implant part and the chord having the fixed chord length and connecting the distal implant part and the proximal implant part, in the tubular element;
advancing the tubular element from an atrial side to a leaflet of an atrioventricular valve of the heart, piercing the leaflet and advancing the tubular element through the pierced leaflet and through the ventricle towards tissue;
releasing the distal implant part from the tubular element and thereby implanting the distal implant part in the tissue;
after releasing the distal implant part, retracting the tubular element and releasing the proximal implant part proximally of the leaflet, on the atrial side thereof, whereby the implant prevents a prolapse of the leaflet into an atrium by the chord defining the maximum distance between the distal implant part and the proximal implant part; and
removing the tubular element.
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