| CPC A61F 2/2445 (2013.01) [A61F 2220/0016 (2013.01)] | 20 Claims |

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1. A tissue anchor for an implantable device, the tissue anchor having a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end configured for insertion into body tissue, the tissue anchor comprising:
an anchor head at the proximal end of the anchor; and
an anchor shaft extending distally from the anchor head to the distal end of the anchor;
wherein:
the anchor shaft comprises a tissue-engaging portion and a drive portion, the drive portion configured to drive the anchor shaft into body tissue;
the tissue-engaging portion and the drive portion of the anchor shaft are engaged at their respective proximal ends in a first configuration inhibiting relative rotation therebetween, and are shiftable into a second configuration in which the respective proximal ends are released from engagement to allow relative rotation therebetween; and
the respective proximal ends of the tissue-engaging portion and the drive portion of the anchor shaft are shiftable with respect to each other into the second configuration when the anchor shaft has been inserted into the soft body tissue in an insertion configuration to shift the anchor shaft from the insertion configuration into a tissue-engaging configuration within the soft body tissue, the insertion configuration of the anchor shaft facilitating insertion of the anchor shaft into the soft body tissue, and the tissue-engaging configuration of the anchor shaft enhancing engagement of the anchor shaft with the soft body tissue.
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