Apparatus and methods are provided for thermally and/or mechanically
treating tissue, such as valvular structures, to reconfigure or shrink
the tissue in a controlled manner. Mechanical clips are implanted over
the leaflets of a valve, e.g., in the heart, either alone or after
thermal treatment to cause the valve to close more tightly. The clips are
delivered by a catheter and may be configured to traverse directly over
the valve itself or to lie partially over the periphery of the valve to
prevent obstruction of the valve channel. The clips can be coated with
drugs or a radiopaque coating. Alternatively, individual anchors with a
tensioning element, like a suture, may be used to approximate the valves
towards each other. The catheter can also incorporate sensors or energy
delivery devices, e.g., transducers, on its distal end.