Among other things, a heart tissue support has gripping elements, each element having a free end that is sharp enough to penetrate heart tissue when pushed against the tissue, and a feature to resist withdrawal from the tissue after the sharp free end has penetrated the tissue. Among other things, the shape of a heart valve annulus is corrected in a catheter laboratory by orienting a tip of a catheter holding a heart tissue support that has gripping elements at the valve annulus, applying a radial force from the catheter against the annulus by opening a structure at the tip of the catheter, and while the structure is opened, forcing the support onto the annulus. Among other things, the shape of a heart valve annulus is corrected during a surgical procedure by pushing a heart tissue support that has gripping elements onto the annulus.特に、心臓組織支持体は把持要素を有し、各要素は、心臓組織に対して押しつけられる際に組織に侵入できるほど十分に鋭い自由端と、鋭い自由端が組織に侵入した後に組織からの引き出しに抵抗する特徴とを有する。特に、把持要素を有する心臓組織支持体を保つカテーテルの先端を弁輪に配向させ、カテーテルの先端において構造を開口することで弁輪に対してカテーテルからの半径方向力を適用し、構造が開口している間に弁輪上に支持体を押し込むことで、カテーテル検査室内で心臓弁輪の形状を補正する。特に、把持要素を有する心臓組織支持体を弁輪上に押しつけることで、外科手技中に心臓弁輪の形状を補正する。
