Methods and apparatus for transpericardial left atrial appendage closure

• US 20020103492A1
• Filed: 03/25/2002
• Published: 08/01/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: SentreHeart, LLC (Atricure, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: SentreHeart, LLC (Atricure, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kaplan, Aaron V., Bajor, Jordan T.
• Application Number:
  US10/105,907
• Publication Number:
  US 20020103492A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/139
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/10 for applying or removing wound clamps, e.g. containing only one clamp or staple A61B17/076 takes precedence; containing multiple wound clamps A61B17/068; Wound clamp magazines containers, packaging elements or packages specially adapted for particular articles or with special means for dispensing contents B65D83/00, B65D85/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12 for ligaturing or otherwise compressing tubular parts of the body, e.g. blood vessels, umbilical cord specially adapted for vas deferens or fallopian tubes A61F6/20; materials for ligaturing blood vessels A61L17/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12013 for use in minimally invasive surgery, e.g. endoscopic surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/122 Clamps or clips , e.g. for the umbilical cord for the vas deferens A61F6/206
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1285 for minimally invasive surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00243 cardiac
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320048 Balloon dissectors

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for closing a left atrial appendage are described. The methods rely on introducing a closure tool from a location beneath the rib cage, over an epicardial surface, and to the exterior of the left atrial appendage. The closure device may then be used to close the left atrial appendage, preferably at its base, by any one of a variety of techniques. A specific technique using graspers and a closing loop is illustrated.

Claims

1. Apparatus for minimally invasive access to the epicardial surface of the human heart, the apparatus comprising:

an elongated flexible body including a proximal end portion and a distal end portion,

at least one lumen extending between a proximal inlet and a distal outlet for carrying out a procedure in association with the epicardial surface of the heart,

the elongated body being of sufficient length for insertion of at least the distal end portion through a transcutaneous access to a location between the pericardium and the epicardial surface of the heart, and

at least a portion of the body adapted for insertion between the pericardium and epicardial surface having a non-circular shape.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 in which a portion of the non-circular shape has a width greater than its thickness.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 in which a portion of the non-circular shape has a convex surface.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 in which a portion of the non-circular shape has a concave surface.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 in which a portion of the non-circular shape has a width in the range of 2 mm to 20 mm and a thickness in the range of 1 mm to 10 mm.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising a plurality of lumen extending between a proximal inlet and a distal end of each such lumen.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 having a length in the range of 10 cm to 40 cm.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the distal end of the body is thinner than a more proximal portion of the body.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the non-circular portion has an upper surface and a lower surface and the distal outlet of the lumen is located in the upper surface.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the non-circular portion has an upper surface and a lower surface, the upper surface being convex in a transverse direction and the lower surface being concave in a transverse direction.