Filter apparatus for ostium of left atrial appendage

• US 20040127935A1
• Filed: 08/19/2003
• Published: 07/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Atritech Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Holmes, David, Schwartz, Robert, Welch, Jeffrey, Sutton, Gregg S., VanTassel, Robert A., Hauser, Robert G., Borillo, Thomas E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,727,189 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/200
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/00234 for minimally invasive surgery A61B17/0218, A61B17/0469, A61B17/12013, A61B17/1285, A61B17/29, A61B17/320016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0057 Implements for plugging an opening in the wall of a hollow or tubular organ, e.g. for sealing a vessel puncture or closing a cardiac septal defect sutures A61B17/04; closing rectum or urethra near body surface A61F2/0009
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12122 within the heart for closing a cardiac septal defect A61B17/0057
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12136 Balloons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12159 Solid plugs; being solid before insertion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12172 having a pre-set deployed three-dimensional shape methods of manufacturing A61B2017/00526
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00243 cardiac
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00597 Implements comprising a membrane
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00619 Locking means for locking the implement in expanded state
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00632 Occluding a cavity, i.e. closing a blind opening
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/1205 Introduction devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/0103 With centering means
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/0105 Open ended, i.e. legs gathered only at one side
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/018 made from tubes or sheets of material, e.g. by etching or laser-cutting
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0006 circular
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/005 Rosette-shaped, e.g. star-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0067 conical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0069 cylindrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0076 ellipsoidal or ovoid
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0078 hyperboloidal
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/008 : paraboloidal
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0093 : Umbrella-shaped, e.g. mushroom-shaped

Abstract

Apparatus for permanent placement across an ostium of a left atrial appendage in a patient, which includes a filtering membrane configured to extend across the ostium of the left atrial appendage. The filtering membrane has a permeable structure which allows blood to flow through but substantially inhibits thrombus from passing therethrough. The apparatus also includes a support structure comprising a plurality of fingers which are radially outwardly expandable with respect to a longitudinal axis to permanently engage the interior wall of the left atrial appendage, wherein the filtering membrane is attached to the support structure extending across the ostium of the left atrial appendage.

Claims

1. Apparatus for permanent placement across an ostium of a left atrial appendage in a patient, comprising:

a filtering membrane configured to extend across the ostium of the left atrial appendage and having a permeable structure which allows blood to flow through the filtering membrane but substantially inhibits thrombus from passing therethrough; and

a support structure defining a first configuration having a substantially cylindrical shape and a second configuration defining a radially enlarged medial portion to permanently engage the interior wall of the left atrial appendage, wherein the filtering membrane is attached to the support structure extending across the ostium of the left atrial appendage.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the support structure comprises a plurality of fingers each having a first end portion, a second end portion, and a medial portion, and wherein the medial portion of each finger is radially outwardly expanded in the second configuration.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein the support structure further comprises first and second cooperating threaded members configured for relative angular rotation, wherein each cooperating threaded member is attached to a respective first and second end portion of each finger, and wherein the first and second end portions of said fingers are approximated by said relative angular rotation between the cooperating threaded members.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 3, further comprising:

an actuator configured to expand the plurality of fingers by angularly rotating one of the cooperating threaded members about the longitudinal axis.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein the actuator further comprises an outer tube configured for releasable attachment to the support structure.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein the support member comprises a tab structure and the outer tube defines an aperture at an end portion thereof, and wherein the outer tube is releasably attached to the support member by engagement of the tab structure in the aperture.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein the outer tube is releasably attached to the support member by a frictional fit.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the fingers are fabricated of stainless steel.

9. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the fingers are fabricated of nitinol.

10. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the fingers comprise a barbed portion configured to engage an interior wall of the atrial appendage.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an actuator configured to remotely radially outwardly expand the support structure.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the support structure comprises a plurality of fingers and wherein the actuator comprises a drive member configured to expand the plurality of fingers by angularly rotating one of the cooperating threaded members about the longitudinal axis.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the support structure a membrane support frame that is radially outwardly expandable to engage the atrial wall surrounding the ostium, and wherein the filtering membrane is attached to the membrane support frame to extend over the ostium of the left atrial appendage.

14. Apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein the membrane support frame is fabricated from a material having shape-memory characteristics.

15. Apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein the membrane support frame is elastically expandable.