Devices for installing stasis reducing means in body tissue

• US 6,379,366 B1
• Filed: 03/13/2000
• Issued: 04/30/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: EP Technologies Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: EP Technologies Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Swanson, David K., Fleischman, Sidney D., Bourne, Thomas M., Whayne, James G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Truong, Kevin T.
• Application Number:
  US09/524,263
• Time in Patent Office: 778 Days
• Field of Search: 606/139, 606/143, 606/194, 606/151, 606/144, 606/148, 606/149, 606/213, 606/214
• US Class Current: 606/139
• 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 17/0218 for minimally invasive surgery A61B17/0281, A61B17/0469, A61B17/12013, A61B17/1285, A61B17/29, A61B17/320016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0469 Suturing instruments for use in minimally invasive surgery, e.g. endoscopic surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/064 Surgical staples, i.e. penetrating the tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12013 for use in minimally invasive surgery, e.g. endoscopic surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00243 cardiac
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00349 Needle-like instruments having hook or barb-like gripping means, e.g. for grasping suture or tissue A61B17/06066 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0443 the shaft being resilient and having a coiled or helical shape in the released state
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0464 for soft tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/048 for reducing heart wall tension, e.g. sutures with a pad on each extremity
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0649 Coils or spirals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3488 Fixation to inner organ or inner body tissue

Abstract

Devices for insertion into an atrial appendage of stasis reducing components such as mesh members, chemical bonding agents or expandable anchors are disclosed.

Claims

1. An apparatus for reducing the effective volume of an atrial appendage, comprising:

a first device adapted to at least partially invert the atrial appendage; and

a second device adapted to fix the atrial appendage in an at least partially inverted state;

wherein the second device is movable relative to the first device.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first device comprises a catheter.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the catheter includes an attachment element.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the attachment element comprises a helical element.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the attachment element comprises a grasping element.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second device includes an opening through which at least a region of the inverted portion of the atrial appendage may pass.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the second device is formed at least partially from elastic material.

9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the second device is formed at least partially from superelastic material.

10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the second device is formed at least partially from material having temperature responsive transitional properties.

7. An apparatus for reducing the effective volume of an atrial appendage, comprising:

a first device adapted to at least partially invert the atrial appendage; and

a mesh structure adapted to fix the atrial appendage in an at least partially inverted state including an opening through which at least a region of the inverted portion of the atrial appendage may pass.

11. An apparatus for reducing the effective volume of an atrial appendage, comprising:

a first device adapted to at least partially invert the atrial appendage; and

a second device adapted to fix the atrial appendage in an at least partially inverted state; and

a third device adapted to position the second device adjacent the inverted portion of the atrial appendage.

12. An apparatus for reducing the effective volume of an atrial appendage, comprising:

a first device adapted to engage the atrial appendage and at least partially invert the atrial appendage; and

a second device adapted to fix the atrial appendage in an at least partially inverted state and remain with the atrial appendage after the first device is disengaged from the atrial appendage.

13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the first device comprises a catheter.

14. An apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the catheter includes an attachment element.

15. An apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein the attachment element comprises a helical element.

16. An apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein the attachment element comprises a grasping element.

17. An apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the second device includes an opening through which at least a region of the inverted portion of the atrial appendage may pass.

18. An apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein the second device comprises a mesh structure.

19. An apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein the second device is formed at least partially from elastic material.

20. An apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein the second device is formed at least partially from superelastic material.

21. An apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein the second device is formed at least partially from material having temperature responsive transitional properties.

22. An apparatus as claimed in claim 12, further comprising:

a third device adapted to position the second device adjacent the inverted portion of the atrial appendage.