Method of closing an opening in a wall of the heart

• US 7,549,983 B2
• Filed: 11/24/2004
• Issued: 06/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Atritech Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Lesh, Michael D., Frazier, Andrew G. C., Roue, Chad C., van der Burg, Erik J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mendez; Manuel A
• Application Number:
  US10/997,804
• Publication Number:
  US 20050149115A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,672 Days
• Field of Search: 606144-148, 606/139, 606/213, 606/232, 606/215, 606/216, 606/222, 606/223, 606/224, 606225-227, 604/107, 604/264, 604/48, 604/500, 604/506
• US Class Current: 604/500
• 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 17/0401 Suture anchors, buttons or pledgets, i.e. means for attaching sutures to bone, cartilage or soft tissue; Instruments for applying or removing suture anchors A61B17/0642 takes precedence; fixation devices for tendons or ligaments A61F2/0811
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/064 Surgical staples, i.e. penetrating the tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0644 penetrating the tissue, deformable to closed position
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12122 within the heart for closing a cardiac septal defect A61B17/0057
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00243 cardiac
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00292 mounted on or guided by flexible, e.g. catheter-like, means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00575 for closure at remote site, e.g. closing atrial septum defects
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00579 Barbed implements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00632 Occluding a cavity, i.e. closing a blind opening
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00668 the implement being a tack or a staple
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0409 Instruments for applying suture anchors for applying suture clamps, clips or locks A61B2017/0488
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0412 having anchoring barbs or pins extending outwardly from suture anchor body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0414 having a suture-receiving opening, e.g. lateral opening lateral eyelet for attaching suture to needle A61B2017/06019
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0417 T-fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/042 plastically deformed during insertion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0437 the barbs being resilient or spring-like
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0445 cannulated, e.g. with a longitudinal through-hole for passage of an instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0454 the anchor being crimped or clamped on the suture
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0458 : Longitudinal through hole, e.g. suture blocked by a distal suture knot
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0464 : for soft tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0472 : Multiple-needled, e.g. double-needled, instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0477 : with pre-tied sutures
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/048 : for reducing heart wall tension, e.g. sutures with a pad on each extremity
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0488 : Instruments for applying suture clamps, clips or locks for applying suture anchors A61B2017/0409; for applying wound clamps A61B17/10; for applying ligaturing clamps or clips A61B17/128
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0645 : being elastically deformed for insertion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0647 : having one single leg, e.g. tacks
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/24 : Heart valves ; Vascular valves, e.g. venous valves; Heart implants, e.g. passive devices for improving the function of the native valve or the heart muscle; Transmyocardial revascularisation [TMR] devices; Valves implantable in the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2427 : Devices for manipulating or deploying heart valves during implantation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2487 : Devices within the heart chamber, e.g. splints
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 606/907 : Composed of particular material or coated

Abstract

Disclosed is a closure catheter, for closing a tissue opening such as an atrial septal defect, patent foreman ovale, or the left atrial appendage of the heart. The closure catheter carries a plurality of tissue anchors, which may be deployed into tissue surrounding the opening, and used to draw the opening closed. Methods are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of securing a membrane over an ostium of a left atrial appendage in a patient to prevent thrombus from leaving the left atrial appendage, comprising:

providing a membrane configured to extend over the ostium of the left atrial appendage, the membrane having an outer periphery with a dimension larger than a corresponding dimension of the ostium;

positioning the membrane over the ostium such that the outer periphery is in direct contact with an atrial wall surrounding the ostium; and

securing the outer periphery of the membrane in direct engagement with the atrial wall surrounding the ostium by piercing the membrane and the atrial wall with the engagement members;

each engagement member having an elongated tubular shank portion, and each engagement members having a barbed portion configured to engage tissue by piercing tissue;

wherein securing the outer periphery of the membrane to the atrial wall surrounding the ostium comprises engaging the interior wall of the atrial appendage with the barbed portion.