Tissue opening occluder

Abstract

A tissue opening occluder comprising first and second occluder portions, each occluder portion including a frame structure and an attachment structure to attach one portion to the other portion. The frames may be utilized to constrain the tissue between the two portions enough to restrict the significant passage of blood therethrough. The frame portions may be covered by a fabric suspended from a perimeter thereof. The occluder portions are conjoined at least one point on each portion.

1 . A method of deploying a tissue opening occluder in an opening in a tissue wall, the method comprising: 
 positioning a distal portion of a catheter carrying a tissue opening occluder having an occluder panel and a substantially planar anchor assembly extending from the occluder panel at a location proximate an opening in a tissue wall;    deploying the occluder panel of the tissue opening occluder from the distal portion of the catheter into engagement with a first side of the tissue wall, the occluder panel having a first end and a second end opposite the first end; and    deploying the anchor assembly into engagement with a second side of the tissue wall such that the anchor assembly extends through the tissue opening and is biased toward only one of the first end and the second end of the occluder panel, said occluder panel and said anchor assembly being thereby opposingly urged into engagement with the tissue wall.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the opening in the tissue wall is a patent foramen ovale (PFO).  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the anchor assembly is deployed in a tunnel of the PFO.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising conforming the substantially planar geometry of the anchor assembly to a generally planar geometry of the PFO tunnel.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the anchor assembly is positioned generally parallel with the tissue wall when fully deployed.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising positioning the anchor assembly such that the anchor assembly is at an angle relative to the tissue wall of less than 15 degrees.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the occluder panel comprises a fabric support structure supporting a fabric on a perimeter thereof.  
   
   
       8 . A method of occluding an opening in a tissue wall between first and second atria of a heart, the opening having a generally planar geometry, the method comprising: 
 advancing a deployment catheter carrying a tissue opening occluder comprising an occluder panel and an anchor assembly extending therefrom to a location proximate to the tissue wall;    deploying the occluder panel from the deployment catheter such that the occluder panel is in engagement with one side of the tissue wall; and    deploying the anchor assembly such that it is placed within the tissue opening and extends through the opening between the first and second atria of the heart, the anchor assembly having a substantially planar geometry conforming to the generally planar geometry of the tissue opening;    wherein said anchor assembly and said occluder panel are biased to be substantially parallel when deployed.    
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the deployment catheter is advanced to a location proximate to a patent foramen ovale (PFO).  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the anchor assembly is deployed such that it is positioned substantially entirely within a tunnel of the PFO.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising positioning the anchor assembly such that it is at an angle relative to the tissue wall of less than 15 degrees.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the anchor assembly comprises a planar wire frame anchor.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the occluder panel and anchor assembly are made from nitinol wire.  
   
   
       14 . A method of occluding a patent foramen ovale (PFO) in a body of a patient, the method comprising: 
 delivering a tissue opening occluder having an occluder panel and a substantially planar anchor assembly to the PFO; and    deploying the tissue opening occluder by positioning the occluder panel in an atrium of the patient and positioning the anchor assembly on an opposite side of a septum of the PFO such that the anchor assembly is positioned in a tunnel of the PFO, the substantially planar anchor assembly substantially conforming to a generally planar geometry of the tunnel of the PFO, wherein the occluder panel and the anchor assembly engage opposite sides of the septum in furtherance of positioning and securing the tissue opening occluder.    
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the occluder panel is deployed in the left atrium of the patient.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the anchor assembly is deployed into a position substantially parallel to a septum wall.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the anchor assembly and the occluder panel are biased to be substantially parallel when deployed.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein an angle between the septum wall and the anchor assembly when fully deployed is less than 15 degrees  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the anchor assembly further comprises at least one anchor for anchoring the assembly with tissue of the PFO.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the tissue opening occluder is delivered with a catheter.