Patent foramen ovale closure method

Abstract

The present invention relates to devices for closing a passageway in a body, for example a patent foramen ovale (PFO) in a heart, and related methods of using such closure devices for closing the passageway. The method includes introducing a mechanical closure device into an atrium of the heart and transeptally deploying the closure device across the interatrial septum to provide proximation of the septum secundum and septum primum.

1 . A method to facilitate closure of a PFO in a heart comprising: 
 introducing a mechanical closure device into an atrium of the heart; and    transeptally deploying the closure device across the septum secundum and septum primum to provide proximation of the septum secundum and septum primum.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein introducing the mechanical closure device into an atrium of the heart comprises a minimally invasive procedure.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the minimally invasive procedure is a trans-thoracic.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the trans-thoracic procedure comprises an atriotomy in an atrial appendage.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the minimally invasive procedure is an endoscopic procedure.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the minimally invasive procedure is a laproscopic procedure.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the minimally invasive procedure is a percutaneous procedure.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein transeptally deploying the closure the device comprises: 
 penetrating an interatrial septum between a first atrial chamber and a second atrial chamber in the heart;    deploying a distal anchor associated with the closure device into the second atrial chamber;    partially withdrawing the closure device from the second atrial chamber to the first atrial chamber; and    deploying a proximal anchor associated with the closure device into the first atrial chamber.    
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein transeptally deploying the closure the device comprises: 
 penetrating an interatrial septum between a first atrial chamber and a second atrial chamber in the heart;    penetrating an interatrial septum between the second atrial chamber and the first atrial chamber in the heart;    deploying a distal anchor associated with the closure device into the first atrial chamber;    partially withdrawing the closure device from the first atrial chamber to the second atrial chamber;    partially withdrawing the closure device from the second atrial chamber to the first atrial chamber; and    deploying a proximal anchor associated with the closure device into the first atrial chamber.    
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8  wherein penetrating the interatrial septum comprises piercing the septum.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8  wherein penetrating the interatrial septum comprises non-core cutting of the interatrial septum.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8  wherein penetrating the interatrial septum comprises drilling through the septum.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising adjusting the proximal anchor relative to the distal anchor to enhance proximation.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein adjusting the proximal anchor comprises uni-axially adjusting the proximal anchor relative to a closure line associated with the closure device.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein uni-axially adjusting the proximal anchor comprises non-index adjusting of the proximal anchor relative to the closure line associated with the closure device.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14  wherein uni-axially adjusting the proximal anchor comprises incrementally adjusting the proximal anchor relative to the closure line associated with the closure device.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising assessing the degree of proximation between the septum secundum and septum primum.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising releasing the closure device from a delivery device.  
     
     
         19 . A method to facilitate closure of a PFO in a heart comprising: 
 introducing a mechanical closure device into an atrium of the heart, the heart having an interatrial septum with a first and a second atrial appendage; and    transeptally deploying the closure device across the first or the second atrial appendage to provide proximation of the first and the second atrial appendages.