Occluder For Occluding An Atrial Appendage And Production Process Therefor

Abstract

An occlusion device and a production process for it are described. The occlusion device consists of a mesh or braiding of at least one wire or thread wherein the occlusion device has been given a suitable design using a reshaping and/or heat-treatment process, is self-expandable, and is configured for secure anchoring in an atrial appendage of the left or right atrium of a heart. The occlusion device comprises a proximal retention region on a proximal end of the occlusion device a distal retention region and a central region between the proximal retention region and said distal retention region and wherein the occlusion device has a closed distal end without a holder, and wherein the occlusion device is at least partly of essentially spherical form, and hollow.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A method of occluding an atrial appendage, comprising:
 advancing a distal end of a delivery device to a left atrial appendage;   exposing an occlusion device within the left atrial appendage;   allowing said occlusion device to self-expand to a distal first enlarged portion and a proximal second enlarged portion, wherein the first enlarged portion and the second enlarged portion are connected by a reduced-diameter region that has a smaller expanded diameter than said first enlarged portion and said second enlarged portion; and,   allowing said first enlarged portion and said second enlarged portion to move, via said reduced-diameter region, relative to each other to thereby accommodate movements of a heart.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said allowing said occlusion device to self-expand further comprises positioning said occlusion device such that at least a portion of said reduced diameter portion is spaced apart from a wall of said left atrial appendage and an interspace is created between said reduced diameter portion and said wall. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said allowing said occlusion device to self-expand further comprises creating an interspace between tissue of said left atrial appendage surrounding said reduced diameter portion. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said allowing said first enlarged portion and said second enlarged portion to move further comprises arranging said occlusion device such that said first enlarged portion extends along a first longitudinal axis and such that said second enlarged portion extends along a second longitudinal axis that is non-parallel with said first longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said first enlarged portion is disc-shaped and wherein said second enlarged portion is cylindrical and expands against said left atrial appendage to provide anchoring force to said occlusion device. 
     
     
         7 . An left atrial appendage occlusion device for occluding an atrial appendage, comprising:
 an occlusion device body having a collapsed state and a radially expanded state; said radially expanded state having a distal first radially enlarged portion, a proximal second radially enlarged portion, and a central portion located between said first radially enlarged portion and said second radially enlarged portion;   wherein said central portion has a smaller diameter in said radially expanded state than said first enlarged portion and said second enlarged portion; and,   wherein said central portion is flexible, so as to allow said first enlarged portion and said second enlarged portion to move relative to each other to accommodate the movements and positioning when said occlusion device is implanted in an atrial appendage of a heart.   
     
     
         8 . The left atrial appendage occlusion device of  claim 7 , wherein said central portion is configured to create a cavity when said occlusion device is placed against a wall of said atrial appendage. 
     
     
         9 . The left atrial appendage occlusion device of  claim 7 , wherein said central portion is configured to create a cavity surrounding said central portion when said occlusion device is placed against a wall of said atrial appendage. 
     
     
         10 . The left atrial appendage occlusion device of  claim 7 , wherein said central portion is flexible, so as to allow said first enlarged portion to extend along a first longitudinal axis and to allow said second enlarged portion to extend along a second longitudinal axis that is non-parallel with said first longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         11 . The left atrial appendage occlusion device of  claim 7 , wherein said first enlarged portion is disc-shaped and wherein said second enlarged portion is cylindrical and expands against said atrial appendage to provide anchoring force to said occlusion device.