Expandable implant devices for filtering blood flow from atrial appendages

Abstract

Implant devices for filtering blood flowing through the ostium of an atrial appendage have component structures one or more of which are expandable. Devices with component structures in their unexpanded state have a compact size suitable for intra-cutaneous delivery to an atrial appendage situs. The expandable component structures are expanded in situ to deploy the devices. A device may have sufficiently short axial length so that most or almost all of the device length may fit within the ostium region.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An implant device deployable within an ostium of an atrial appendage comprising:
 an expandable structure having an anterior portion and a posterior portion, wherein the expandable structure has a radially compact delivery configuration and an expanded radial dimension greater than a radially compact dimension of the radially compact delivery configuration;   wherein the anterior portion is configured to fit across the ostium of the atrial appendage, and includes a filtering element; and   wherein the posterior portion is configured to extend within the atrial appendage, and includes a plurality of anchors distributed over at least a part of an exterior surface area of the posterior portion, wherein the plurality of anchors is configured to engage a wall of the atrial appendage.   
     
     
         2 . The implant device of  claim 1 , wherein the posterior portion is formed of a wire mesh. 
     
     
         3 . The implant device of  claim 1 , wherein the posterior portion is formed of a braided or woven fabric. 
     
     
         4 . The implant device of  claim 1 , wherein the posterior portion is flared with its diameter increasing along its axial length. 
     
     
         5 . The implant device of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of anchors include barbs. 
     
     
         6 . The implant device of  claim 1 , wherein its axial length is slightly greater than a length of the ostium of the atrial appendage. 
     
     
         7 . The implant device of  claim 1 , wherein the expandable structure is self-expanding. 
     
     
         8 . The implant device of  claim 1 , wherein the filtering element includes a plurality of holes, the plurality of holes has a size distribution that remains constant when the expandable structure expands. 
     
     
         9 . The implant device of  claim 1 , wherein the posterior portion includes elastic properties, wherein the elastic properties permit the posterior portion to recoil to a smaller radial dimension than that of the expanded radial dimension, but greater than the radially compact dimension of the radially compact delivery configuration. 
     
     
         10 . The implant device of  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of anchors engage the wall of the atrial appendage when in the expanded radial dimension, and recoil of the posterior portion brings the wall of the atrial appendage in an inward direction.