Left atrial appendage closure

Abstract

A left atrium appendage (LAA) isolator, including:a body sized and shaped to fit an at least partially inverted LAA of a human adult, wherein a distal end of said body defines a two-state sealing adaptor interface configured in a first state to apply a radially outward force against a wall of said LAA or against a wall of said LAA opening sufficient to anchor said body to the LAA wall, and in a second state the sealing adaptor interface is configured to apply a radially inward force on a portion of the inverted LAA positioned within said body.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A left atrial appendage (LAA) isolator system, comprising:
 a catheter having a lumen, wherein said catheter is insertable via blood vessels into a left atrium (LA) of a subject;   an isolator extending from said catheter into the LA and having a proximal opening in said catheter lumen and a distal opening large enough to at least match an opening of said LAA, wherein said isolator is configured to prevent LAA content from exiting said LAA into a general circulation when said isolator is positioned over said LAA opening.   
     
     
         2 . A system according to  claim 1 , comprising a negative pressure source configured to apply vacuum via said catheter lumen and said isolator distal opening on said LAA which is sufficient to direct said LAA content into said catheter lumen. 
     
     
         3 . A system according to  claim 1 , comprising:
 an extendible LAA manipulation tool located within said catheter lumen and within said isolator, wherein said extendible LAA manipulation tool comprises a vacuum catheter having a vacuum channel with at least one distal vacuum head, wherein said at least one distal vacuum head is configured to extend from said catheter lumen into said LAA, and to apply negative pressure which is sufficient to remove said LAA content from said LAA into said vacuum channel.   
     
     
         4 . A system according to  claim 3 , wherein at least a portion of said at least one distal vacuum head is elastic and/or foldable. 
     
     
         5 . A system according to  claim 3 , wherein said at least one distal vacuum head has a conical shape with an oval or a round distal opening. 
     
     
         6 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein a width of said isolator distal opening is in a range between 7 mm to 70 mm. 
     
     
         7 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein said isolator is porous, having openings with a maximal dimension of up to 0.5 mm. 
     
     
         8 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein said isolator is configured to detach from said system. 
     
     
         9 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein said isolator comprises an elastic cover configured to be positioned over said LAA opening. 
     
     
         10 . A system according to  claim 9 , wherein said elastic cover comprises at least one anchor configured to anchor said elastic cover to a wall of said LA around said LAA opening. 
     
     
         11 . A system according to  claim 10 , wherein said anchor is reversible. 
     
     
         12 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein said LAA content comprises blood clots, tissue debris and/or cell debris. 
     
     
         13 . A method for isolating a left atrial appendage (LAA), comprising:
 inserting a catheter having a lumen into the left atrium (LA) of a subject;   extending a distal section of an isolator from said catheter lumen into said LA while keeping a proximal section of said isolator within said lumen of said catheter;   isolating said LAA by coupling said distal section of said isolator to a wall of said LA over said LAA opening to prevent the release of LAA content from said LAA into said LA.   
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 13 , comprising:
 applying vacuum through said isolator distal section on said LAA to direct said LAA content from said LAA into said catheter lumen.   
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 13 , wherein said isolator distal section comprises a porous cover, and wherein said method comprises positioning following said extending said porous cover over said LAA opening, and wherein said coupling comprises coupling said porous cover of said isolator to said LA wall. 
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 15 , wherein said coupling comprises reversibly anchoring said porous cover to said LA wall. 
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 13 , comprising:
 inserting a vacuum catheter having at least one vacuum head into said LAA via a distal opening of said isolator, and applying vacuum by said at least one vacuum head from within the LAA to remove said LAA content out from the body of the subject.   
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 13 , wherein said LAA content comprises blood clots, tissue debris and/or cell debris. 
     
     
         19 . A method according to  claim 13 , comprising:
 anchoring following said coupling, a plug within the LAA, wherein said plug is configured to block said LAA opening; and   removing said distal section of said isolator from the LA after said anchoring.   
     
     
         20 . A method according to  claim 19 , comprising:
 diagnosing said subject with atrial fibrillation prior to said inserting.