Filter apparatus for ostium of left atrial appendage

摘要

Apparatus for permanent placement across an ostium of a left atrial appendage in a patient, which includes a filtering membrane configured to extend across the ostium of the left atrial appendage. The filtering membrane has a permeable structure which allows blood to flow through but substantially inhibits thrombus from passing therethrough. The apparatus also includes a support structure attached to the filtering membrane which retains the filtering membrane in position across the ostium of the left atrial appendage by permanently engaging a portion of the interior wall of the left atrial appendage. The support structure may be radially expandable from a first configuration to a second configuration which engages the ostium or the interior wall of the left atrial appendage. The filtering membrane may define an opening therethrough that is configured to expand from a first size which inhibits the passage of thrombus therethrough to a second size which allows an interventional device, e.g., an expansion balloon, to pass therethrough, and wherein the opening is resiliently biased towards the first size.

主权项

1. A method of filtering the flow of blood between an atrium and a left atrial appendage of a patient comprising:
providing a braided or woven mesh filtering membrane having a proximal portion, distal portion, and a permeable structure which allows blood to flow through the a braided or woven mesh filtering membrane but substantially inhibits thrombus from passing therethrough, and a support structure comprising plurality of engagement members attached to the distal portion of the braided or woven mesh filtering membrane configured to permanently engage a portion of an interior wall of the left atrial appendage, wherein the braided or woven mesh filtering membrane is fabricated from a material having shape memory characteristics, such as Nitinol or an elastic polymeric material, and further wherein the support structure comprising a plurality of engagement members extends distally from a support ring; positioning the filtering membrane across the ostium by permanently engaging the portion of the interior wall of the left atrial appendage with the support structure comprising a plurality of engagement members; and filtering blood flow through the ostium with the filtering membrane such that blood may flow through the filtering membrane while thrombus is substantially inhibited from passing therethrough.