Patent US3939467A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6949113B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Barrier device for ostium of left atrial appendage
Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed Inc
•
Filing: 2002-12-03
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Granted: 2005-09-27
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Expires: 2022-12-03
Abstract
Abstract A membrane applied to the ostium of an atrial appendage for blocking blood from entering the atrial appendage which can form blood clots therein is disclosed. The membrane also prevents blood clots in the atrial appendage from escaping therefrom and entering the blood stream which can result in a blocked blood vessel, leading to strokes and heart attacks. The membranes are percutaneously installed in patients experiencing atrial fibrillations and other heart conditions where thrombosis may form in the atrial appendages. A variety of means for securing the membranes in place are disclosed. The membranes may be held in place over the ostium of the atrial appendage or fill the inside of the atrial appendage. The means for holding the membranes in place over the ostium of the atrial appendages include prongs, stents, anchors with tethers or springs, disks with tethers or springs, umbrellas, spiral springs filling the atrial appendages, and adhesives. After the membrane is in place a filler substance may be added inside the atrial appendage to reduce the volume, help seal the membrane against the ostium or clot the blood in the atrial appendage. The membranes may have anticoagulants to help prevent thrombosis. The membranes be porous such that endothelial cells cover the membrane presenting a living membrane wall to prevent thrombosis. The membranes may have means to center the membranes over the ostium. Sensors may be attached to the membrane to provide information about the patient.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert A. Van Tassel
- 👤 Robert G. Hauser
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 14:38
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B17/00; A61B17/12; A61B17/12022; A61B17/0057; A61B17/12099; A61B17/12122; A61B17/12131; A61B17/12136; A61B17/12159; A61B17/12168; A61B17/12172; A61B17/12181; A61B17/12186; A61B17/00234; A61B2017/00017; A61B2017/00022; A61B2017/00039; A61B2017/00044; A61B2017/00238; A61B2017/00243; A61B2017/00641; A61B2017/1205; A61B90/00; A61B90/06; A61B2090/064; A61F; A61F2/00; A61F2/01; A61F2002/018; A61F2230/00; A61F2230/0002; A61F2230/0004; A61F2230/0006; A61F2230/0063; A61F2230/0069; A61F2230/0073; A61F2230/008
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 42
Claim 1
Independent Claim
93 words
A membrane structure for blocking an atrial appendage ostium, said atrial appendage having a wall, said membrane structure comprising: a membrane; and a plurality of prongs extending substantially outwardly from adjacent an edge of the membrane for extending into the atrial appendage through the ostium and piercing the wall of the atrial appendage substantially adjacent the ostium to secure the membrane in place; thereby blocking the ostium of the atrial appendage with the membrane such that no blood enters the atrial appendage to form a thrombus and no thrombus escapes the atrial appendage.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
93 words
A membrane structure for blocking an atrial appendage ostium, said atrial appendage having a wall, said membrane structure comprising: a membrane; and a plurality of prongs extending substantially outwardly from adjacent an edge of the membrane for extending into the atrial appendage through the ostium and piercing the wall of the atrial appendage substantially adjacent the ostium to secure the membrane in place; thereby blocking the ostium of the atrial appendage with the membrane such that no blood enters the atrial appendage to form a thrombus and no thrombus escapes the atrial appendage.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
45 words
A membrane structure for blocking an atrial appendage ostium as in claim 1 wherein: said prongs are memory alloy prongs that expand to the desired shape inside of the atrial appendage to pierce the atrial appendage wall to firmly hold the membrane over the ostium.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
A membrane structure for blocking an atrial appendage ostium as in claim 1 wherein: a bulb on the tip of each of the prongs prevents the prongs from impaling the atrial appendage walls prematurely during deployment.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
A membrane structure for blocking an atrial appendage ostium as in claim 1 wherein: the prongs are attached to the membrane in a circle such that the prongs will center the membrane over the ostium.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
45 words
A membrane structure for blocking an atrial appendage ostium as in claim 1 , further comprising: a stent between the membrane and the prongs to engage the diameter of the ostium of the atrial appendage to hold the membrane securely in place over the ostium.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
38 words
A membrane structure for blocking an atrial appendage ostium as in claim 1 further comprising: a plurality of stent legs attached to the membrane and extending inside of the atrial appendage through the ostium of the atrial appendage.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
41 words
A membrane structure for blocking an atrial appendage ostium as in claim 6 wherein: the stent legs are memory alloy stent legs that expand to the desired shape inside of the atrial appendage to firmly hold the membrane over the ostium.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
31 words
A membrane structure for blocking an atrial appendage ostium as in claim 1 further comprising: an adhesive on the membrane for securing the membrane over the ostium of the atrial membrane.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
32 words
A membrane structure for blocking an atrial appendage ostium as in claim 1 wherein: a vacuum removes thrombus from the atrial appendage and reduces the volume of the atrial appendage by suction.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
66 words
A membrane structure for blocking an atrial appendage ostium as in claim 1 further comprising: a collapsible stent for insertion into the ostium such that the stent expands and engages the circumference of the ostium, the membrane being collapsible and being attached across the lumen of the stent such that opening the stent stretches the membrane across the lumen of the stent thus blocking the ostium.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
24 words
A membrane structure for blocking an atrial appendage ostium as in claim 1 further comprising: an anticoagulant drug on the membrane to prevent thrombosis.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
32 words
A membrane structure for blocking an atrial appendage ostium as in claim 1 wherein: an ablative chemical injected into the atrial appendage ablates myocardial tissue thus preventing electrical propagation of atrial fibrillation.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
43 words
A membrane structure for blocking an atrial appendage ostium as in claim 1 wherein: the membrane is a porous membrane to encourage endothelial cells to grow in the pores of the membrane thus providing a cell wall over the membrane to prevent thrombosis.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
43 words
A membrane structure for blocking an atrial appendage ostium as in claim 1 wherein: the membrane is a metal mesh to encourage endothelial cells to grow in the pores of the membrane thus providing a cell wall over the membrane to prevent thrombosis.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
23 words
A membrane structure for blocking an atrial appendage ostium as in claim 1 further comprising: a substance that seals the membrane against leakage.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
26 words
A membrane structure for blocking an atrial appendage ostium as in claim 1 further comprising: a substance that fills the atrial appendage and reduces its volume.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
32 words
A membrane structure for blocking an atrial appendage ostium as in claim 1 further comprising: a coagulant that coagulates blood in the atrial appendage such that blood cannot escape the atrial appendage.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
28 words
A membrane structure for blocking an atrial appendage ostium as in claim 1 further comprising: a means for centering the membrane over the ostium of the atrial appendage.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
35 words
A membrane structure for blocking an atrial appendage ostium as in claim 18 wherein the means for centering the membrane over the ostium comprises: a centering rim on the membrane for placement in the ostium.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
47 words
A membrane structure for blocking an atrial appendage ostium as in claim 18 wherein the means for centering the membrane over the ostium comprises: markers attached to the membrane for observing the position of the membrane as it is placed in the ostium of the atrial appendage.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
27 words
A membrane structure for blocking an atrial appendage ostium as in claim 1 further comprising at least one sensor attached to the membrane for monitoring a patient.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
79 words
A membrane structure for obstructing an opening in the body of a patient, said membrane comprising: a membrane adapted to be lodged against the opening; prongs adjacent an edge of the membrane extending substantially outwardly for attaching the membrane to body tissue on the opposite side of the opening from the membrane substantially adjacent the opening for securing the membrane over the opening; and a catheter for minimally invasively inserting the membrane over the opening to block the opening.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
79 words
A membrane structure for obstructing an opening in the body of a patient, said membrane comprising: a membrane adapted to be lodged against the opening; prongs adjacent an edge of the membrane extending substantially outwardly for attaching the membrane to body tissue on the opposite side of the opening from the membrane substantially adjacent the opening for securing the membrane over the opening; and a catheter for minimally invasively inserting the membrane over the opening to block the opening.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
24 words
A membrane structure for obstructing an opening in the body of a patient as in claim 22 wherein: the membrane covers a false aneurysm.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
23 words
A membrane structure for obstructing an opening in the body of a patient as in claim 22 wherein: the membrane covers a fistula.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
27 words
A membrane structure for obstructing an opening in the body of a patient as in claim 22 wherein: the membrane covers an ostium of an atrial appendage.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
106 words
Apparatus for filtering blood flowing between an atrial appendage and an atrium of a patient comprising: a filter membrane adapted to be positioned across an ostium of the atrial appendage configured to allow blood flow while preventing thrombus from flowing between the atrial appendage and the atrium; and a support structure attached to the filter having a plurality of prongs extending substantially outwardly from adjacent an edge of the filter membrane for extending into the atrial appendage through the ostium and piercing the wall of the atrial appendage substantially adjacent the ostium to secure the filter membrane in position across the ostium of the atrial appendage.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
106 words
Apparatus for filtering blood flowing between an atrial appendage and an atrium of a patient comprising: a filter membrane adapted to be positioned across an ostium of the atrial appendage configured to allow blood flow while preventing thrombus from flowing between the atrial appendage and the atrium; and a support structure attached to the filter having a plurality of prongs extending substantially outwardly from adjacent an edge of the filter membrane for extending into the atrial appendage through the ostium and piercing the wall of the atrial appendage substantially adjacent the ostium to secure the filter membrane in position across the ostium of the atrial appendage.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
40 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 26 , wherein the support structure further comprises a plurality of engagement members extending through the ostium and engaging the walls of the atrial appendage such that the filter membrane is held across the ostium.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
40 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 27 , wherein the engagement members are made from a material having shape-memory characteristics and which are expandable to the desired shape inside of the atrial appendage to secure the filter membrane over the ostium.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
27 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 26 , wherein each of the prongs has a removable atraumatic tip to prevent piercing the atrial appendage wall prematurely during deployment.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
34 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 26 , wherein the engagement members are attached to the filter membrane in a circular configuration such that the engagement members will center the filter membrane across the ostium.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
40 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 26 , wherein the support member further comprises an expandable structure which engages the interior of the ostium of the atrial appendage when expanded to hold the filter membrane securely in place across the ostium.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
30 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 31 , wherein the expandable structure further comprises engagement members configured to engage the atrial appendage wall to secure the filter membrane across the ostium.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
31 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 26 , wherein the support structure further comprises an adhesive on the filter membrane for securing the filter membrane over the ostium of the atrial appendage.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
68 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 26 , wherein the filter membrane is flexible, the support structure further comprising a collapsible support member for insertion into the ostium such that the collapsible support member expands and engages the circumference of the ostium, and attaching the filter membrane across a portion of the collapsible support member, such that opening the collapsible support member stretches the filter membrane across the ostium.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
20 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 26 , wherein an anticoagulant drug is applied on the filter membrane to prevent thrombosis.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
15 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 26 , wherein the filter membrane has a porous structure.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
15 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 26 , wherein the filter membrane is a metal mesh.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
26 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 26 , wherein the support structure has a means for centering the filter membrane over the ostium of the atrial appendage.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
27 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 38 , wherein the means for centering the filter membrane over the ostium comprises a centering rim for placement in the ostium.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2008-09-26 | 2009-03-28 | 2009-09-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2012-09-26 | 2013-03-28 | 2013-09-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2016-09-26 | 2017-03-28 | 2017-09-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |