THIN-FILM MICROMESH OCCLUSION DEVICES AND RELATED METHODS

1 . An occlusion device for closing an opening in a heart, comprising:

a support structure configured to engage the opening; and

at least one fenestrated thin-film micromesh coupled to the support structure and configured to extend across the opening of the heart.

2 . The occlusion device of claim 1 , wherein the support structure comprises a wire mesh comprising:

a first disk having a first portion extending radially from a central point at one end of the wire mesh to a first outer radius, and a second portion tapering from the first portion at the first outer radius to a first inner radius less than the first outer radius;

a second disk having a third portion extending radially from a central point at an opposite end of the wire mesh to a second outer radius, and a fourth portion tapering from the third portion at the second outer radius to a second inner radius less than the second outer radius; and

a waist portion joining the second portion at the first inner radius and the fourth portion at the second inner radius.

3 . The occlusion device of claim 2 , wherein the at least one fenestrated thin-film micromesh comprises a first fenestrated thin-film micromesh disposed in the first disk, and a second fenestrated thin-film micromesh disposed in the second disk.

4 . The occlusion device of claim 2 , wherein the at least one fenestrated thin-film micromesh comprises:

a first fenestrated thin-film micromesh cover attached to an outer surface of the first portion of the first disk, the first fenestrated thin-film micromesh cover having a shape corresponding to the outer surface of the first portion and covering the first portion; and

a second fenestrated thin-film micromesh cover attached to an outer surface of the third portion of the second disk, the second fenestrated thin-film micromesh having a shape corresponding to a surface of the third portion and covering the third portion.

5 . The occlusion device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one fenestrated thin-film micromesh comprises at least one fenestrated thin-film Nitinol micromesh, and wherein the support structure is a Nitinol alloy wire mesh.

6 . The occlusion device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one fenestrated thin-film micromesh comprises at least one two-dimensional fenestrated thin-film micromesh, at least one three-dimensional fenestrated thin-film micromesh, or both.

7 . The occlusion device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one fenestrated thin-film micromesh has a thickness of between 2 and 20 microns, wherein each fenestration of the at least one fenestrated thin-film micromesh has a length of between 25 and 500 microns along a long axis of the fenestration, wherein each strut of the at least one fenestrated thin-film micromesh has a width of between 4 microns and 30 microns, and the at least one fenestrated thin-film micromesh has a pore density of between 50 and 2000 pores/mm 2 .

8 . An occlusion device for sealing a left arterial appendage, comprising:

a support structure configured to engage an interior wall of the left arterial appendage; and

a fenestrated thin-film micromesh cover attached to the support structure and configured to extend across the opening of the left arterial appendage.

9 . The occlusion device of claim 8 , wherein the support structure comprises a plurality of struts extending radially from a center to a distal portion to form a substantially hemisphere or dome shape, wherein the distal portion of each strut is configured to engage the interior wall of the left arterial appendage.

10 . The occlusion device of claim 8 , wherein the fenestrated thin-film micromesh cover comprises a fenestrated thin-film Nitinol sheet, and wherein the support structure is a Nitinol alloy frame.

11 . The occlusion device of claim 8 , wherein the fenestrated thin-film micromesh cover comprises a two-dimensional fenestrated thin-film micromesh sheet.

12 . The occlusion device of claim 8 , wherein the fenestrated thin-film micromesh cover comprises a three-dimensional fenestrated thin-film micromesh cover having a substantially hemisphere or dome shape corresponding to a part of the substantially hemisphere or dome shape of the support structure.

13 . The occlusion device of claim 8 , wherein the fenestrated thin-film micromesh cover has a thickness of between 2 and 20 microns, wherein each fenestration of the fenestrated thin-film micromesh cover has a length of between 100 and 500 microns along a long axis of the fenestration, wherein each strut of the fenestrated thin-film micromesh cover has a width of between 4 microns and 30 microns, wherein the fenestrated thin-film micromesh cover has a density of between 50 and 500 pores/mm 2 , and wherein the fenestrated thin-film micromesh cover has a density of between 50 and 500 pores/mm 2 .

14 . A method, comprising:

forming a fenestrated thin-film micromesh sheet; and

coupling the fenestrated thin-film micromesh sheet to a support structure configured to engage an opening or a cavity in the heart to form a thin-film micromesh occlusion device for implantation in the heart to occlude the opening or the cavity.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the fenestrated thin-film micromesh sheet comprises Nitinol, and wherein the forming of the fenestrated thin-film micromesh sheet comprises:

deep reactive ion etching a pattern of grooves on a surface of a substrate, the grooves corresponding to fenestrations in a desired Nitinol structure;

depositing a lift-off layer on the grooved substrate surface;

depositing a first Nitinol layer over the lift-off layer;

lifting off the fenestrated thin-film micromesh sheet by etching, wherein the etching removes the lift-off layer; and

expanding the fenestrated thin-film micromesh sheet to expand the fenestrations.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the forming of the fenestrated thin-film micromesh sheet further comprises:

depositing a sacrificial layer over the first Nitinol layer; and

depositing a second Nitinol layer over the sacrificial layer;

wherein the etching further removes the sacrificial layer, and wherein the forming of the fenestrated thin-film micromesh sheet comprises forming a three-dimensional fenestrated thin-film micromesh sheet.

17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein:

the deep reactive ion etching the pattern of the grooves comprises forming the grooves having a length of between 25 microns and 500 microns such that each fenestration of the thin-film micromesh sheet has a length of between 25 and 500 microns before the expanding, each row of grooves being spaced apart from an adjacent row of grooves by between 4 and 30 microns such that each strut of the thin-film micromesh sheet has a width of between 4 microns and 30 microns; and

the depositing comprises depositing the first Nitinol layer having a thickness of between 2 and 30 microns such that the fenestrated thin-film micromesh sheet has a thickness of between 2 and 30 microns.

18 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the attaching of the thin-film micromesh sheet comprises attaching the thin-film micromesh sheet to an outer surface of the support structure by low-temperature soldering, by using an adhesive, or by using wire or string.

19 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the expanding comprises expanding the fenestrated thin-film micromesh sheet such that the fenestrated thin-film micromesh sheet has a density of between 50 and 2000 pores/mm 2 .

20 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

implanting the thin-film micromesh occlusion device at the heart to close an opening or seal a left arterial appendage.