IP Library Granted Patent US 12,446,892
Granted Patent B2
US 12,446,892 · App. 18/464,114 · Granted Oct 21, 2025

Dual side spring V-clip for surgical treatment of left atrial appendage

Inventor: Frank Fago (Mason, OH)
Assignee: AtriCure, Inc.
A61B17/1227A61B2017/00243A61B17/1285
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,446,892
App. No.
18/464,114
Granted
Oct 21, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A clip and method provide for surgically minimizing or eliminating an atrial appendage of the patient using a clip. The clip includes first and second elongate beam. The clip includes a dual side spring assembly configured to urge the first and the second elongate beams from an open V-shaped position to a parallel closed position. The dual side spring assembly includes a right-side spring and a left-side spring having first and second terminal ends attached to distal sections respectively of the first and the second elongate beams. The right and the left-side springs extend proximally to a respective proximal bend connected by a lateral element that maintains alignment to resist lateral splaying movement of the first and the second elongate beams.

Claims (16)

1. An apparatus comprising:

a first elongate beam;

a second elongate beam positionable between a closed state in parallel alignment with the first elongate beam and an open state being a distally angled away from the first elongate beam in a V-shape;

a dual side spring assembly configured to urge the first and the second elongate beams from an open position to a closed position, wherein the dual side spring assembly comprises a right-side spring and a left-side spring each having first and second terminal ends attached to distal sections respectively of the first and the second elongate beams and extending proximally to a respective proximal bend; and

a lateral spacing element attached between respective proximal bends of the right-side spring and the left-side spring, wherein the lateral spacing element maintains parallel alignment to resist lateral splaying movement of the first and second elongate beams,

wherein each of the right-side spring and the left-side spring in a free state present crossed distal ends having a reverse bend as compared to the bend at a midpoint, and wherein the right-side spring and the left-side spring each have separated distal ends in the free state.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second terminal ends of the right-side spring and the left-side spring comprise an anti-rotation feature attached by overmolding to corresponding distal sections of the first and the second elongate beams.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the anti-rotation feature comprises one or of a polygonal head, an undercut portion, a flat portion, a spline portion, a hole, and a swage.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the first and the second terminal ends of the right-side spring are aligned at a first longitudinal position on the right side of each of the first and the second elongate beams; and

the first and the second terminal ends of the left-side spring are aligned at the first longitudinal position on the left side of each of the first and the second elongate beams, the right-side spring and the left-side spring being identically sized.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the first and the second terminal ends of the right-side spring are aligned at a first longitudinal position on the right side of each of the first and the second elongate beams; and

the first and the second terminal ends of the left-side spring are aligned at a second longitudinal position on the left side of each of the first and the second elongate beams, the second longitudinal position longitudinally spaced from the first longitudinal position, the right-side spring and the left-side spring being differently longitudinally sized.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first and the second elongate beams comprise atraumatic inward surfaces.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising one or more materials compatible with surgical implantation on a left atrial appendage of a heart of a patient.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 29, 2024
From: FAGO, FRANK M.
To: ATRICURE, INC.
Reel/Frame 066281/0536 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 10, 2024
From: ATRICURE, INC.; ATRICURE, LLC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 066267/0896 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20250082339A1 · Mar 13, 2025
References Cited (61)
US 7645285B2 · Cosgrove et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 7931578B2 · Whayne et al. · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 8465507B2 · Cosgrove et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 8636754B2 · Hughett et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 8715302B2 · Ibrahim et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 8814778B2 · Kiser et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 8852218B2 · Hughett et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 8945151B2 · Salas · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 9017349B2 · Privitera et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 9119627B2 · Cosgrove et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 9265486B2 · Hughett et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9282973B2 · Hughett et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9393023B2 · Privitera et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9463024B2 · Kiser et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9861371B2 · Martin et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 9883863B2 · Hughett et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 9883867B2 · Martin et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 9888925B2 · Bertolero et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 9901352B2 · Fago et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 10098640B2 · Bertolero et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 10166024B2 · Williamson et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 10182823B2 · Miller · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 10182824B2 · Monti et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 10238398B2 · Hughett et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 10278704B2 · Kiser et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 10285712B2 · Cosgrove et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 10314585B2 · Williamson et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 10426475B2 · Privitera et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 10433854B2 · Miller et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 10524791B2 · Bertolero et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 10631874B2 · Martin et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 10758243B2 · Salas · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 10869668B2 · Privitera et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 10898204B2 · Winkler et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 10918392B2 · Deville et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11191547B2 · Deville et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11266413B2 · Winkler et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 11284899B2 · Ibrahim et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 11324510B2 · Morejohn et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 20090240266A1 · Dennis · 2009 [cited by examiner]
US 20190357912A1 · Privitera et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20210038226A1 · Bales et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20210106336A1 · Winklier et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20220361886A1 · Widenhouse et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 20230009892A1 · Winklier et al. · 2023 [cited by applicant]
US 20230023804A1 · Hughett et al. · 2023 [cited by applicant]
US 20230083170A1 · Biehle et al. · 2023 [cited by applicant]
US 20230083697A1 · Recker et al. · 2023 [cited by applicant]
US 20230083738A1 · Ziton et al. · 2023 [cited by applicant]
US 20230087254A1 · Seith et al. · 2023 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2023039574 · 2023 [cited by applicant]
U.S. Appl. No. 16/536,936, filed Aug. 9, 2019, Privitera et al. [cited by applicant]
U.S. Appl. No. 17/131,975, filed Dec. 23, 2020, Winklier et al. [cited by applicant]
U.S. Appl. No. 17/676,516, filed Feb. 21, 2022, Winkler et al. [cited by applicant]
U.S. Appl. No. 17/875,582, filed Jul. 28, 2022, Widenhouse et al. [cited by applicant]
U.S. Appl. No. 17/931,305, filed Mar. 16, 2023, Mata et al. [cited by applicant]
U.S. Appl. No. 17/931,309, filed Sep. 12, 2022, Recker et al. [cited by applicant]
U.S. Appl. No. 17/931,316, filed Sep. 12, 2022, Ziton et al. [cited by applicant]
U.S. Appl. No. 17/931,324, filed Sep. 12, 2023, Biehle et al. [cited by applicant]
U.S. Appl. No. 17/958,347, filed Oct. 1, 2022, Hughett et al. [cited by applicant]
U.S. Appl. No. 18/464,121, filed Sep. 8, 2023, Fago. [cited by applicant]
Cited By (1)
US 12,714,429