Exclusion of the left atrial appendage

1. A method for excluding the left atrial appendage (LAA), comprising the steps of:

providing a first, elongate member having first and second ends, the first member having a cross-section that will minimize stress concentrations in the LAA, the first member being long enough to extend from one side of the LAA to the other;

providing a second, elongate member having first and second ends, the second member having a cross-section that will minimize stress concentrations in the LAA, the second member being long enough to extend from one side of the LAA to the other;

disposing the first and second members on either side of the LAA adjacent the heart with the longitudinal axes of the first and second members generally parallel with each other;

moving the first and second members sufficiently close to each other while maintaining the longitudinal axes generally parallel with each other to compress the LAA between the first and second members without causing the development of necrotic tissue:

maintaining the first and second members in a compressed position relative to the LAA;

providing a flexible container for the first and second members, the container being long enough to receive both the first and second members, the container being made of a material that is biocompatible with the LAA;

placing the first and second members in the container prior to the step of disposing the first and second members on either side of the LAA adjacent the heart with the longitudinal axes of the first and second members generally parallel with each other; and

suturing the flexible container to a selected one of the first member or the second member.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of suturing the flexible container to a selected one of the first member or the second member is accomplished by forming an opening in the first member or the second member and sewing the cover to the opening.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the flexible cover is a mesh made of polyester fabric.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein those portions of the first and second members that come in contact with the LAA are round in cross-section.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of maintaining the first and second members in a compressed position relative to the LAA is accomplished by providing the first end of a selected one of the first or second members with a protrusion disposed approximately at a right angle to the member from which it extends, the protrusion having a tooth along its length and the first end of the other member being configured such that it can engage the tooth and thereby retain the first and second members in a fixed position relative to each other.

6. A method for excluding the left atrial appendage (LAA), comprising the steps of:

providing a first, elongate member having first and second ends, the first member having a cross-section that will minimize stress concentrations in the LAA, the first member being long enough to extend from one side of the LAA to the other;

providing a second, elongate member having first and second ends, the second member having a cross-section that will minimize stress concentrations in the LAA, the second member being long enough to extend from one side of the LAA to the other;

the first and second ends of the first and second members lying in a first plane;

providing a hinge that connects the second ends of the first and second members, the hinge being generally U-shaped and constituting an integral extension of the second ends of the first and second members to establish a structure that is closed at the second ends of the first and second members and open at the first ends of the first and second members when the first and second members are in a first, open position;

providing a flexible cover for the first and second members, the cover being biocompatible with the LAA and providing traction relative to the LAA;

wherein the cover does not extend beyond the first ends of the first and second members such that the device, when provided with the flexible cover, remains open at the first ends of the first and second members when the first and second members are in the first, open position;

disposing the first and second, elongate members on either side of the LAA;

moving the first ends of the first and second members in the first plane from the first, open position to a second, closed position in which the first and second members are disposed generally parallel with each other and being disposed sufficiently close to each other to compress the LAA between them without causing the development of damaged or necrotic tissue;

those portions of the first and second members that contact the LAA being configured to minimize stress concentrations in the LAA; and

maintaining the first and second members in a compressed position relative to the LAA.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising the steps of:

forming an opening in a selected one of the first or second, elongate members; and

sewing the cover to the opening.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the first and second members are made of a material selected from the group consisting of titanium, titanium alloys, stainless steel, tantalum, tantalum alloys, and mixtures thereof.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the flexible cover is a mesh made of polyester fabric.

10. The method of claim 6 , wherein those portions of the first and second members that come in contact with the LAA are round in cross-section.

11. The method of claim 6 , wherein the step of maintaining the first and second members in a compressed position relative to the LAA is accomplished by providing the first end of a selected one of the first or second members with a protrusion disposed approximately at a right angle to the member from which it extends, the protrusion having a tooth along its length and the first end of the other member being configured such that it can engage the tooth and thereby retain the first and second members in a fixed position relative to each other.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the protrusion has a plurality of teeth along its length and the first end of the other member being configured such that it can engage a selected tooth.

13. A method for excluding the left atrial appendage (LAA), comprising the steps of:

providing a first member having first and second ends adapted to extend from one side of the LAA to the other and to contact the LAA on a selected side thereof;

providing a second member having first and second ends adapted to extend from one side of the LAA to the other and to contact the LAA on the other side thereof;

the first and second ends of the first and second members lying in a first plane;

providing a hinge that connects the second ends of the first and second members, the hinge being generally U-shaped and constituting an integral extension of the second ends of the first and second members to establish a structure that is closed at the second ends of the first and second members and open at the first ends of the first and second members when the first and second members are in a first, open position;

the first and second members being generally arc-shaped when viewed from above and lying in a second plane that is generally orthogonal to the first plane;

providing a flexible cover for the first and second members, the cover being biocompatible with the LAA and providing traction relative to the LAA;

wherein the cover does not extend beyond the first ends of the first and second members such that the device, when provided with the flexible cover, remains open at the first ends of the first and second members when the first and second members are in the first, open position;

disposing the first and second, elongate members on either side of the LAA;

moving the first ends of the first and second members in the first plane from the first, open position to a second, closed position in which the first and second members are disposed generally parallel with each other and being disposed sufficiently close to each other to compress the LAA between them without causing the development of damaged or necrotic tissue;

those portions of the first and second members that contact the LAA being configured to minimize stress concentrations in the LAA; and

maintaining the first and second members in a compressed position relative to the LAA.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first end of a selected one of the first or second members is defined by a protrusion disposed approximately at a right angle to the member from which it extends, the protrusion having a tooth along its length and the first end of the other member being configured such that it can engage the tooth and thereby retain the first and second members in a fixed position relative to each other.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the protrusion has a plurality of teeth along its length and the first end of the other member being configured such that it can engage a selected tooth.

16. The method of claim 13 , further comprising the steps of:

forming an opening in a selected one of the first or second, elongate members; and

sewing the cover to the opening.

17. The method of claim 13 , comprising the step of providing the first and second ends of the first and second members with straight segments that lie in the first plane.

18. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first and second members are made of a material selected from the group consisting of titanium, titanium alloys, stainless steel, tantalum, tantalum alloys, and mixtures thereof.

19. The method of claim 13 , wherein the flexible cover is a mesh made of polyester fabric.

20. The method of claim 13 , wherein those portions of the first and second members that come in contact with the LAA are round in cross-section.