Method and device for left atrial appendage closure

1. A method for deploying a left atrial appendage (LAA) closure device in an LAA, comprising the steps of:

introducing a guidewire through a femoral or jugular venous puncture and advancing the guidewire through the inferior or superior vena cava into the right atrium of a human heart;

introducing a dilator over the guidewire, and then advancing a delivery catheter over the dilator to adjacent a distal end of the guidewire;

navigating the distal end of the guidewire and the distal end of the delivery catheter to the fossa ovalis or atrial septum;

puncturing the fossa ovalis or atrial septum by using a needle or the guidewire;

advancing the dilator and the delivery catheter through the puncture into the left atrium;

advancing the guidewire through the delivery catheter until a distal end of the guidewire enters the LAA and punctures a wall of the LAA;

advancing the guidewire until the distal end of the guidewire is located outside the LAA in the pericardial space;

providing a closure device having:

an anchor portion that has a first segment and a second segment that are connected in spaced-apart manner by a first connector, the first segment and the second segment each having a diameter, and wherein the first connector is sized to have a smaller diameter so than the first segment and the second segment so that an annular space is defined between the first segment and the second segment;

a sealing portion; and

a second connector that connects the second segment and the sealing portion;

advancing a delivery sheath that contains the closure device along the guidewire until a distal end of the delivery sheath is positioned at the puncture location of the LAA, with a portion of the distal end of the delivery sheath positioned outside the LAA; and

withdrawing the delivery sheath to deploy the closure device in the LAA, wherein the first segment is positioned outside the LAA and in the pericardial sac after deployment of the closure device, and the second segment and the sealing portion are positioned inside the LAA, with the second segment positioned between the first segment and the sealing portion and with the wall of the LAA positioned in the annular space between the first segment and the second segment.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of withdrawing the delivery sheath includes:

withdrawing the delivery sheath to allow the first segment to deploy outside of the LAA; and

further withdrawing the delivery sheath to allow the second segment to deploy inside the LAA, with the first and second segments sandwiching the LAA wall; and

further withdrawing the delivery sheath to allow the sealing portion to deploy inside the LAA.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second segments sandwich tissue of the LAA after the closure device has been deployed.

4. A method for deploying a left atrial appendage (LAA) closure device in an LAA, comprising the steps of:

introducing a guidewire through a femoral or jugular venous puncture and advancing the guidewire through the inferior or superior vena cava into the right atrium of a human heart;

introducing a dilator over the guidewire, and then advancing a delivery catheter over the dilator to adjacent a distal end of the guidewire;

navigating the distal end of the guidewire and the distal end of the delivery catheter to the fossa ovalis or atrial septum;

puncturing the fossa ovalis or atrial septum by using a needle or the guidewire;

advancing the dilator and the delivery catheter through the puncture into the left atrium;

advancing the distal end of the delivery catheter into the LAA and puncturing a wall of the LAA by directing pressurized saline solution at a target location on the wall of the LAA;

advancing the guidewire through the dilator and into the pericardial space;

removing the dilator;

providing a closure device having:

an anchor portion that has a first segment and a second segment that are connected in spaced-apart manner by a first connector, the first segment and the second segment each having a diameter, and wherein the first connector is sized to have a smaller diameter so than the first segment and the second segment so that an annular space is defined between the first segment and the second segment;

a sealing portion; and

a second connector that connects the second segment and the sealing portion;

advancing a delivery sheath that contains closure device along the guidewire until a distal end of the delivery sheath is positioned at the puncture location of the LAA, with a portion of the distal end of the delivery sheath positioned outside the LAA; and

withdrawing the delivery sheath to deploy the closure device in the LAA, wherein the first segment is positioned outside the LAA and in the pericardial sac after deployment of the closure device, and the second segment and the sealing portion are positioned inside the LAA, with the second segment positioned between the first segment and the sealing portion and with the wall of the LAA positioned in the annular space between the first segment and the second segment.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the step of withdrawing the delivery sheath includes:

withdrawing the delivery sheath to allow the first segment to deploy outside of the LAA; and

further withdrawing the delivery sheath to allow the second segment to deploy inside the LAA, with the first and second segments sandwiching the LAA wall; and

further withdrawing the delivery sheath to allow the sealing portion to deploy inside the LAA.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the first and second segments sandwich tissue of the LAA after the closure device has been deployed.