Stabilization of a transseptal delivery device

Abstract

A transcatheter delivery device including a catheter and at least one stabilizer useful for trasnsseptal procedures. The stabilizer includes a shaft connected to an anchor. The anchor has a delivery position in which the anchor is collapsed against the shaft and a deployed position in which the anchor expands to engage a pulmonary vein or atrial appendage to support the catheter within the septal wall as the catheter moves within a left atrium. Various disclosed delivery devices are also configured to ablate tissue proximate the anchor and/or can be disconnected from the delivery device after the procedure to occlude an atrial appendage. Methods of using the disclosed delivery devices and treating a heart are also disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A delivery device for transseptal delivery of an apparatus to a human heart from a right atrium, through a septal wall and into a left atrium of the human heart; the delivery device comprising:
 a catheter including a first lumen in which a stabilizer is positioned; wherein the stabilizer has a delivery position in which the stabilizer is contained within the first lumen and a deployed position in which the stabilizer interconnects a portion of the human heart and the catheter; wherein the stabilizer is configured to engage a portion of a human heart selected from the group consisting of a pulmonary vein and a left atrium appendage.   
     
     
         2 . The delivery device of  claim 1 , wherein catheter includes a second lumen in which a second stabilizer is positioned. 
     
     
         3 . The delivery device of  claim 1 , wherein the stabilizer can be detached from the delivery device. 
     
     
         4 . The delivery device of  claim 1 , wherein the stabilizer is configured to be non-occluding. 
     
     
         5 . The delivery device of  claim 1 , wherein the stabilizer is a metal cage. 
     
     
         6 . The delivery device of  claim 1 , wherein the stabilizer includes an ablation element. 
     
     
         7 . The delivery device of  claim 6 , wherein the stabilizer includes a plurality of ablation elements spaced longitudinally along the stabilizer. 
     
     
         8 . The delivery device of  claim 1 , wherein the stabilizer is inflatable. 
     
     
         9 . The delivery device of  claim 1 , wherein the stabilizer includes an anchor secured to an actuator shaft that can vary a diameter of the anchor. 
     
     
         10 . The delivery device of  claim 1 , wherein the delivery device includes a plurality of tension members that can vary a diameter of the stabilizer. 
     
     
         11 . A method of stabilizing a catheter during transseptal access of a left atrium of a heart of a patient; the method comprising the steps of:
 providing a first delivery device including:   a catheter and a first stabilizer positioned within the catheter; the stabilizer including a first anchor secured to a first shaft, the first anchor having a delivery position and a deployed position; wherein a diameter of the first stabilizer is greater in the deployed position than in the delivery position;   with the first stabilizer in the delivery position, directing the delivery device through a vascular system of the patient to position the delivery device within a septal wall; and   deploying the first stabilizer so that the first anchor engages one of a first pulmonary vein and a left atrial appendage.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein catheter includes a second lumen in which a second stabilizer is positioned and the method further includes the step of deploying a second anchor of the second stabilizer to engage one of a second pulmonary vein and the left atrial appendage. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the method further includes the step of detaching the first anchor from the first shaft. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the first stabilizer is configured to be non-occluding. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the first stabilizer is a metal cage. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the first anchor includes an ablation element, the method further comprising the step of ablating tissue adjacent the first anchor. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the first anchor includes a plurality of ablation elements spaced longitudinally along the first anchor. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the first anchor is inflated to engage one of the first pulmonary vein and the left atrial appendage. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the first anchor is secured to an actuator shaft; the method further comprising the step of adjusting the position of the actuator shaft to vary a diameter of the first anchor. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the delivery device includes a plurality of tension members that can vary a diameter of the first anchor.