Heart anchor device

Abstract

A medical implant including an anchor portion including a plurality of arms adapted to engage an internal tissue wall of a body from two opposite faces, wherein the anchor portion is configured such that at least one of the arms does not have an entirely overlapping arm on the other side of the wall and an opening portion adapted to define an opening for blood flow through the internal tissue wall, when the anchor portion engages the wall.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A shunt for implantation at an atrial septum within a heart, the shunt comprising:
 an anchor portion configured to transition from a collapsed state to a deployed state, the anchor portion comprising a first plurality of petals configured to engage, in the deployed state, a face of the atrial septum and a second plurality of petals configured to engage, in the deployed state, an opposing face of the atrial septum, wherein the anchor portion is configured such that at least one of the petals of the first plurality does not have an entirely overlapping petal in the second plurality on the opposing face of the atrial septum; and   an opening portion adapted to define an opening for blood flow through the atrial septum in the deployed state when the anchor portion engages the atrial septum.   
     
     
         2 . The shunt of  claim 1 , wherein the anchor portion does not penetrate the atrial septum. 
     
     
         3 . The shunt of  claim 1 , wherein the opening portion is configured to radially expand during the transition from the collapsed state to the deployed state. 
     
     
         4 . The shunt of  claim 1 , wherein the anchor portion and the opening portion are formed from a tube. 
     
     
         5 . The shunt of  claim 4 , wherein the anchor portion and the opening portion are formed by laser cutting out of the tube. 
     
     
         6 . The shunt of  claim 1 , wherein the shunt is configured to permit blood flow through the atrial septum via the opening from a left atrium to a right atrium in an amount sufficient to alleviate high pressures associated with heart failure. 
     
     
         7 . The shunt of  claim 1 , wherein the shunt further comprises radio-opaque markers. 
     
     
         8 . The shunt of  claim 1 , wherein the opening has a diameter in the deployed state of at least 6 millimeters. 
     
     
         9 . The shunt of  claim 1 , wherein the anchor portion and the opening portion are formed from a metal frame. 
     
     
         10 . The shunt of  claim 1 , wherein the anchor portion and the opening portion are formed from a single piece of nitinol. 
     
     
         11 . The shunt of  claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of petals are configured to transition from the collapsed state to the deployed state when deployed in a first atrium and, after deployment of the first plurality of petals, the second plurality of petals are configured to transition from the collapsed state to the deployed state when deployed in a second atrium, to thereby implant the shunt at the atrial septum. 
     
     
         12 . The shunt of  claim 1 , wherein each petal of the first plurality of petals has a triangular shape. 
     
     
         13 . The shunt of  claim 12 , wherein each petal of the first plurality of petals is configured to lie flat on the face of the atrial septum. 
     
     
         14 . The shun ach petal of the second plurality of petals has a triangular shape. 
     
     
         15 . The shunt of  claim 1 , wherein each petal of the second plurality of petals is configured to curve towards the atrial septum such that a distal portion of each petal applies pressure to the opposing face of the atrial septum. 
     
     
         16 . The shunt of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second pluralities of petals are formed of a super-elastic material. 
     
     
         17 . The shunt of  claim 1 , wherein, in the deployed state, at least one of the petals of the first plurality of petals does not have a partially overlapping petal from the second plurality of petals. 
     
     
         18 . The shunt of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second pluralities of petals are configured to surround the opening in the deployed state. 
     
     
         19 . The shunt of  claim 1 , wherein none of the petals of the first plurality of petals fully overlaps with a petal in the second plurality of petals in the deployed state. 
     
     
         20 . The shunt of  claim 1 , wherein the shunt is configured such that the opening remains clear from elements mounted therein. 
     
     
         21 . The shunt of  claim 1 , further comprising a valve mounted on the anchor portion in a manner which regulates blood flow through the opening defined by the opening portion. 
     
     
         22 . The shunt of  claim 1 , further comprising a sensor mounted on the anchor portion. 
     
     
         23 . The shunt of  claim 1 , wherein portions of the shunt are covered by ePTFE or polyurethane. 
     
     
         24 . The shunt of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second pluralities of petals are arranged alternately around the opening, such that each petal of the first plurality of petals is neighbored by a petal of the second plurality of petals on one side and another petal of the second plurality of petal on the opposite side. 
     
     
         25 . A method for delivering the shunt of  claim 1 , the method comprising:
 creating an orifice in the atrial septum of the body via a transeptal puncture tool; and   deploying the shunt within the orifice such that the anchor portion engages the atrial septum and the opening portion defines the opening for blood flow through the orifice of the atrial septum.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the transeptal puncture tool comprises a, needle and a dilator catheter. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein deploying the shunt within the orifice comprises percutaneously deploying the shunt such that the opening portion self-expands within the orifice and further expands the orifice. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein deploying the shunt comprises percutaneously deploying the shunt such that the first plurality of petals self-expands within a left atrium and, after the first plurality of petals self-expands, the second plurality of petals self-expands within a right atrium. 
     
     
         29 . A shunt for implantation at an atrial septum within a heart, the shunt comprising:
 a nitinol body comprising a first plurality of petals configured to engage, in a deployed state, a face of the atrial septum and a second plurality of petals configured to engage, in the deployed state, an opposing face of the atrial septum, wherein the nitinol body is configured such each petal of the first plurality of petals does not have an entirely overlapping petal in the second plurality of petals on the opposing face of the atrial septum,   wherein the nitinol body defines an opening for blood flow through the atrial septum in the deployed state when the nitinol body engages the atrial septum.   
     
     
         30 . The shunt of  claim 29 , wherein the first and second pluralities of petals are arranged alternately around the opening, such that each petal of the first plurality of petals is neighbored by a petal of the second plurality of petals on one side and another petal of the second plurality of petal on the opposite side.