Systems and methods for creating an interatrial shunt

A device for control of blood flow across a patient's interatrial septum, the device comprising:

• a sheath having a proximal region configured to extend external to the patient's body, a distal region configured to be disposed across the patient's interatrial septum, and a lumen therebetween, the distal region having a first set of one or more openings and a second set of one or more openings spaced apart from the first set of one or more openings a distance greater than a thickness of the interatrial septum such that the first set of one or more openings is configured to be disposed within a first atrium of the patient while the second set of one or more openings is disposed in a second atrium of the patient;
• and
• an actuator operatively coupled to the proximal region of the sheath, the actuator configured to be selectively actuated to modify an area of an opening of the second set of one or more openings of the sheath, such that blood is permitted to flow between the first and second atria responsive to a pressure gradient across the interatrial septum via the first and second sets of one or more openings and the sheath lumen therebetween, at a blood flow rate corresponding with the area of the opening of the second set of one or more openings of the sheath.