Left-atrium-to-coronary-sinus shunt

A medical system comprising:

• an ablation device configured to create a shunt between a first anatomical structure and a second anatomical structure of a patient, the ablation device comprising:
• an elongated structure;
• a proximal body coupled to the elongated structure, the proximal body defining a distal-facing surface configured to contact a first wall of the first anatomical structure;
• a distal body coupled to the elongated structure and longitudinally translatable relative to the proximal body along the elongated structure, the distal body defining a proximal-facing surface positioned opposite the distal-facing surface and configured to contact a second wall of the second anatomical structure;
• a first heating element disposed on the distal-facing surface of the proximal body;
• and
• a second heating element disposed on the proximal-facing surface of the distal body, wherein the first and second heating elements are configured to ablate tissues of the first wall and the second wall to create the shunt;
• a puncturing tool configured to form a puncture through the first and second walls;
• and
• an inflatable balloon configured to expand to dilate the puncture to facilitate introduction of the distal body of the ablation device into the second anatomical structure.

A method comprising:

• creating a puncture through a coronary sinus wall of a coronary sinus of a patient and a left atrium wall of a left atrium of a heart of the patient;
• expanding a dilation element within the puncture to dilate the puncture, resulting in a dilated puncture;
• advancing a distal body of an ablation device through the dilated puncture and into the left atrium, wherein the ablation device comprises:
• an elongated structure;
• a proximal body coupled to the elongated structure, the proximal body defining a distal-facing surface configured to contact the coronary sinus wall surrounding the dilated puncture;
• the distal body coupled to the elongated structure, wherein the proximal body and the distal body are longitudinally translatable relative to each other along the elongated structure, the distal body defining a proximal-facing surface positioned opposite the distal-facing surface and configured to contact the left atrium wall surrounding the dilated puncture;
• a first heating element disposed on the distal-facing surface of the proximal body;
• and
• a second heating element disposed on the proximal-facing surface of the distal body;
• axially translating at least one of the proximal body or the distal body to compress the coronary sinus wall and the left atrium wall between the first heating element and the second heating element;
• and
• actuating the first and second heating elements to ablate the tissue to create a shunt between the left atrium and the coronary sinus.