Apparatus and methods for occluding a hollow anatomical structure

Clamping apparatus for implantation into a patient and occluding an appendage of the heart, the device comprising:

• a clamp delivery and actuation device including first and second jaws, at least one of said first and second jaws configured to move toward and away from the other of said first and second jaws, and
• a clamp configured for attachment to said first and second jaws and having at least first and second elongate clamping portions adapted to be placed on opposite sides of the appendage, said first and second elongate clamping portions respectively having ends coupled together with respective resilient urging members configured to urge at least one of said first and second elongate clamping portions toward the other of said first and second elongate clamping portions from an open position into a clamping position to occlude the appendage,
• said clamp configured to receive the appendage in the open position and occlude the hollow interior of the appendage in the clamping position,
• wherein said first and second elongate clamping portions have tissue engaging surfaces for engaging the appendage in the clamping position, and said tissue engaging surfaces are formed by a fabric structure that promotes tissue ingrowth in the clamping position.

A method of occluding an appendage of a heart with a clamp having at least first and second elongate clamping portions with opposite ends coupled together by respective resilient urging members, wherein said first and second elongate clamping portions have tissue engaging surfaces for engaging the appendage in the clamping position, and said tissue engaging surfaces are formed by tissue ingrowth structure, the method comprising:

• holding the first and second elongate clamping portions apart against a bias applied by the resilient urging members to form a space,
• receiving the appendage into the space between the first and second elongate clamping portions,
• releasing the first and second elongate clamping portions to move the first and second elongate clamping portions together against opposite sides of the appendage under the bias applied by the resilient urging members,
• engaging the opposite sides of the appendage with the tissue ingrowth structure, and
• promoting tissue ingrowth into the tissue ingrowth structure while occluding the appendage with the first and second elongate clamping portions.

A device for occluding an appendage of the heart, the device comprising:

• a clamp having at least first and second elongate clamping portions adapted to be placed on opposite sides of the appendage, said first and second elongate clamping portions respectively having ends coupled together in a manner allowing at least one of said first and second elongate clamping portions to move toward the other of said first and second elongate clamping portions from an open position into a clamping position to occlude the appendage,
• said clamp comprising an annular shape configured to surround the appendage in the open position and a flattened shape in the clamping position configured to occlude the hollow interior of the appendage, and said elongate clamping portions further comprising generally parallel members capable of reorienting into at least first and second nonparallel relationships in the clamping position, said first nonparallel relationship comprising said elongate clamping portions converging toward one end of said clamp and said second nonparallel relationship comprising said elongate clamping portions converging toward an opposite end of said clamp,
• wherein said first and second clamping portions have tissue engaging surfaces for engaging the appendage in the clamping position, and said tissue engaging surfaces are formed by an annular fabric structure that promotes tissue ingrowth, said annular fabric structure forming a closed continuous configuration lengthwise around said annular shaped structure.