Heart anchor device

A method for delivering a shunt at an atrial septum of a patient, the method comprising:

• advancing a sheath percutaneously through the atrial septum to position a distal end of the sheath in a first atrium;
• moving the sheath proximally relative to a core within a lumen of the sheath such that a first expandable end of the shunt extends distally out the distal end of the sheath and transitions from a contracted state within the lumen of the sheath to an expanded state in the first atrium;
• moving the sheath proximally relative to the core such that a second expandable end of the shunt extends distally out the distal end of the sheath and disengages with one or more protrusions of the core to transition from a contracted state within the lumen of the sheath to an expanded state in a second atrium such that the shunt is anchored within the atrial septum to permit blood to flow through an opening in the shunt and thereby through the atrial septum;
• and
• removing the sheath from the patient.

A method for retrieving a shunt implanted at an atrial septum of a patient, the method comprising:

• advancing a sheath percutaneously to a first atrium to position a distal end of the sheath adjacent to the shunt;
• moving a core within a lumen of the sheath such that one or more protrusions of the core extend distally out the distal end of the sheath and are in proximity to a first expandable end of the shunt in the first atrium;
• coupling the one or more protrusions to the first expandable end of the shunt;
• retracting the core proximally relative to the sheath to transition the first expandable end of the shunt from an expanded state at the atrial septum to a contracted state;
• moving the sheath distally relative to the core such that the first expandable end of the shunt in the contracted state moves into the lumen of the sheath;
• moving the sheath distally relative to the core through the atrial septum such that a second expandable end of the shunt disposed in a second atrium transitions from an expanded state at the atrial septum to a contracted state and moves into the lumen of the sheath;
• and
• removing the sheath and the shunt from the patient.