Cardiac tissue penetrating devices, methods, and systems for treatment of congestive heart failure and other conditions

A method of penetrating tissue of a patient with a tissue penetrating device having a first needle and a second needle disposed within a lumen of the first needle, the method comprising:

• advancing the first needle towards a first tissue surface of the patient to position a distal tip of the first needle adjacent to the first tissue surface;
• extending the second needle distally of the first needle's distal tip to penetrate the first tissue surface with the second needle, the second needle being coaxially aligned with a distal end of the first needle as the second needle is extended distally of the first needle's distal tip and through the first tissue surface;
• advancing the first needle over the second needle and through the first tissue surface so that the second needle is disposed within the first needle's lumen and so that the second needle's distal tip is positioned distally of the first tissue surface;
• advancing the first needle distally of the first tissue surface and towards a second tissue surface of the patient to position the first needle's distal tip adjacent to the second tissue surface, wherein the first needle bends or curves from a first orientation to a second orientation as the first needle is advanced towards the second tissue surface;
• and
• extending the second needle distally of the first needle's distal tip to penetrate the second tissue surface with the second needle, the second needle being coaxially aligned with the distal end of the first needle as the second needle is extended distally of the first needle's distal tip and through the second tissue surface.

A tissue penetrating device comprising:

• a first needle having a proximal end, a distal end, and a lumen extending between the proximal end and the distal end;
• a second needle disposed within the first needle's lumen, the second needle being extendable distally from the distal end of the first needle;
• a main body having a proximal end and a distal end;
• and
• a trigger mechanism that is operably coupled with the main body and with the first needle or the second needle, the trigger mechanism being actuatable to effect a rapid deployment of the first needle or the second needle to penetrate tissue of a patient.