Devices, systems, and methods for inverting and closing the left atrial appendage

A system for occluding a left atrial appendage, the system comprising:

• a vacuum tube defining a vacuum tube lumen therethrough, the vacuum tube having a suction flange at its distal end;
• a catheter configured for introduction into a mammalian blood vessel and advancement to a left atrium, the catheter comprising an elongated tubular body defining a central lumen therethrough and further comprising a balloon configured for inflation and deflation, the central lumen configured to slidably receive the vacuum tube therein;
• a double stent assembly configured for placement upon the balloon, the double stent assembly comprising an outer scaffold configured for expansion and to be anchored within an interior of a left atrial appendage, an inner scaffold positioned within the outer scaffold and configured for expansion within the outer scaffold and further configured to receive and engage a distal portion of the left atrial appendage after inversion of the distal portion of the left atrial appendage, and an occluder membrane coupled to the outer scaffold, the occluder membrane configured to occlude an orifice of the left atrial appendage upon expansion of the occluder membrane;
• and
• one or more memory arms coupled to the outer scaffold or the occluder membrane, the one or more memory arms configured to receive and retain at least a portion of the left atrial appendage.

A method for closing a left atrial appendage, the method comprising the steps of:

• inverting a distal portion of a left atrial appendage;
• and
• constraining the inverted distal portion of the left atrial appendage using a device configured to fit within an interior of the left atrial appendage a double stent assembly of a system, the system comprising:
• a vacuum tube defining a vacuum tube lumen therethrough, the vacuum tube having a suction flange at its distal end,
• a catheter configured for introduction into a mammalian blood vessel and advancement to a left atrium, the catheter comprising an elongated tubular body defining a central lumen therethrough and further comprising a balloon configured for inflation and deflation, the central lumen configured to slidably receive the vacuum tube therein, and
• the double stent assembly configured for placement upon the balloon, the double stent assembly comprising an outer scaffold configured for expansion and to be anchored within an interior of the left atrial appendage, and an inner scaffold positioned within the outer scaffold and configured for expansion within the outer scaffold and further configured to receive and engage the distal portion of the left atrial appendage after inversion of the distal portion of the left atrial appendage.