Patent ID: 8361088

Claim:
A method for suturing a patent foramen ovale (PFO), the method comprising: providing a suturing device comprising: a housing having a foot actuation handle and a needle actuation handle, the housing having a proximal end and a distal end; a flexible shaft extending from the distal end of the housing, the flexible shaft having a proximal end and a distal end and a longitudinal axis; a foot housing extending from the distal end of the shaft and having a foot housing proximal end and foot housing distal end, both of which are aligned with the longitudinal axis of the flexible shaft, the foot housing defining a pre-formed curve portion between the foot housing proximal end and foot housing distal end, the pre-formed curve portion being in the curved configuration in a pre-deployed and deployed configuration of the suturing device, the foot housing carrying a pivotable first foot pivotal about a pivotal axis orientated in the pre-formed curve portion, the first foot being operatively connected to a first foot actuation wire and a second foot actuation wire, the first foot actuation wire being connected to the foot actuation handle and being routed over a bearing disposed proximal to and radially offset from a pivot point of the first foot, the first foot actuation wire and the second foot actuation wire being connected to the first foot on opposite sides of the pivot point and extending from the foot toward the bearing at angular orientations transverse to one another; a first needle extending from the needle actuation handle and through the shaft; a length of suture having a first end and a second end; and a distal sheath coupled to the foot housing distal end and extending distally from the foot housing distal end of the foot housing, the distal sheath defining a guidewire lumen distally the foot housing, a proximal end of the distal sheath having a longitudinal axis aligned with the longitudinal axis of the foot housing and the flexible shaft; advancing the suturing device through an inferior vena cava, right atrium, and PFO such that the first foot is positioned in the left atrium; deploying the first foot to a deployed position; orienting the suturing device such that a distal portion of tissue of the PFO is received in the pre-formed curve portion of the foot housing; advancing the first needle through tissue and further into a first needle receptacle disposed on the first foot; and advancing the first end of the length of suture through the tissue.