Patent ID: 8574265

Claim:
A living tissue closing device for closing a patent foramen ovale or atrial septal defect located between first and second atriums of a heart by bringing septum primum and septum secundum into contact with each other and joining them together, the living tissue closing device comprising: a catheter dimensioned to be positioned in a living body and advanced into one of the atriums of a heart; a needle part slidably positioned inside the catheter to puncture the septum primum; a clamping member mounted on the catheter and movable relative to the needle part to position the needle part and the clamping member in a clamping position to clamp the septum primum and the septum secundum, between the clamping member and the needle part; energy supplying means operatively connected to at least one of the needle part and the clamping member for supplying energy to join the tissue clamped between the needle part and the clamping member; a main tube positioned inside the catheter, extending distally beyond a distal end of the catheter and dimensioned to be positioned in a living body and advanced into one of the atriums of a heart; an intermediate sleeve body positioned distally of the main tube and axially movable relative to the main tube to move toward and away from the main tube; a tip sleeve body positioned distally of the intermediate sleeve body; an elongated operating member extending through the catheter, through the main tube, through the intermediate sleeve body and through the tip sleeve body, the elongated operating member being movable relative to the catheter, the main tube, the intermediate sleeve body and the tip sleeve body; two first elastic wire members each having a proximal end fixed to the main tube and a distal end fixed to the intermediate sleeve body, the two first elastic wire members being expandable radially outwardly when the intermediate sleeve body moves axially toward the main tube; a contact member fixed to a distal end portion of the elongated operating member so that the contact member moves together with the elongated operating member, the contact member being positioned distally of the intermediate sleeve body and being movable in a proximal direction towards the intermediate sleeve body and into contact with the intermediate sleeve body to axially move the intermediate sleeve body toward the main tube and cause the two first elastic wire members to expand radially outwardly; and two second elastic wire members each having a proximal end fixed to the intermediate sleeve body and a distal end fixed to the tip sleeve body, the second elastic wire members being deformed upon movement of the distal ends of the second elastic wire members toward the intermediate sleeve body through movement of the operating member in the proximal direction.