Patent ID: 8007504

Claim:
A method of occluding the lumen of the left atrial appendage (LAA) from the left atrium of a patient, comprising: accessing the LAA; capturing the LAA; and attaching a closure device to the base of the LAA to functionally isolate the lumen of the LAA from the left atrium, wherein the capturing and attaching steps are performed by a unitary device, wherein the unitary device is an apparatus comprising: a capture chamber having an intake port for receiving the LAA, said chamber being of sufficient capacity to enclose the LAA; a snare adapted to isolate the LAA, wherein the snare is disposed outside the capture chamber during the entire operation of the apparatus including before and during isolation of the LAA by the snare, wherein physical integrity of said left atrium is maintained during operation of the apparatus; a cinch adapted to engage the snare, wherein the cinch is disposed outside the capture chamber during operation of the apparatus including before and during isolation of the LAA by the snare; and an actuator proximal to the capture chamber, wherein said actuator is adapted to actuate the cinch to draw the snare closed at the base of the LAA to isolate the LAA, wherein the snare is adapted to disengage from the actuator and remain securely in place at the base of the LAA.