Patent ID: 8685055

Claim:
A method of filtering the flow of blood between an atrium and a left atrial appendage of a patient comprising: providing a filtering membrane having a permeable structure which allows blood to flow through the filtering membrane but substantially inhibits thrombus from passing therethrough, and a support structure attached to the filtering membrane configured to permanently engage a portion of an ostium and an interior wall of the left atrial appendage, the support structure comprises a plurality of struts extending radially outward from a proximal ring and having a plurality of barbs disposed on and extending outward from the plurality of struts, wherein the plurality of barbs are distal to the proximal ring, the filtering membrane permeable structure having a concave shape and defining a cavity having a distally facing opening, and wherein a proximal portion of the plurality of struts is disposed in the cavity; positioning the filtering membrane across the ostium by permanently engaging the portion of the interior wall of the left atrial appendage with the support structure; and filtering blood flow through the ostium with the filtering membrane while thrombus is substantially inhibited from passing therethrough.