Abstract: A catheter assembly includes a catheter having a proximal end and a distal end; an expandable device releasably attached to the catheter near the distal end; a generally tubular constraining sleeve extending around and compressing the device to an outer peripheral dimension suitable for endoluminal delivery; a tip fixedly secured to the distal end of the catheter; and a bridge member disposed between the tip and the expandable device so as to fill a gap therebetween as the catheter assembly is bent during endoluminal delivery of the expandable device to a treatment site.

Abstract: The invention provides an intracardiac occluder, which has biological tissue scaffolds as occlusion shells, for the percutaneous transluminal treatment of an intracardiac defect. The intracardiac occluder includes a proximal support structure supporting the proximal occlusion shell and a distal support structure supporting the distal occlusion shell. In one embodiment, biological tissue derived from the tunica submucosa layer of the porcine small intestine forms the occlusion shells.