Problem:  Atrial fibrillation affects 2-5 million patients and if left untreated has a significant risk of stroke. Historically this is treated with lifelong anticoagulation which results in significant cost, monitoring, and risk of complications for patients. A new class of left atrial appendage occlusion devices have been developed as an alternative to medical therapy. These devices are inserted through a catheter and deployed in the left atrium. After the deployment the device can sometimes become dislodged and move inside of the heart or the aorta.  Emergency retrieval of the device is required to prevent permanent injury or death. Currently there is no device to accomplish this, and physicians are required to improvise a technique to remove the dislodged device. 

The project will be focused on developing a device to perform the removal of a dislodged left atrial appendage occlusion device that has been deployed. Ideally the removal device will be able to be deployed via intra-vascular catheter to remove the dislodged occlusion device.