DEVICES FOR PERICARDIAL ACCESS

Devices and methods for establishing pericardial access to facilitate therapeutic and/or diagnostic applications. Pericardial access is facilitated, in part, by a tissue grasping device that reliably holds pericardial tissue, even in the presence of fatty deposits. The tissue grasping portion may include a tissue penetrating tip, a tissue dilating distal section, a tissue retention neck, and a tissue stop. When advanced into the pericardium, the tip may serve to create an opening (e.g., pierce, cut, etc.) in the pericardium, the distal section may serve to dilate the opening, the neck may serve to hold the tissue upon recoil of the dilated opening, and the stop may serve to limit further penetration once tissue is retained in the neck.