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Medical device system including guide rod illumination

  • US 10,071,215 B2
  • Filed: 11/25/2014
  • Issued: 09/11/2018
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2000
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A medical device system comprising:

  • a positioning apparatus configured to enable the insertion of a flexible guide rod into a passage of a respiratory system of a subject, the positioning apparatus having a body section and an upper section, the body section having a cylindrical central passage, the upper section slidably coupled to the body section such that the upper section slidably moves relative to the body section, and the upper section having a cylindrical passage that enables the flexible guide rod to be positioned in and extended through the upper section of the positioning apparatus, wherein at least a portion of the cylindrical passage of the body section and a portion of the cylindrical passage of the upper section are parallel;

    the flexible guide rod having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, the distal end portion of the flexible guide rod having a spherical leading end, the flexible guide rod extending through the upper section of the positioning apparatus and configured to be inserted into the passage of the respiratory system of the subject, and the flexible guide rod comprising a visible light emitter configured to emit light at the distal end portion of the flexible guide rod, wherein the visible light emitter is configured to emit visible light within the passage of the respiratory system such that the emitted visible light transmits in the subject and is visible outside the subject for use in determining the location of the distal end portion of the flexible guide rod within the respiratory system;

    a guide tube having a lumen through which the flexible guide rod is configured to be passed;

    a catheter positioned through the cylindrical passage in the slidable upper section of the positioning apparatus and movable along the flexible guide rod to position the catheter in the passage of the respiratory system, the catheter including an elongate body having proximal and distal end portions; and

    a balloon configured for selective expansion to apply a force against a portion of the respiratory system;

    wherein the upper section of the positioning apparatus comprises a single piece of monolithic material that extends seamlessly about the cylindrical passage of the upper section;

    wherein the cylindrical passage of the upper section of the positioning apparatus has a length and the cylindrical central passage of the body section of the positioning apparatus has a length that is greater than the length of the cylindrical passage of the upper section of the positioning apparatus; and

    wherein the body section of the positioning apparatus has a length extending parallel to a longitudinal axis of the central cylindrical passage extending therethrough and the upper section of the positioning apparatus has a length extending parallel to the length of the body section, wherein the length of the body section is greater than the length of the upper section.

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