Apparatus and methods for accessing the lymphatic system
First Claim
1. An apparatus for accessing a thoracic duct of a patient'"'"'s body, the thoracic duct including an outlet adjacent a confluence of an internal jugular vein and subclavian vein of the patient'"'"'s body, comprising:
- a tubular member comprising a proximal end, a distal end sized for introduction into a patient'"'"'s vasculature, and an aspiration lumen extending between the proximal and distal ends; and
an expandable sealing member comprising;
a frame comprising a first arm and a second arm movable between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration;
a fluid-tight membrane comprising a first end coupled to the first arm and a second end coupled to the second arm such that the membrane is suspended between the first arm and the second arm free of additional supports, the membrane is expandable from a delivery condition sized for introduction into a patient'"'"'s vasculature to a deployed condition in which the membrane defines a flexible concave outer contact surface extending between the first arm and the second arm and oriented away from the distal end, the outer contact surface configured to conform to a shape of a vessel wall surrounding the outlet of the thoracic duct for engaging a vessel wall surrounding the outlet of the thoracic duct to provide a fluid-tight seal isolating the thoracic duct from the internal jugular vein and the subclavian vein; and
an aspiration port in the outer contact surface communicating with the aspiration lumen for removing fluid from the thoracic duct through the aspiration port into the aspiration lumen.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods are provided for performing a medical procedure within a patient'"'"'s body that involves a thoracic duct including an ostium communicating with the patient'"'"'s venous system. An apparatus is provided that includes a catheter including proximal and distal ends and a lumen extending therebetween. An expandable sealing member is carried beyond the distal end that is expandable from a delivery condition to a deployed condition in which the sealing member defines a concave contact surface shaped for engaging a vessel wall surrounding the outlet of the thoracic duct. The sealing member includes an aspiration port in the contact surface communicating with the catheter lumen for removing fluid from the thoracic duct.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus for accessing a thoracic duct of a patient'"'"'s body, the thoracic duct including an outlet adjacent a confluence of an internal jugular vein and subclavian vein of the patient'"'"'s body, comprising:
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a tubular member comprising a proximal end, a distal end sized for introduction into a patient'"'"'s vasculature, and an aspiration lumen extending between the proximal and distal ends; and an expandable sealing member comprising; a frame comprising a first arm and a second arm movable between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration; a fluid-tight membrane comprising a first end coupled to the first arm and a second end coupled to the second arm such that the membrane is suspended between the first arm and the second arm free of additional supports, the membrane is expandable from a delivery condition sized for introduction into a patient'"'"'s vasculature to a deployed condition in which the membrane defines a flexible concave outer contact surface extending between the first arm and the second arm and oriented away from the distal end, the outer contact surface configured to conform to a shape of a vessel wall surrounding the outlet of the thoracic duct for engaging a vessel wall surrounding the outlet of the thoracic duct to provide a fluid-tight seal isolating the thoracic duct from the internal jugular vein and the subclavian vein; and an aspiration port in the outer contact surface communicating with the aspiration lumen for removing fluid from the thoracic duct through the aspiration port into the aspiration lumen. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An apparatus for accessing a thoracic duct of a patient'"'"'s body, the thoracic duct including an outlet adjacent a confluence of an internal jugular vein and subclavian vein of the patient'"'"'s body, comprising:
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a tubular member comprising a proximal end, a distal end sized for introduction into a patient'"'"'s vasculature, a longitudinal axis extending between the proximal end and the distal end, and an aspiration lumen extending between the proximal and distal ends; a frame comprising first and second arms including first fixed ends coupled to the distal end of the tubular member and second free ends disposed distally beyond the distal end of the tubular member, the free ends movable away from one another to an expanded configuration in which the arms extend away from one another such that the free ends are spaced apart from one another and movable towards one another to a collapsed configuration; and a flexible sealing member comprising a flexible membrane including first and second ends attached to the first and second arms, respectively, such that the membrane is suspended between the first and second arms and defines an outer contact surface, the membrane movable between a delivery condition when the arms are in the collapsed configuration for introduction into a patient'"'"'s vasculature and a deployed condition when the arms are in the expanded configuration in which the outer contact surface is oriented transversely relative to the longitudinal axis of the tubular member and shaped for engaging a vessel wall surrounding the outlet of the thoracic duct, the sealing member comprising an aspiration port in the outer contact surface communicating with the aspiration lumen for removing fluid from the thoracic duct through the aspiration port into the aspiration lumen. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for accessing a thoracic duct of a patient'"'"'s body, comprising:
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introducing a distal end of a tubular member into a patient'"'"'s vasculature with a sealing member extending distally from the distal end in a delivery condition; advancing the tubular member until the distal end is disposed adjacent a junction of the patient'"'"'s left internal jugular vein and the patient'"'"'s left subclavian vein; deploying the sealing member adjacent the junction such that arms of a frame of the sealing member expand and a membrane suspended between the arms is expanded by the frame to extend transversely relative to a longitudinal axis of the tubular member and define a concave outer contact surface oriented away from the tubular member distal end; manipulating the tubular member to press the outer contact surface against a vessel wall surrounding an outlet of the thoracic duct, the outer contact surface conforming to a shape of the vessel wall to provide a fluid-tight seal isolating the thoracic duct from the left internal jugular vein and left subclavian vein; and removing fluid from the thoracic duct through an aspiration port in the outer contact surface communicating with an aspiration lumen within the tubular member.
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Specification