Vibrational catheter devices and methods for making same

• US 10,285,719 B2
• Filed: 06/18/2012
• Issued: 05/14/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Flowcardia Inc. (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Original Assignee: Flowcardia Inc. (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Inventors: Nita, Henry, Sarge, Jeff
• Primary Examiner(s): Price, Nathan R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bui, Anh
• Application Number:
  US13/526,358
• Publication Number:
  US 20120311844A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,521 Days
• Field of Search: 604 20- 22, 604275-279, 604118-121
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/22004 using mechanical vibrations, e.g. ultrasonic shock waves A61B17/225 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/22012 in direct contact with, or very close to, the obstruction or concrement for removing obstructions in blood vessels by laser A61B18/245
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00477 Coupling A61B2017/0046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00526 Methods of manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49908 Joining by deforming
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49925 Inward deformation of aperture or hollow body wall
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49927 Hollow body is axially joined cup or tube
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49929 Joined to rod

Abstract

A vibrational catheter for disrupting obstructions in lumens such as blood vessels includes an elongate flexible catheter body having a proximal end, a distal end and at least one lumen extending longitudinally therethrough, a vibrational transmission member extending longitudinally through the lumen of the catheter body and having a proximal end and a distal end, and a transition connector attached to the proximal end of the vibrational transmission member for coupling the transmission member with a vibrational energy source. The transition connector includes a bore into which the proximal end of the vibrational transmission member extends. The proximal end of the vibrational transmission member is attached within the bore of the transition connector with variable attachment forces such that the transition connector exerts a lowest amount of attachment force on an attached distal-most portion of the vibrational transmission member housed within the bore.

Claims

1. A method for making a vibrational catheter, comprising:

providing a transition connector of the catheter having a bore defining an open distal end and a closed proximal end;

inserting a proximal end of a vibrational transmission member into the open end of the bore in the transition connector of the catheter;

crimping at least part of the transition connector to attach the proximal end of the vibrational transmission member within the bore adjacent the closed proximal end of the bore, wherein a variable amount of crimping force is applied to attach the transmission member within the bore, such that the transition connector exerts a lowest amount of attachment force on an attached distal-most portion of the vibrational transmission member housed within the bore,

wherein crimping is performed with a crimping tool having a contact surface parallel with the vibrational transmission member along an entire contact length during crimping, and wherein the greater amount of crimping force is applied via a shaped portion of the transition connector overlying the bore, wherein the shaped portion exists in the transition connector before being crimped; and

inserting the vibrational transmission member through a plurality of 0-rings located in a catheter handle.

2. A method for making a vibrational catheter, comprising:

providing a transition connector of the catheter having a bore defining an open distal end and a closed proximal end;

inserting a proximal end of a vibrational transmission member into the open end of the bore in the transition connector of the catheter;

crimping at least part of the transition connector to attach the proximal end of the vibrational transmission member within the bore adjacent the closed proximal end of the bore, wherein a variable amount of crimping force is applied to attach the transmission member within the bore, such that the transition connector exerts a lowest amount of attachment force on an attached distal-most portion of the vibrational transmission member housed within the bore,

wherein crimping is performed with a crimping tool having a contact surface parallel with the vibrational transmission member over a length experiencing the variable amount of crimping force, and wherein the greater amount of crimping force is applied via a shaped bore, the shaped bore having a larger inner diameter at a distal-most portion of the bore than a proximal portion of the bore before being crimped; and

inserting the vibrational transmission member through a plurality of 0-rings located in a catheter handle.

3. A method for making a vibrational catheter, comprising:

providing a transition connector of the catheter having a bore defining an open distal end and a closed proximal end;

inserting a proximal end of a vibrational transmission member into the open end of the bore in the transition connector of the catheter;

crimping at least part of the transition connector to attach the proximal end of the vibrational transmission member within the bore adjacent the closed proximal end of the bore, wherein a variable amount of crimping force is applied to attach the transmission member within the bore, such that the transition connector exerts a lowest amount of attachment force on an attached distal-most portion of the vibrational transmission member housed within the bore,

wherein crimping is performed with a linearly tapered crimping tool having a contact surface that contacts a proximal portion of the transition connector overlying the bore before contacting a more distal portion of the transition connector overlying the bore; and

inserting the vibrational transmission member through a plurality of 0-rings located in a catheter handle.