Intravascular treatment catheters

• US 10,350,004 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2016
• Issued: 07/16/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Twelve, Inc. (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Twelve, Inc. (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Gifford, III, Hanson, Deem, Mark, Boyd, Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): Tanner, Jocelin C
• Application Number:
  US15/212,797
• Publication Number:
  US 20170014183A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,093 Days
• 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 17/2202 the ultrasound transducer being inside patient's body at the distal end of the catheter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/221 Gripping devices in the form of loops or baskets for gripping calculi or similar types of obstructions surgical snare instruments A61B17/32056
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/320758 with a rotating cutting instrument, e.g. motor driven A61B17/320725, A61B17/32075 and A61B17/320783 take precedence; for removing intra-ocular material A61F9/00763; endoscopic rotatable cutting instruments A61B17/32002
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/02 by cooling, e.g. cryogenic techniques devices for cooling specific reflex points of the body within cell-life limits A61H39/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1492 having a flexible, catheter-like structure, e.g. for heart ablation A61B18/1477 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/18 by applying electromagnetic radiation, e.g. microwaves radiation therapy A61N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22038 with a guide wire
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22061 for spreading elements apart
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22069 Immobilising; Stabilising
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22079 with suction of debris
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22098 Decalcification of valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2215 having an open distal end
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00011 with fluids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0022 Balloons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0262 using a circulating cryogenic fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/12 in body cavities or body tracts, e.g. by using catheters catheters per se A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2445 Annuloplasty rings in direct contact with the valve annulus
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/105 having a balloon suitable for drug delivery, e.g. by using holes for delivery, drug coating or membranes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/04 in the body, e.g. expansible A61M25/10, A61M16/0488 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0039 : using microbubbles
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/022 : intracavitary

Abstract

The present invention provides devices and methods for decalcifying an aortic valve. The methods and devices of the present invention break up or obliterate calcific deposits in and around the aortic valve through application or removal of heat energy from the calcific deposits.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a catheter configured for intravascular placement within a body lumen of a human patient,

wherein the catheter comprises an expandable distal basket formed from a plurality of elongate members;

wherein the distal basket is transformable between—

a low-profile delivery configuration, and

an expanded deployed configuration wherein one or more of the elongate members of the distal basket contact a wall of the body lumen and are arranged such that blood is allowed to flow therethrough; and

a plurality of electrodes arranged along the elongate members of the basket and adapted to be positioned into contact with the wall of the body lumen when the basket is in the deployed configuration, wherein at least two of the electrodes are at different longitudinal positions along the basket, and wherein the electrodes are configured to deliver an electric field to target tissue adjacent the body lumen,

wherein the distal basket comprises a plurality of infusion ports or outlets distributed along each of the elongate members of the basket and configured to allow infusion of a pharmaceutical agent into the body lumen, and wherein the plurality of infusion ports or outlets are interspersed among and distinct from the plurality of electrodes arranged along the elongate members of the basket.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the elongate members of the distal basket are fabricated from shape-memory material.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the elongate members of the distal basket are composed, at least in part, of a metal material.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the elongate members of the distal basket are composed, at least in part, of plastic.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the basket is collapsible for delivery to the body lumen within a guide catheter, and further wherein the basket is configured to self-expand into contact with the wall of the body lumen upon removal from the guide catheter.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the basket is collapsible for delivery to the body lumen within a guide catheter, and further wherein the basket is configured to be mechanically actuated to transform the basket from the low-profile delivery configuration into the expanded deployed configuration.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the electrodes are arranged in a staggered configuration along the members of the basket, and wherein the electrodes are configured to be energized to produce a plurality of treatment areas along the wall of the body lumen.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the electric field delivered by the electrodes comprises a non-pulsed thermal RF electric field.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the electric field delivered by the electrodes comprises a pulsed electric field.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a plurality of electrodes are carried by each elongate member of the basket.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the infusion ports or outlets are configured to allow infusion of the pharmaceutical agent before, during, and/or after delivery of electrical energy to the target tissue.