Implant loading device and system

• US 10,350,048 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2017
• Issued: 07/16/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pulmonx Corp.
• Original Assignee: Pulmonx Corp.
• Inventors: Olivera, Ryan, Nguyen, Hoang
• Primary Examiner(s): Gherbi, Suzette J
• Application Number:
  US15/841,898
• Publication Number:
  US 20180104039A1
• Time in Patent Office: 579 Days
• Field of Search: 623 9
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12031 complete occlusion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12104 in an air passage
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12172 having a pre-set deployed three-dimensional shape methods of manufacturing A61B2017/00526
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0053 Loading magazines or sutures into applying tools
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/1205 Introduction devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/0095 Packages or dispensers for prostheses or other implants for intraocular lenses A61F2/1691; for dental surgery A61C19/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/04 Hollow or tubular parts of organs, e.g. bladders, tracheae, bronchi or bile ducts A61F2/18, A61F2/20 take precedence; devices, other than stent-grafts, providing patency to, or preventing collapsing of, tubular structures of the body other than stent-grafts, e.g. stents A61F2/82; instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts A61F2/95
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/95 Instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/9522 Means for mounting a stent or stent-graft onto or into a placement instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/9525 using a funnel
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/043 Bronchi
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 1/04 Methods of, or means for, filling the material into the containers or receptacles

Abstract

Devices, methods, and systems are provided for loading an implantable device into a container. One aspect of the loading system contains a loader element with a loading tunnel that is configured to gradually contract an implantable device into a compressed state of reduced size relative to an expanded state as the implantable device travels through the loading tunnel.

Claims

1. A method for loading an implantable device into a container, comprising:

pulling an implantable device using a puller element through a funnel-shaped loading tunnel in a loader element thereby gradually contracting the implantable device into a compressed state of reduced size relative to an expanded state as the implantable device travels through the loading tunnel, wherein the puller element is removably attached to the implantable device via a suture; and

automatically releasing the suture after the implantable device is contracted into the compressed state;

wherein a rotator disposed on the puller element is removably attached to the suture; and

wherein automatically releasing the suture after the implantable device is contracted into the compressed state comprises rotation of the rotator thereby causing the suture to detach from the rotator.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the suture is drawn through and exits the implantable device after the detachment of the suture from the rotator thereby detaching the suture from the implantable device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising separating the puller element from the loader element.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the implantable device is a pulmonary implant.

4. A method for loading an implantable device into a container, comprising:

pulling an implantable device using a puller element through a funnel-shaped loading tunnel in a loader element thereby gradually contracting the implantable device into a compressed state of reduced size relative to an expanded state as the implantable device travels through the loading tunnel, wherein the puller element is removably attached to the implantable device via a suture;

automatically releasing the suture after the implantable device is contracted into the compressed state;

placing a portion of a delivery catheter into the loader element; and

pushing the implantable device through the loading tunnel and into the delivery catheter using a plunger.

6. A method for loading an implantable pulmonary device into a container, comprising:

pulling an implantable pulmonary device using a puller element through a funnel-shaped loading tunnel in a loader element thereby gradually contracting the implantable pulmonary device into a compressed state of reduced size relative to an expanded state as the implantable pulmonary device travels through the loading tunnel, wherein the puller element is removably attached to the implantable pulmonary device;

automatically releasing the implantable pulmonary device from the puller element after the implantable pulmonary device is contracted into the into a compressed state; and

pushing the implantable pulmonary device through the loading tunnel and into the delivery catheter using a plunger.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising separating the puller element from the loader element.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising placing a portion of a delivery catheter into the loader element.

9. A method for loading an implantable pulmonary device into a container, comprising:

pulling an implantable pulmonary device using a puller element through a funnel-shaped loading tunnel in a loader element thereby gradually contracting the implantable pulmonary device into a compressed state of reduced size relative to an expanded state as the implantable pulmonary device travels through the loading tunnel, wherein the puller element is removably attached to the implantable pulmonary device;

automatically releasing the implantable pulmonary device from the puller element after the implantable pulmonary device is contracted into the into a compressed state;

wherein a rotator disposed on the puller element is removably attached to a suture; and

wherein automatically releasing the implantable pulmonary device from the puller element after the implantable pulmonary device is contracted into the compressed state comprises rotation of the rotator thereby causing the suture to detach from the rotator.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the suture is drawn through and exits the implantable pulmonary device after the detachment of the suture from the rotator thereby detaching the suture from the implantable pulmonary device.