MINIMALLY-INVASIVE MEDICAL RETRIEVAL DEVICE

• US 20010041899A1
• Filed: 03/26/1999
• Published: 11/15/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cook Urological, Inc. (Cook Group Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: James B. Hunt
• Inventors: FOSTER, THOMAS L.
• Granted Patent: US 6,500,182 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/127
• 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 2017/2212 having a closed distal end, e.g. a loop
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2215 having an open distal end

Abstract

A medical retrieval device 10 is disclosed comprising an elongated cylindrical member 11 that includes a continuum of a material 40, preferably a metal such as stainless steel or nitinol, that forms both the resilient grasping members 13 of retrieval basket 54, snare 26, or grasper forceps 23, and the proximal portion 21 or shaft of the device. The elongated cylindrical member can include a metal cannula 60 or solid rod 62 into which a series of laterally adjacent longitudinal slots 15 are cut or formed in the distal portion 37 of the elongated cylindrical member to form a plurality of resilient grasping members. These slots may be cut in a spiral configuration to produce a helical basket 69. The resilient grasping members in the original compact shape 17 are formed into an enlarged shape 18 to create a workspace volume 28 for the capture, manipulation and/or retrieval of an object within a patient. An external constraining device 14, such as an outer sheath, is used for introducing of the device and to compress the resilient grasping members over a calculus 24 or other object into a substantially closed position 30. An internal actuating member 29 within the passage 12 of the elongated cylindrical member can provide an alternative method of opening and closing the retrieval device. Using a small thin-walled cannula, retrieval devices of the present invention can fit through the accessory channel 46 of a small endoscope, such as an ureteroscope 44 while still having a sufficient lumen size to accommodate an ancillary treatment device such as a standard 200 micron laser fiber or lithotripsy wire. The present invention also includes a retrieval device made from a plastic tube 32 having encased reinforcement wires 31. By removing all material 66 except the reinforcement wires from the distal portion of the elongated cylindrical member, the exposed wires can become the resilient grasping members of a basket or forceps.

Claims

1. A medical retrieval device (10) comprising:

an elongated cylindrical member (11) having a proximal end (38), a distal end (20), a proximal portion (21) and a distal portion (37), the elongated cylindrical member including at least one continuum of a first material (40) extending therealong;

the distal portion including a plurality of resilient grasping members (13) comprising the first material, the resilient grasping members manipulable between a compact shape (17) and an enlarged shape (18), wherein the resilient grasping members of the enlarged shape are in a relaxed condition.

2. The device of

claim 1

, wherein the proximal portion of the elongated cylindrical member includes a proximal closed cylinder (19), the proximal closed cylinder comprising the continuum of first material.

3. The device of

claim 2

, wherein the elongated cylindrical member further contains a passage (12) extending longitudinally therein.

4. The device of

claim 2

, wherein the resilient grasping members, each having a distal end (41) and a proximal end (39), are conjoined about the distal ends thereof.

5. The device of

claim 4

, wherein the resilient grasping members are conjoined at the distal ends thereof by a distal closed cylinder (55) comprising the continuum of first material.

6. The device of

claim 4

, wherein the proximal end of each resilient grasping member is circumferentially offset from the distal end thereof such that the medical retrieval device is a helical basket (69).

7. The device of

claim 2

, wherein the resilient grasping members, each having a distal end (41), are unattached about the distal ends thereof.

8. The device of

claim 1

, wherein the elongated cylindrical member includes a plurality of continua of first material, wherein the proximal portion further includes an other material (66), the other material interconnecting the continua of first material.

9. The device of

claim 8

, wherein the resilient grasping members, each having a distal end (41), are conjoined about the distal ends thereof.

10. the device of

claim 8

, wherein the resilient grasping members are conjoined at the distal ends thereof by a fastener (57).

11. The device of

claim 8

, wherein the resilient grasping members, each having a distal end (41), are unattached about the distal ends thereof.

12. The device of

claim 1

, further comprising an external constraining mechanism (14) to constrain the distal portion of the elongated cylindrical member into the compact shape, the external constraining mechanism being longitudinally slidable about the elongated cylindrical member to alternately deploy the resilient grasping members to the enlarged shape, or recompress the resilient grasping members having the enlarged shape into one of the compact shape or a substantially closed position (30) for capture and/or retrieval of an object from within a patient.

13. The device of

claim 1

, wherein the elongated cylindrical member further includes a passage (12) therein and an actuating member (29) having a distal end (42) and a proximal end (58), the actuating member being slidably disposed within the passage, the distal end of the actuating member being attached about the distal end of the elongated cylindrical member;

the proximal end of the actuating member being manipulable from the proximal end of elongated cylindrical member to alternately lengthen and shorten the elongated cylindrical member, thereby alternately reshaping the resilient grasping members between the compact shape and one of the enlarged shape or a substantially closed position (30) for manipulation therein an object within a patient.

14. A medical retrieval device (10) comprising:

an elongated cylindrical member (11) having a proximal end (38), a distal end (20), a proximal portion (21) and a distal portion (37), the elongated cylindrical member including a proximal closed cylinder (19), the closed cylinder including a continuum of a first material (40) extending therealong;

the distal portion including a plurality of resilient grasping members (13) comprising the continuum of first material, the resilient grasping members manipulable) between a compact shape (17) and an enlarged shape (18), wherein the resilient grasping members of the enlarged shape are in a relaxed condition, wherein the resilient grasping members include space therebetween configured for insertion of an object therethrough.

15. The device of

claim 14

, wherein the resilient grasping members, each having a distal end (41) and a proximal end (39), are conjoined about the distal ends thereof.

16. The device of

claim 15

, wherein the resilient grasping members are conjoined at the distal ends thereof by the a distal closed cylinder (55) comprising the continuum of first material.

17. The device of

claim 14

, wherein the proximal end of each resilient grasping member is circumferentially offset from the distal end thereof such that the medical retrieval device is a helical basket (69).

18. The device of

claim 14

, wherein the resilient grasping members, each having a distal end (41), are unattached about the distal ends thereof.

19. The device of

claim 14

, further comprising an external constraining mechanism (14) to constrain the distal portion of the elongated cylindrical member into the compact shape, the external constraining mechanism being longitudinally slidable about the elongated cylindrical member to alternately deploy the resilient grasping members to the enlarged shape, or recompress the resilient grasping members having the enlarged shape into one of the compact shape or a substantially closed position (30) for capture and/or retrieval of an object from within a patient.

20. A medical retrieval device (10) comprising:

an elongated cylindrical member (11) having a proximal end (38), a distal end (20), a proximal portion (21) and a distal portion (37), the elongated cylindrical member including at least one continuum of a first material (40) extending therealong;

the distal portion including a plurality of resilient grasping members (13), the resilient grasping members manipulable between a compact shape (17) and an enlarged shape (18), wherein the edges of adjacent resilient grasping members are spaced apart when in the compact shape.

21. The device of

claim 20

, wherein the elongated cylindrical member contains a passage (12) therein.

22. The device of

claim 20

, further comprising an external constraining mechanism (14) to constrain the distal portion of the elongated cylindrical member into the compact shape, the external constraining mechanism being longitudinally slidable about the elongated cylindrical member to alternately deploy the resilient grasping members to the enlarged shape, or recompress the resilient grasping members having the enlarged shape into one of the compact shape or a substantially closed position (30) for capture and/or retrieval of an object from within a patient.

23. A medical retrieval device (10) comprising:

an elongated cylindrical member (11) having a proximal end (38), a distal end (20), a proximal portion (21) and a distal portion (37), the elongated cylindrical member including a proximal closed cylinder (19), the proximal closed cylinder including a continuum of a first material (40) extending therealong and further containing a passage (12) therein;

the distal portion including three resilient grasping members (13) comprising the continuum of first material, the resilient grasping members forming a retrieval basket (54), wherein the proximal end of each resilient grasping member is circumferentially offset from the distal end thereof such that the medical retrieval device is a helical basket (69), the retrieval basket manipulable between a compact shape (17) and an enlarged shape (18), wherein the resilient grasping members of the enlarged shape are in a relaxed condition, wherein the resilient grasping members include space therebetween configured for insertion of an object therethrough, wherein the resilient grasping members are configured to create a workspace volume 28 for engaging an object therein;

an external constraining mechanism (14) to constrain the distal portion of the elongated cylindrical member into the compact shape, the external constraining mechanism being longitudinally slidable about the elongated cylindrical member to alternately deploy the resilient grasping members to the enlarged shape, or recompress the resilient grasping members having the enlarged shape into one of the compact shape or a substantially closed position (30) for capture and/or retrieval of an object from within a patient.