Slotted medical device

• US 20030069522A1
• Filed: 08/05/2002
• Published: 04/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/1995
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Precision Vascular Systems, Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Precision Vascular Systems, Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Jacobsen, Stephen J., Wells, David, Davis, Clark C., Fox, DeWayne C.
• Application Number:
  US10/213,123
• Publication Number:
  US 20030069522A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/585
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/082 Probes or electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/14 Probes or electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0059 having means for preventing the catheter, sheath or lumens from collapsing due to outer forces, e.g. compressing forces, or caused by twisting or kinking
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/09066 having a coil without a core possibly combined with a sheath
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/09083 having a coil around a core
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/09091 where a sheath surrounds the coil at the distal part
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/09108 Methods for making a guide wire
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/09175 having specific characteristics at the distal tip
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0013 Weakening parts of a catheter tubing, e.g. by making cuts in the tube or reducing thickness of a layer at one point to adjust the flexibility
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0043 characterised by structural features
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/005 with embedded materials for reinforcement, e.g. wires, coils, braids
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0051 made from fenestrated or weakened tubing layer
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0053 having a variable stiffness along the longitudinal axis, e.g. by varying the pitch of the coil or braid
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0054 with regions for increasing flexibility
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0138 having flexible regions as a result of weakened outer material, e.g. slots, slits, cuts, joints or coils
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/09 Guide wires
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/09025 with sliding mandrils

Abstract

A medical device configured to navigate through anatomy that may be used as a guidewire, or both. Embodiments may navigate like a guidewire, but once in place, perform many or all of the functions that a catheter may perform. The device generally has a body which may be nitinol, with a plurality of pairs of slots cut into the body to make it more flexible in bending while maintaining adequate torsional stiffness. Each longitudinally adjacent pair may be rotated an angle around the axis from the previous pair, and the angle may be less than 89 degrees and greater than 31 degrees. In some embodiments, the angle may be in the range of 70-90 degrees and the average of the angles, computed over 10 adjacent sets of cuts, may be less than 89 degrees and greater than 70 degrees.

Claims

1. A medical device configured to navigate through anatomy, the device comprising:

a body having a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis extending at least from the proximal end to the distal end;

a plurality of pairs of slots cut into said body, each said slot being substantially perpendicular to said axis, each said pair comprising a first slot and a second slot, said first slot and said second slot being on substantially opposite sides of said axis;

each longitudinally adjacent said pair being rotated an angle around said axis from the previous said pair;

said angle being less than 89 degrees; and

said angle being greater than 31 degrees.

2. The device of claim 1, said angle being greater than 80 degrees.

3. The device of claim 1 at least some of said slots having a cross sectional shape selected from the group consisting of:

wedge-shaped, T-shaped, and a substantially circular.

4. The device of claim 1, for at least a plurality of said pairs, said first slot being at substantially the same axial location as said second slot.

5. The device of claim 1 having a varying longitudinal spacing between adjacent said pairs, said spacing generally decreasing from said proximal end to said distal end.

6. The device of claim 1, said slots having been formed by a method selected from the group comprising saw-cutting, grinding, laser cutting, etching, and electron discharge machining.

7. The device of claim 1, said slots having been formed by grinding with a diamond abrasive blade.

8. The device of claim 1, said body being nitinol.

9. The device of claim 1, said distal end comprising a detectable element, said detectable element being selected from the group consisting of radiopaque elements and MRI detectable elements.

10. The device of claim 1 further comprising a tubular polymer sleeve coaxial with at least part of said body.

11. The device of claim 10, said body being tubular, said sleeve being inside said body.

12. The device of claim 1, said body being tubular, the device further including a wire disposed inside said body and slidable therein.

13. The device of claim 12, said wire including at least one bend formed therein.

14. The device of claim 1, the device being a guidewire.

15. The device of claim 1, said body being tubular, the device being a catheter.

16. A catheter configured to navigate through anatomy, the catheter comprising:

a tubular body having a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis extending at least from the proximal end to the distal end;

a plurality of pairs of slots cut into said body, each said slot being substantially perpendicular to said axis, each said pair comprising a first slot and a second slot, said first slot and said second slot being on substantially opposite sides of said axis;

a tubular polymer sleeve inside at least part of said body;

a re-positionable torquer; and

a luer adapter.

17. The catheter of claim 16, said sleeve being slidably disposed with respect to said body.

18. The catheter of claim 16, said sleeve being inside said body

19. The catheter of claim 16, said sleeve substantially comprising a material selected from the group consisting of elastomers, polyurethane, polyethylene, and Teflon.

20. A hollow catheter guidewire apparatus comprising:

a tubular nitinol body having a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis extending at least from the proximal end to the distal end;

a plurality of pairs of slots cut into said body, each said slot being substantially perpendicular to said axis, each said pair comprising a first slot and a second slot, said first slot being at substantially the same axial location as said second slot, said first slot and said second slot being on substantially opposite sides of said axis;

each longitudinally adjacent said pair being rotated an angle around said axis from the previous said pair, said angle being less than 89 degrees, and said angle being greater than 31 degrees;

a tubular polymer sleeve coaxial with at least part of said body;

and a detachable chuck configured to attach to said body, said chuck being configured to facilitate manually rotating said body about said axis.

21. A hollow catheter guidewire apparatus comprising:

a tubular nitinol body having a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis extending at least from the proximal end to the distal end;

a plurality of pairs of slots cut into said body, each said slot being substantially perpendicular to said axis, each said pair comprising a first slot and a second slot, said first slot being at substantially the same axial location as said second slot, said first slot and said second slot being on substantially opposite sides of said axis;

each longitudinally adjacent said pair being rotated an angle around said axis from the previous said pair;

said angle being in the range of 70-90 degrees;

the average of said angles, computed over 10 adjacent sets of cuts, being less than 89 degrees and greater than 70 degrees.

a tubular polymer sleeve coaxial with at least part of said body;

and a detachable chuck configured to attach to said body, said chuck being configured to facilitate manually rotating said body about said axis.

22. The apparatus of claim 21:

said chuck being configured to facilitate introduction of medications into the interior of said guidewire;

said distal end being curved;

said distal end comprising a detectable element;

said detectable element being selected from the group consisting of radiopaque elements and MRI detectable elements;

said pairs having a varying longitudinal spacing;

said spacing generally decreasing from said proximal end to said distal end; and

said slots having been formed by a method selected from the group comprising saw-cutting, grinding, laser cutting, etching, and electron discharge machining.

23. The device of claim 21 further including a metal wire slidably disposed inside said body and removable therefrom.

24. A medical device configured to navigate through anatomy, the device comprising:

a body having a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis extending at least from the proximal end to the distal end;

a plurality of pairs of slots cut into said body, each said slot being substantially perpendicular to said axis, each said pair comprising a first slot and a second slot, said first slot and said second slot being on substantially opposite sides of said axis;

each longitudinally adjacent said pair being rotated an angle around said axis from the previous said pair;

said angle being in the range of 70-90 degrees;

the average of said angles, computed over 10 adjacent sets of cuts, being less than 89 degrees and greater than 70 degrees.