In-stent ablative tool

• US 20030078606A1
• Filed: 11/26/2002
• Published: 04/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Scimed Life Systems Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Laundroche, Kurt M., Lafontaine, Daniel M.
• Granted Patent: US 6,808,531 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/159
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3207 Atherectomy devices working by cutting or abrading; Similar devices specially adapted for non-vascular obstructions A61B17/32037 takes precedence; endoscopic cutting instruments A61B17/320016
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/320725 with radially expandable cutting or abrading elements A61B17/32075 takes precedence
• 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 2017/22061 for spreading elements apart
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320004 abrasive
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320716 comprising means for preventing embolism by dislodged material
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320733 with a flexible cutting or scraping element, e.g. with a whip-like distal filament member
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/82 Devices providing patency to, or preventing collapsing of, tubular structures of the body, e.g. stents stent-grafts for tubular structures of the body other than blood vessels A61F2/04; stent-grafts for blood vessels A61F2/07; instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts A61F2/95; for closing wounds, or holding wounds closed A61B17/04 - A61B17/115; dilators A61M29/00

Abstract

A system for removing matter from a partially or totally occluded stent includes a cutter that is urged radially outward toward the inner surface of the stent. Preferably, the cutter has a hardness that is less than or equal to the hardness of the material used to make the stent. Aspiration may be provided to remove portions of the occluding material from the vessel.

Claims

1. A system for removing deposits from a partially or totally occluded stent, comprising:

a cutter that is insertable in the stent and when rotated removes deposits from the partially or totally occluded stent; and

means for urging the cutter radially outward toward the inner wall of the stent when the cutter is within the stent.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for urging the cutter radially outward comprises:

a guide wire over which the cutter is passed, wherein the guide wire has a shape that urges the cutter toward the inner wall of the stent.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for urging the cutter radially outward comprises:

an expandable stent secured to the cutter that pushes the cutter radially outward when the expandable stent expands in a vessel.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for urging the cutter radially outward comprises:

an inflatable balloon that, when inflated, urges the cutter toward the inner wall of the stent.

5. A system for removing deposits from a partially or totally occluded stent, comprising:

a cutter having a hardness less than or equal to a hardness of the stent, the cutter having one or more recessed blades within one or more channels on the surface of the cutter to cut occluding matter that enters the recesses; and

a guide wire having a shape that directs the cutter radially outward toward an inner wall of the stent as the cutter is passed over it.

6. A system for removing deposits from a partially or totally occluded stent, comprising:

a catheter having an expandable stent at its distal end; and

one or more cutting blades secured to an edge of the expandable stent, the cutting blade having a hardness that is less than or equal to the hardness of the occluded stent;

wherein the expandable stent is expandable within the occluded stent such that the one or more cutting blades are urged toward an inner wall of the occluded stent and wherein the catheter and one or more cutting blades are rotatable to remove an occlusion from the occluded stent.

7. A system for removing deposits from a partially or totally occluded stent, comprising:

an expandable cutter disposed over a guide wire; and

a balloon that expands to urge the cutter radially outward, wherein the balloon is inflated when the cutter is within the occluded stent to urge the cutter toward an inner wall of the occluded stent, the expandable cutter being rotatable in the occluded stent to remove occluding matter.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the expandable cutter is a diamond coated helical wire.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the expandable cutter is a flat spring having a sharpened outer edge.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the expandable cutter is a semi-cylindrical wire having a sharpened edge.

11. A method for removing restenotic tissue from within a stent, comprising:

advancing a cutter into the stent, the cutter including means for preventing damage to the stent;

rotating the cutter; and

aspirating ablated particles of the restenotic tissue.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the cutter is a rotating cutter and the means for preventing damage to the stent includes a number of recessed cutting blades.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the cutter is one or more blades;

and

the means for preventing a hardness of the one or more blade(s) that is less than the hardness of the stent.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the cutter is an expandable coil and the means for preventing damage to the stent comprise a cutting surface that does not contact the stent.