Device for percutaneous cutting and dilating a stenosis of the aortic valve

• US 20040199191A1
• Filed: 04/20/2004
• Published: 10/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Schwartz, Leonard
• Granted Patent: US 7,029,483 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/159
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/320725 with radially expandable cutting or abrading elements A61B17/32075 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22061 for spreading elements apart
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22097 Valve removal in veins
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22098 Decalcification of valves

Abstract

A device for incising a stenosis in the aortic valve of a patient includes an elongated balloon catheter, with at least one straight blade mounted on the balloon. Specifically, the blade is coplanar with the axis of the catheter, and the proximal end of the blade is located adjacent the proximal end of the balloon. In operation, the balloon/blade combination is advanced into the vasculature and positioned distal to the stenosis to be incised. The balloon is then inflated. With this inflation, the blade is inclined relative to the axis of the catheter with an increasing distance between the blade and the axis in a distal direction. The device is then retracted, proximally, to incise the stenosis.

Claims

1. A system for incising tissue of a patient which comprises:

a catheter defining a longitudinal axis;

an elongated incising element having an end thereof pivotally attached to a point on said catheter; and

a device mounted on said catheter for rotating said incising element about the point on said catheter to incline said incising element relative to said axis for incising the tissue.

2. A system as recited in claim 1 wherein said rotating device is an inflatable balloon.

3. A system as recited in claim 1 wherein said incising element is a blade.

4. A system as recited in claim 3 wherein said blade has a sharp cutting edge.

5. A system as recited in claim 1 wherein said incising element is a wire.

6. A system as recited in claim 1 wherein said incising element is inclined relative to said axis at an angle α

, and further wherein said angle α

is in a range between zero degrees and approximately forty-five degrees.

7. A system as recited in claim 1 further comprising a plurality of incising elements mounted on said catheter.

8. A system as recited in claim 1 wherein said incising element is coplanar with the catheter axis.

9. A system for incising tissue of a patient which comprises:

an incising element;

a catheter for positioning said incising element, wherein the vessel has a wall surrounding the lumen and the wall substantially defines a centerline for the lumen; and

an actuator mounted on said catheter for holding said incising device in a first configuration wherein said incising element is substantially parallel to the centerline of the lumen, and for rotating said incising element into a second configuration wherein the incising element is inclined relative to the centerline of the lumen to incise the tissue.

10. A system as recited in claim 9 wherein said actuator is an inflatable balloon.

11. A system as recited in claim 9 wherein said incising element is a blade having a sharp cutting edge.

12. A system as recited in claim 9 wherein said incising element is a wire.

13. A system as recited in claim 9 wherein said incising element is inclined relative to said axis at an angle α

, and further wherein said angle α

is in a range between zero degrees and approximately forty-five degrees.

14. A system as recited in claim 9 further comprising a plurality of incising elements mounted on said catheter wherein each said incising element is coplanar with the catheter axis.

15. A method for incising tissue of a patient which comprises the steps of:

positioning a catheter, said catheter defining a longitudinal axis and having an elongated incising element mounted thereon;

inclining the incising element relative to the axis; and

drawing the catheter to incise tissue with the inclined incising element.

16. A method as recited in claim 15 wherein an end of the incising element is pivotally attached to a point on the catheter and said inclining step is accomplished by rotating the incising element about the point.

17. A method as recited in claim 15 wherein an inflatable balloon is mounted on the catheter, wherein the incising element is mounted on the balloon, and wherein said inclining step is accomplished by inflating the balloon.

18. A method as recited in claim 15 wherein the incising element is a blade.

19. A method as recited in claim 15 wherein said inclining step inclines the incising element relative to said axis at an angle α

, and further wherein the angle α

is in a range between zero degrees and approximately forty-five degrees.

20. A method as recited in claim 15 wherein the catheter has a plurality of incising elements mounted thereon, and wherein each incising element is coplanar with the catheter axis.