Bendable needle with removable stylet

• US 20040210245A1
• Filed: 07/25/2003
• Published: 10/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Advanced Neuromodulation Systems Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories)
• Original Assignee: Advanced Neuromodulation Systems Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories)
• Inventors: Erickson, John, Daglow, Terry
• Application Number:
  US10/627,233
• Publication Number:
  US 20040210245A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/167
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3401 Puncturing needles for the peridural or subarachnoid space or the plexus, e.g. for anaesthesia local anaesthesia A61M19/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3417 Details of tips or shafts, e.g. grooves, expandable, bendable; Multiple coaxial sliding cannulas, e.g. for dilating syringe needles A61M5/32; dilators A61M29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3468 for implanting or removing devices, e.g. prostheses, implants, seeds, wires devices for implanting seeds A61M37/0069
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0551 Spinal or peripheral nerve electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3708 for power depletion
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/40 Applying electric fields by inductive or capacitive coupling microwave apparatus A61N5/00; Applying radio-frequency signals

Abstract

The invention is directed to a bendable needle with a removable stylet. Needles are typically used in the practice of inserting electrodes and other small instruments into patients. Stylets fit flush with the cutting end of the needle to prevent tissue from entering the needle. This invention is directed to a needle that may be bent or shaped to better suit a specific application. Typical stylets are irremovable from a bent needle. However, the present invention incorporates a stylet with a coil, flexible tube, and/or flexible rod attached to a tip. The tip fits flush with the cutting end of the needle and the coil, tube, or rod extends through the bore of the needle. As such, the stylet is removable from the needle once bent.

Claims

1. A bendable needle system, comprising:

a bendable tubular needle having at least one a sharp cutting end; and

a removable stylet inserted in a hollow interior of the bendable tubular needle, wherein the removable stylet further comprises;

a flexible stylet body that allows the stylet to bend within the bendable tubular needle; and

a tip that aligns flush to the sharp cutting end of the bendable tubular needle.

2. The bendable needle system of claim 1, further comprising a fitting coupled to a non-cutting end of the hollow interior of the needle.

3. The bendable needle system of claim 2, wherein the fitting comprises a handle, and wherein an object may be inserted into the hollow interior of the bendable tubular needle via a passage within the fitting.

4. The bendable needle system of claim 1, wherein the flexible stylet body further comprises a coil.

5. The bendable needle system of claim 1, wherein the flexible stylet body further comprises a flexible rod.

6. The bendable needle system of claim 1, wherein the flexible stylet body further comprises a flexible tube.

7. The bendable needle system of claim 1, wherein a cross-section of the hollow interior comprises a shape in which all points along the shape'"'"'s perimeter are not equidistant from a longitudinal axis of the bendable tubular needle.

8. A removable stylet, comprising:

a flexible stylet body that allows the removable stylet to bend within a bendable tubular needle having at least one a sharp cutting end, and wherein the removable stylet is inserted within a hollow interior of the bendable tubular needle; and

a tip that aligns flush to the sharp cutting end of the bendable tubular needle.

9. The removable stylet of claim 8, further comprising a fitting coupled to a non-cutting end of the hollow interior of the needle.

10. The removable stylet of claim 9, wherein the fitting comprises a handle, and wherein an object may be inserted into the hollow interior of the bendable tubular needle via a passage within the fitting.

11. The removable stylet of claim 8, wherein the flexible stylet body further comprises a coil.

12. The removable stylet of claim 8, wherein the flexible stylet body further comprises a flexible rod.

13. The removable stylet of claim 8, wherein the flexible stylet body further comprises a flexible tube.

14. The removable stylet of claim 8, wherein a cross-section of the hollow interior comprises a shape in which all points along the shape'"'"'s perimeter are not equidistant from a longitudinal axis of the bendable tubular needle.

15. A method for inserting a lead in vivo, comprising the steps of:

inserting a bendable needle into living tissue, wherein a removable stylet is contained within a interior cavity within the bendable needle;

guiding the bendable needle to a corporal location, wherein the bendable needle follows a non-straight path.

withdrawing the removable stylet from the bendable needle through a non-cutting end of the bendable needle; and

delivering the lead to the corporal location through the interior cavity of the bendable needle.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the corporal location is an epidural space about a spinal cord.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the lead delivers an electric pulse to living tissue(s) through electrodes electrically coupled to a pulse generator via the lead.

18. An electrical pulse stimulation system comprising:

a stimulation device, wherein the stimulation device further comprises;

a microprocessor;

a switching circuit communicatively coupled to the microprocessor;

a pulse generator that generates a repeating pattern of pulses, wherein the pulse generator is communicatively coupled to the microprocessor provided to an output port of the stimulation device;

a lead couple electrically coupled to an output of the stimulation device, wherein the lead is implanted to a corporal location with a bendable needle system; and

at least one electrode within the lead, wherein the at least one electrode delivers an electrical pulse generated by the stimulation device to living tissue at the corporal location and proximate to the at least one electrode.

19. The electrical pulse stimulation system of claim 18, wherein the stimulation device is implantable within a living organism.

20. The electrical pulse stimulation system of claim 18, wherein the stimulation device is a neurostimulator.

21. The electrical pulse stimulation system of claim 18, wherein the bendable needle system further comprises:

a bendable tubular needle having at least one a sharp cutting end; and

a removable stylet inserted in a hollow interior of the bendable tubular needle, wherein the removable stylet further comprises;

a flexible stylet body that allows the stylet to bend within the bendable tubular needle; and

a tip that aligns flush to the sharp cutting end of the bendable tubular needle.