Vascular guidewire control apparatus

• US 20050277851A1
• Filed: 03/24/2005
• Published: 12/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Windcrest LLC
• Original Assignee: Windcrest LLC
• Inventors: Lauritzen, Keith E., Whittaker, Allison M., Whittaker, David R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,615,032 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/585
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/09083 having a coil around a core
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/09141 made of shape memory alloys which take a particular shape at a certain temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0158 with magnetic or electrical means, e.g. by using piezo materials, electroactive polymers, magnetic materials or by heating of shape memory materials
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/09016 with mandrils

Abstract

A controller for use with a guidewire, such as a vascular guidewire, provides a mechanism for gripping and applying a torque to the guidewire without the need to thread the guidewire axially through the controller and at a location close to a point of access of the guidewire. In one embodiment, the controller includes a side-access, multi-part assembly including a collett or other gripping element that applies a uniform radially inward force on the guidewire. In another embodiment, for use with guidewires having active electrically controllable elements, the controller integrally or removably incorporates a switch or other mechanism to initiate an energized state. The controller thereby permits, among other advantages, ergonomic, single-handed control of an electronically steerable guidewire, including axially displacing, torquing and steering the guidewire.

Claims

1. A controller for facilitating manual control of a guidewire, the controller comprising:

a housing having a longitudinal axis and an elongate aperture substantially along the longitudinal axis for receiving a length of the guidewire,

a cap; and

a collett sized to be axially received by the housing and having a first end for engagement with the housing and a second end for engagement with the cap;

and wherein

the housing has a leading end formed to receive the collet and, upon receipt of the collet, to apply a radially inward force on the collet, the housing being further formed to releasably engage the cap; and

the cap is formed to be releasably engaged by the housing and upon engagement by the housing, to apply a radially inward force on the collet.

2. The controller according to claim 1, wherein the leading end of the housing is provided with a beveled surface, and the first end of the collet is provided with a beveled surface substantially complementary to the beveled surface of the leading end of the housing, and whereby abutment of the beveled surface of the leading end of the housing with the beveled end of the first end of the collet applies a radially inward force on the first end of the collet.

3. The controller according to claim 1, wherein the cap comprises an interior beveled surface and the second end of the collet comprises a beveled surface substantially complementary to the beveled surface of the interior beveled surface of the cap, and whereby abutment of the interior beveled surface of the cap with the beveled surface of the second end of the collet applies a radially inward force on the second end of the collet.

4. The controller according to claim 1, wherein the leading end of the housing is provided with a beveled surface, and the first end of the collet is provided with a beveled surface substantially complementary to the beveled surface of the leading end of the housing, and whereby abutment of the beveled surface of the leading end of the housing with the beveled end of the first end of the collet applies a radially inward force on the first end of the collet, and further wherein the cap comprises an interior beveled surface and the second end of the collet is provided with a beveled surface substantially complementary to the beveled surface of the interior beveled surface of the cap, and whereby abutment of the interior beveled surface of the cap with the beveled surface of the second end of the collet applies a radially inward force on the second end of the collet.

5. The controller according to claim 1, wherein the collet comprises at least two prongs, the prongs having contact surfaces that are substantially parallel to the surface of the guidewire and wherein the housing and the cap, when both engaged with the collet, apply respective radially inward forces on the collet that are substantially equal, whereby the collet applies a radially inward force on the guidewire that is substantially uniformly distributed.

6. The controller according to claim 1, wherein the leading end of the housing comprises exterior threads, and the cap comprises interior threads are received by the exterior threads of the housing when the housing and the cap are engaged.

7. A controller for facilitating manual control by a user of a guidewire having a steerable tip under electrical control, the controller comprising:

a housing having a longitudinal axis and an elongate aperture substantially along the longitudinal axis for receiving a length of the guidewire;

an engaging device coupled to the housing for selectably and releasably engaging the controller to the guidewire; and

a switch coupled to the housing and to an electrical circuit, such that, when activated by the user, the switch causes the flow of electricity to the steerable tip in order to deflect that tip; and

whereby the user may control axial displacement, rotation and deflection of the steerable tip using a single hand.

8. The controller according to claim 7, wherein the engaging device comprises two portions coupled via a hinge and adapted to be placed in an open or a closed position, and at least one prong coupled to at least one of the portions, the controller capable of being placed in engagement about a section of the guidewire when the two portions are in the open position, and at least one prong being placed in firm contact with the guidewire when the two portions are in the closed position.

9. The controller according to claim 7, wherein the controller further comprises an energy supply in electrical communication with the switch and further in electrical communication with the actuator when the switch has been selectable engaged.

10. The controller according to claim 7, wherein the electrical circuit, to which the switch is coupled, is in turn coupled to a power supply that is not coupled to the housing.

11. The controller according to claim 7, wherein the engaging device comprises a collett having a longitudinal axis and a slot-like aperture substantially along the longitudinal axis for receiving the guidewire, and further having threads that mate with threads on the exterior of the housing when the engaging device is coupled to the housing, and wherein the controller further comprises elements that are acted upon by the collett to apply a radially inward force on the exterior of the guidewire.

12. The controller according to claim 7, wherein the switch comprises a slidable element occupying a first position when not activated and second position when activated.

13. The controller according to claim 10, wherein the switch is coupled to the electrical circuit via a wireless link.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein the radially inward force applied by the elements acted upon by the collett are substantially equally distributed on the exterior of the guidewire.