Medical device having mechanically interlocked segments

• US 20060006649A1
• Filed: 06/21/2005
• Published: 01/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Galdonik, Jason A., Ogle, Matthew F., Pokorney, James
• Granted Patent: US 7,976,516 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 285/417
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00477 Coupling A61B2017/0046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0905 extendable, e.g. mechanisms for extension

Abstract

A biocompatible medical device having a segmented element including a first segment having a first shaped interface and a second segment having a second shaped interface configured to operably couple the first shaped interface. When the first shaped interface is engaging the second shaped interface to form a joined segmented element, the first segment and the second segment cannot be decoupled by movement along an axis through the element. The medical device further includes a locking element configured to engage the joined segmented element with a sliding motion to prevent decoupling of the first segment with respect to the second segment by preventing significant relative movement of the segments with a component of the movement perpendicular to the axis.

Claims

1. A biocompatible medical device comprising:

a segmented element comprising a first segment having a first shaped interface and a second segment having a second shaped interface configured to operably couple the first shaped interface wherein the first segment and the second segment cannot be decoupled by movement along an axis through the element when the first shaped interface is engaging the second shaped interface to form a joined segmented element; and

a locking element configured to engage with a sliding motion the joined segmented element to prevent decoupling of the first segment with respect to the second segment by preventing significant relative movement of the segments with a component of the movement perpendicular to the axis.

2. The medical device of claim 1 wherein the segmented element comprises a corewire and the locking element comprises a tube having a bore defined therein, the corewire configured to be selectively disposed within tube to prevent decoupling of the first segment with respect to the second segment.

3. The medical device of claim 1 wherein the first and second segments are comprised of different materials.

4. The medical device of claim 1 wherein the first and second segments are further operably coupled with a joining composition.

5. The medical device of claim 1 wherein the segmented element comprises a tube having a bore defined therein and the locking element comprises a corewire configured to be selectively disposed within the tube to prevent decoupling of the first segment with respect to the second segment.

6. The medical device of claim 1 wherein the locking element comprises a third segment having a third shaped interface and a fourth segment having a fourth shaped interface configured to operably couple the third shaped interface, such that the elongated element prevents decoupling of the third segment with respect to the fourth segment.

7. The medical device of claim 1 wherein the joined segmented element forms a generally cylindrical outer surface in a direction generally parallel with the axis.

8. The medical device of claim 7 wherein the generally cylindrical outer surface comprises narrowed profiles along the first and second segments wherein a polymer coating is located within the narrow profile that provides mechanical stability to the joined segmented element.

9. The medical device of claim 1 wherein at least one of the segmented element or locking element is coated with a friction reducing agent to facilitate relative longitudinal motion of the segmented element relative to the locking element.

10. The medical device of claim 1 wherein the first and second segments each independently comprise materials selected from the group consisting of:

titanium;

cobalt;

stainless steel;

nickel;

iron alloys;

cobalt alloys;

cobalt-chromium-nickel alloys;

nickel-cobalt-chromium-molybdenum alloys;

nickel-titanium alloys; and

any combinations thereof.

11. The medical device of claim 1 wherein the locking element comprises a material selected from the group consisting of:

polyether ether ketones;

polyacetals;

polyamides;

polyurethanes;

polytetrafluoroethylene;

polyester teraphthalate;

polycarbonates;

polysulfone; and

any combination thereof.

12. The medical device of claim 1 wherein the first and second segments each comprise materials selected from the group consisting of:

polyether ether ketones;

polyacetals;

polyamides;

polyurethanes;

polytetrafluoroethylene;

polyester teraphthalate;

polycarbonates;

polysulfone; and

any combination thereof.

13. The medical device of claim 1 wherein the locking element comprises a material selected from the group consisting of:

titanium;

cobalt;

stainless steel;

nickel;

iron alloys;

cobalt alloys;

cobalt-chromium-nickel alloys;

nickel-cobalt-chromium-molybdenum alloys;

nickel-titanium alloys; and

any combinations thereof.

14. The medical device of claim 1 further comprising a functional medical device at or near a distal end of the segmented element

15. The medical device of claim 14 wherein the functional medical device comprises an embolism protection structure comprising fibers attached to both the first segment and the locking element.

16. The medical device of claim 1 wherein the joined segmented element has a length from about 190 cm to about 300 cm.

17. The medical device of claim 1 wherein the joined segmented device has an outer diameter from about 0.009 inches to about 0.04 inches.

18. The medical device of claim 1 wherein the first segment and the second segment are welded.

19. A method for using a medical device comprising directing the medical device of claim 1 through appropriate vessels to a desired location within a patient.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the medical device is inserted into the patient through an incision in the patient'"'"'s thigh, arm or neck.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein the medical device further comprises an embolism protection device connected to the joined segmented element and the method further comprises deploying the embolism protection structure to a vessel and expanding the embolism protection structure within the vessel.

22. The method of claim 19 further comprising using the device in conjunction with a catheter to position the medical device at the desired location within the patient.

23. A method of using a biocompatible medical device comprising a locking element and a segmented element having first and second coupled segments operably inseparable along an axis, the method comprising:

sidably engaging the locking element with the segmented element to prevent significant relative movement of the segments with a component of the movement perpendicular to the axis.

24. The method of claim 23 further comprising slidably disengaging the locking and elongated elements and decoupling the first and second segments.