Body lumen closure

• US 20060085066A1
• Filed: 12/07/2005
• Published: 04/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Corporation
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Corporation
• Inventors: Thornton, Sally C.
• Application Number:
  US11/296,590
• Publication Number:
  US 20060085066A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/2.410
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0644 penetrating the tissue, deformable to closed position
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/068 Surgical staplers , e.g. containing multiple staples or clampsstaplers containing only one staple A61B17/10; magazines or containers for staples A61B17/105; for performing anastomosis A61B17/115; staplers in general B25C5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0649 Coils or spirals
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2445 Annuloplasty rings in direct contact with the valve annulus
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2475 Venous valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0016 with sharp anchoring protrusions, e.g. barbs, pins, spikes

Abstract

Method and apparatus implementing and using techniques for body lumen closure, including use of an implantable medical closure device. The device includes a flexible strand defining an arcuate form. The strand is deformable upon implantation from a large cross-section condition to a small cross-section condition and has at least two anchoring portions disposed along the strand. The anchoring portions are configured to penetrate a wall of a body lumen such that when the strand is deformed to the small cross-section condition, the wall of the body lumen is disposed inwardly.

Claims

1. An implantable medical closure device, comprising:

a flexible strand defining a continuous arcuate form having a first half with a first anchoring end and a second half with a second anchoring end, the first half and the second half being opposed relative a center line bisecting the flexible strand, where in a first state the flexible strand adjacent the first anchoring end and the second anchoring end provide for a tangential line that is parallel with the center line, and in a second state the flexible strand adjacent the first anchoring end and the second anchoring end provide for lines that are no longer parallel with the center line.

2. The device of claim 1, where the flexible strand is formed of a material that can provide a force to move the first anchoring end and the second anchoring end toward the first state.

3. The device of claim 2, where the material is a metal.

4. The device of claim 3, where the metal is nitinol.

5. The device of claim 1, where the strand is a filament-form.

6. The device of claim 1, where the first anchoring end and the second anchoring end include a barb.

7. The device of claim 1, where the flexible strand is a flexible polymer.

8. The device of claim 1, where the flexible strand defines at least one loop for the continuous arcuate form.

9. An implantable medical closure device, comprising:

a flexible member having a first half and a second half that extend from a center line in a continuous arcuate form, and having a first anchoring end and a second anchoring end opposed to the first anchoring end across the center line, where in a first state the flexible strand adjacent the first anchoring end and the second anchoring end provide for a tangential line that is parallel with the center line, and in a second state the flexible strand adjacent the first anchoring end and the second anchoring end provide for lines that are no longer parallel with the center line.

10. The device of claim 9, where the flexible strand is formed of a material that can provide a force to move the first anchoring end and the second anchoring end toward the first state.

11. The device of claim 10, where the material is nitinol.

12. The device of claim 9, where the first anchoring end and the second anchoring end include a barb.

13. The device of claim 9, where the flexible strand defines at least one loop for the continuous arcuate form.

14. A catheter system, comprising:

a catheter for delivery into a lumen, the catheter including an expander that can be operated between a small cross-section and a large cross-section; and

a closure device positioned about the expander, the closure device comprising a flexible strand defining a continuous arcuate form having a first half and a second half that extend from a center line, the first half having a first anchoring end and the second half having a second anchoring end, where when the closure device is positioned on the expander in the small cross-section the flexible strand adjacent the first anchoring end and the second anchoring end provide for a tangential line that is parallel with the center line, and when the closure device is positioned on the expanded in the large cross-section, relative the small cross-section, the flexible strand adjacent the first anchoring end and the second anchoring end provide for lines that are no longer parallel with the center line.

15. The catheter system of claim 14, where the expander comprises an inflatable balloon.

16. The catheter system of claim 14, where the expander comprises a mechanical expander.

17. The catheter system of claim 14, where the expander comprises a leveraging device.

18. The catheter system of claim 17, where the leveraging device comprises:

a two-part axial member including a first outer part and a second inner part;

a splayed cuff connected to the distal end of the first outer part of the two-part axial member; and

at least two flexible legs connected to the distal end of the second inner part of the two-part axial member and flared outwardly to contact the distal end of the splayed cuff.

19. The catheter system of claim 17, where the closure device is positioned about the flexible legs;

the second inner part of the two-part axial member is moveable in a first direction such that the flexible legs are pressed against the splayed cuff causing the flexible legs and the splayed cuff to expand radially; and

expansion of the flexible legs expands the closure device from the first small cross-section condition to the larger cross-section condition.

20. The catheter system of claim 19, where the second inner part of the two-part axial member is moveable in a second direction such that the flexible legs move away from the splayed cuff causing the flexible legs and the splayed cuff to retract.