Vascular filter with sensing capability

• US 20060178695A1
• Filed: 02/04/2005
• Published: 08/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: C.R. Bard, Inc. (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Original Assignee: C.R. Bard, Inc. (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Inventors: Decant, Leonard J. Jr., Almazan, Daniel O., Mukherjee, Avijit, Kalis, Robert W., Graves, David Micky, Spilka, David G.
• Granted Patent: US 8,267,954 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/200
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0261 Strain gauges
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02007 Evaluating blood vessel condition, e.g. elasticity, compliance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/103 Detecting, measuring or recording devices for testing the shape, pattern, colour, size or movement of the body or parts thereof, for diagnostic purposes A61B5/08 takes precedence; measuring aids for tailors A41H1/00; measuring instruments specially adapted for dentistry A61C19/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1076 for measuring dimensions inside body cavities, e.g. using catheters A61B3/1005 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/0105 Open ended, i.e. legs gathered only at one side
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/016 made from wire-like elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/018 made from tubes or sheets of material, e.g. by etching or laser-cutting
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/005 Rosette-shaped, e.g. star-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0067 conical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0076 ellipsoidal or ovoid
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/008 paraboloidal
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0002 for data transfer

Abstract

An implantable vessel filter having an integrated sensing capability for monitoring the condition of the vessel filter. In one variation, the vessel filter comprises a plurality of legs that would themselves perform as a sensor device for detecting distention, which would indicate the presence of a clot or thrombus therein. A passive electrical circuit may be implemented on the vessel filter to receive electromagnetic energy and transmit signals indicative of the condition of the implanted vessel filter. In another variation, a miniaturized sensor is adapted for measuring the strain and/or other physical parameters of the filter legs.

Claims

1. A vessel filter comprising:

a plurality of elongated appendages, wherein each of said appendages has a distal end and a proximal end, said plurality of appendages being coupled together at the proximal ends thereof, said appendages being configured to extend radially from said proximal end in a distal direction and away from a central longitudinal axis of said vessel filter, wherein said plurality of elongated appendages is collapsible toward said central longitudinal axis; and

an electronic circuit connected to at least one of said appendages, said electronic circuit being configured to measure a physical parameter of the vessel filter.

2. The vessel filter according to claim 1, wherein the distal ends of at least three of said plurality of elongated appendages being configured with hooks such that when said appendages are expanded in a body vessel the hooks engage an inner wall of the body vessel.

3. The vessel filter according to claim 2, wherein said electronic circuit is adapted to measure a strain on at least one of said appendages.

4. The vessel filter according to claim 2, wherein said electronic circuit is a passive electrical circuit.

5. The vessel filter according to claim 3, wherein said electronic circuit is a passive electrical circuit.

6. The vessel filter according to claim 3, wherein said electronic circuit directs current flow through at least a portion of one of said appendages to measure the strain in said appendages.

7. The vessel filter according to claim 4, further comprising a remote unit having an electronic component configured for energizing said passive electrical circuit and interrogating said passive electrical circuit to determine said physical parameter of the vessel filter.

8. The vessel filter according to claim 7, wherein said remote unit is further configured to determine whether said vessel filter is distended based on said physical parameter.

9. The vessel filter according to claim 5, further comprising a remote unit having an electronic component configured for energizing said passive electrical circuit and interrogating said passive electrical circuit to determine said physical parameter of the vessel filter.

10. The vessel filter according to claim 9, wherein said remote unit is further configured to determine whether said vessel filter is distended based on said physical parameter.

11. The vessel filter according to claim 4, wherein said passive electrical circuit produces a signal that is a function of the strain in at least one of said appendages.

12. The vessel filter according to claim 4, wherein a first of said passive electrical circuit produces a first signal that is a function of the strain in a first of said appendages, and a second of said passive electrical circuit produces a second signal that is a function of the strain in a second of said appendages.

13. The vessel filter according to claim 4, wherein said passive electrical circuit produces a signal that is a function of said physical parameter.

14. The vessel filter according to claim 5, wherein said passive electrical circuit comprises an inductive element and a capacitive element.

15. The vessel filter according to claim 1, further comprising a conductive bridge providing an electrical connection between a first of said appendages to a second of said appendages.

16. The vessel filter according to claim 15, wherein said conductive bridge comprises a strain gauge material.

17. A vessel filter for implantation in a hollow body organ in a human comprising:

a plurality of elongated appendages, wherein each of said appendages has a distal end and a proximal end, wherein said plurality of appendages are coupled together at the proximal ends thereof, said appendages being configured to extend radially from said proximal end in a distal direction and away from a central longitudinal axis of said vessel filter, wherein said plurality of elongated appendages is collapsible toward said central longitudinal axis;

a sensor coupled to at least one of said plurality of elongated appendages, wherein said sensor is adapted to monitor the condition of said vessel filter; and

an electronic circuit connected to said sensor, wherein said electronic circuit is adapted to detect an electrical signal from said sensor.

18. The vessel filter according to claim 17, wherein the distal ends of at least three of said plurality of elongated appendages being configured with hooks such that when said appendages are expanded in a body vessel the hooks engage an inner wall of the body vessel.

19. The vessel filter according to claim 18, wherein said electronic circuit is further configured to transmit said electrical signal to a remote receiving unit.

20. The vessel filter according to claim 19, wherein said electronic circuit is a passive electrical circuit.

21. The vessel filter according to claim 18, wherein said sensor is a pressure sensor adapted to measure the pressure being exerted on said vessel filter.

22. The vessel filter according to claim 21, wherein said pressure sensor is adapted to measure the pressure being exerted on at least one of said appendages.

23. The vessel filter according to claim 18, wherein said sensor is a strain gauge.

24. The vessel filter according to claim 23, wherein said strain gauge is adapted to measure the strain in at least one of said appendages.

25. The vessel filter according to claim 18, wherein said sensor is configured to detect distension of said vessel filter.

26. The vessel filter according to claim 18, wherein said sensor is configured to detect displacement of said appendages.

27. The vessel filter according to claim 18, wherein said sensor is configured to detect strain distribution between said plurality of appendages.

28. The vessel filter according to claim 18, wherein said sensor is configured to detect pressure distribution between said plurality of appendages for pressure being exerted on said plurality of appendages.

29. The vessel filter according to claim 20, further comprising a remote unit having an electronic component configured for energizing said passive electrical circuit and interrogating said passive electrical circuit to receive said electrical signal.

30. The vessel filter according to claim 29, wherein said remote unit is further configured to determine whether said vessel filter is distended based on said electrical signal.

31. The vessel filter according to claim 29, wherein said electrical signal is a function of a strain in at least one of said appendages.

32. The vessel filter according to claim 29, wherein said electrical signal is a function of a pressure being exerted on at least one of said appendages.

33. An implantable particle capturing device comprising:

a compressible vessel filter adapted for implantation into a body vessel; and

an electronic circuit attached to the vessel filter, said electronic circuit being adapted to determine a distension of said vessel filter.

34. The implantable particle capturing device according to claim 33 further comprising:

a sensor connected to said vessel filter and said electronic circuit for detecting the distension of said vessel filter.

35. The implantable particle capturing device according to claim 33 wherein said vessel filter comprises a plurality of legs, and said sensor is configured to measure a strain in at leas one of said legs.

36. The implantable particle capturing device according to claim 34 wherein said vessel filter comprises a plurality of legs, and said electronic circuit is configured to measure a strain in at leas one of said legs.

37. The implantable particle capturing device according to claim 33 wherein said electronic circuit is a passive electrical circuit.

38. The implantable particle capturing device according to claim 37, further comprising a remote unit capable of energizing said passive electrical circuit and interrogating said passive electrical circuit to determine said distension of said vessel filter.

39. An implantable particle capturing device comprising:

a vessel filter adapted for implantation into a body vessel; and

an electronic circuit attached to the vessel filter, said electronic circuit being adapted to measure a parameter on at least a portion of said vessel filter.

40. The implantable particle capturing device according to claim 39 wherein said parameter comprises a strain.

41. The implantable particle capturing device according to claim 40 wherein said electronic circuit is configured to transmit information regarding said strain to a remote monitor.

42. The implantable particle capturing device according to claim 40 wherein said electronic circuit is configured to transmit information regarding a distribution of said strain on said vessel filter to a remote monitor.

43. The implantable particle capturing device according to claim 39 wherein said parameter comprises a stress.

44. The implantable particle capturing device according to claim 39 wherein said parameter comprises a pressure.

45. The implantable particle capturing device according to claim 39 wherein said electronic circuit is configured to transmit information regarding said parameter to a remote monitor.

46. The implantable particle capturing device according to claim 45 wherein said electronic circuit comprises a passive electronic circuit.

47. A method for monitoring the condition of an implanted vessel filter comprising:

remotely energizing a passive circuit which is coupled to said implanted vessel filter; and

interrogating said passive circuit to determine a physical parameter of said vessel filter.

48. The method according to claim 47, wherein said implanted vessel filter comprises a plurality of elongated appendages, wherein each of said appendages has a distal end and a proximal end, said plurality of appendages being coupled together at the proximal ends of said appendages, said appendages being configured to extend radially from said proximal end in a distal direction and away from a central longitudinal axis of said vessel filter, the distal ends of at least three of said plurality of elongated appendages being configured with hooks such that when said appendages are expanded in a body vessel the hooks engage an inner wall of the body vessel, wherein said plurality of elongated appendages is collapsible toward said central longitudinal axis.

49. The method according to claim 48, wherein said physical parameter comprises a strain in at least one of said plurality of appendages.

50. The method of claim 47, further comprising the step of determining whether the implanted vessel filter has distended based on said physical parameter.

51. The method of claim 49, further comprising the step of determining the distribution of strain between two or more of said plurality of appendages.

52. The method according to claim 47, wherein said physical parameter comprises a strain on at least a portion of said vessel filter.

53. The method according to claim 47, wherein said physical parameter comprises a stress on at least a portion of said vessel filter.

54. The method according to claim 47, wherein said physical parameter comprises a pressure on at least a portion of said vessel filter.