MEDICAL DEVICE WITH PROCEDURE IMPROVEMENT FEATURES

• US 20060247618A1
• Filed: 05/25/2006
• Published: 11/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Asthmatx, Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: DANEK, Christopher J., KAPLAN, Gary S., WIZEMAN, William J., DALBEC, Tim R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,480,667 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/41
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/082 Probes or electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1492 having a flexible, catheter-like structure, e.g. for heart ablation A61B18/1477 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00214 Expandable means emitting energy, e.g. by elements carried thereon
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00267 having a basket shaped structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00541 Lung or bronchi
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1435 Spiral

Abstract

This relates to methods and devices for achieving contact between the wall of a cavity or passageway and a medical device under conditions in which an access path and the subject anatomy are not aligned.

Claims

1. A medical device for altering tissue structure within a cavity or passageway in a body, comprising:

an elongate member defining a first axis, the elongate member having a proximal and distal ends,

an energy transfer element located at a distal portion of the elongate member, the active member defining a second axis where the active member is adapted contact or come in close proximity to a tissue wall of the cavity or passageway when the second axis is at least substantially aligned with the cavity or passageway; and

a junction located between a distal end of the elongate member and a proximal end of the active member, the junction allowing for alignment between the active member and the tissue wall when misalignment of the tissue wall and first axis at a distal end of the elongate member occurs.

2. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the junction comprises a flexure having greater flexibility than the at least the distal end of the elongate member.

3. The medical device of claim 2, wherein the flexure is selected from a polymer plug, spring, and reduced bending moment of inertia section of material.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the junction is adapted to allow the deflection irrespective of the device rotational orientation.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the junction comprises a joint.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the joint has three-dimensional freedom.

7. The device of claim 5, wherein the joint is selected from a universal joint and a ball-and-socket joint.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the junction is remotely directable.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the junction has a column strength substantially equal to a column strength of the elongate member.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the junction is configured so the distal end of the device is pushable so as to enable navigation of the device through anatomy.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the junction comprises a tether attaching the elongate member distal end to the active member proximal end.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the tether is compliant to a degree so that the distal end of the device is not pushable for navigation through anatomy.

13. The device of claim 11, wherein the tether is selected from a wire, cabling, and links.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein at least a distal end of the elongate member and the junction are substantially equal in diameter.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the active member has a set length and diameter.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein the active member is expandable from a reduced diameter configuration to an increased diameter configuration for effecting treatment.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the active member is selected from a basket, a balloon and a stent.

18. The device of claim 1, wherein the active member comprises at least one energy transfer element.

19. The device of claim 1, where the active member comprises at least one sensing element.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the sensing element comprises temperature sensor.

21. The device of claim 18, wherein the energy transfer element comprises an electrode.

22. The device of claim 21, adapted to heat the tissue wall by delivering radio frequency energy.

23. The device of claim 22, wherein the device is configured for one of monopolar bipolar, and multipolar operation.

24. The device of claim 21, adapted to heat the tissue wall by contact with the electrode when the electrode is resistively heated.

25. The device of claim 24, wherein the device is configured for one of AC and DC operation.

26. The device of claim 1, further comprising a sleeve having a distal end and being adapted to receive the active member when in a reduced diameter configuration for navigation of the device to a treatment site, the device adapted so the sleeve distal end can be withdrawn to proximal of the joint to allow the alignment of active member with the tissue wall.

27. The device of claim 26, wherein active member is retained in the reduced diameter configuration within the sleeve.

28. The device of claim 27, wherein the active member is self-expanding upon withdrawal of the sleeve.

29. A medical device for contacting tissue within a cavity or passageway in a body, comprising:

an elongate member,

an enlarged or enlargeable distal member, and a junction located between the distal end and the elongate member, the junction adapted to increase contact of the distal end with anatomy not in alignment with at least a distal section of the elongate member.

30. The device of claim 29, wherein at least a portion of the junction is more flexible than the distal section of the elongate member.

31. The device of claim 29, wherein the junction comprises a joint.

32. The device of claim 29, wherein the distal member is expandable from a reduced diameter configuration to an increased diameter configuration for contacting the tissue.

33. The device of claim 29, where the distal member is directable to place the active element in apposition with tissue.

34. The device of claim 29, further comprising a sleeve surrounding at least a portion of the elongate member, the sleeve adapted to restrain the distal member in the reduced diameter configuration.

35. The device of claim 29, wherein the distal member comprises a basket.

36. The device of claim 35, wherein the basket includes at least one electrode for energy transfer.

37. The device of claim 36, wherein the device is adapted to deliver energy with the electrode.