MEDICAL DEVICE WITH PROCEDURE IMPROVEMENT FEATURES

• US 20060247619A1
• Filed: 05/25/2006
• Published: 11/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc. (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 7,853,331 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 treating tissue within a cavity or passageway in a body, comprising:

an elongate shaft having an elongate member slidably located external to the shaft, where the shaft is substantially less flexible than the elongate member, an energy transfer element located at a distal end of the shaft, and

when the shaft and energy transfer element extends outside of a distal end of the elongate member, the shaft may form an angle with the elongate member.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the energy transfer element is located on an expandable member capable of increasing in diameter to contact the tissue.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the elongate is adapted to restrain the expandable member in a reduced diameter configuration.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein the expandable member comprises a basket.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the energy transfer element comprises a leg of the basket.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the device is adapted to deliver energy with the electrode.

9. A kit for treating bronchi, the kit comprising:

a bronchoscope according to claim 1, and

an energy transfer device for facilitating energy transfer with a mass of airway tissue.

10. The kit of claim 9, further comprising a generator adapted to deliver energy to said energy transfer device.

7. A bronchoscope, the bronchoscope including at least three lumen, a first lumen for an imaging apparatus, a second lumen for aspiration, and a third lumen sized to receive an energy transfer device, the improvement consisting of:

the third lumen being set a or substantially at a center of a distal end of the bronchoscope.

8. A bronchoscope, the bronchoscope comprising:

at least three lumen, a first lumen for an imaging apparatus, a second lumen for aspiration, and a third lumen sized to receive the energy transfer device, wherein the third lumen is located at or substantially at a center of a distal end of the bronchoscope.

11. A method for treating a cavity or passageway within a body, the method comprising:

advancing a treatment device including an elongate portion, a distal treatment portion and a junction there between into the cavity or passage way via an access path,

the junction articulating to alter the orientation of the treatment portion relative to the elongate portion, so that when misalignment of the access path and the cavity or passage occur that the treatment portion is in substantially uniform contact with a wall of the cavity or passageway.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein articulation of the junction substantially aligns the treatment portion with the cavity or passage.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the cavity or passageway is within a lung, and the access path is along the bronchi.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising opening the treatment portion from a closed delivery configuration to an open configuration.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein articulation of the junction occurs without substantially changing an open shape of the distal end of the device.

16. A method for treating a cavity or passageway within a body using a medical device with a treatment end, the method comprising:

contacting points with the treatment end around a full circumference of a first treatment site within the cavity or passageway;

transferring energy at the first site to alter its physiological properties,

moving the treatment end to a second treatment site within the cavity or passageway where the treatment end is realigned by at least about 20 degrees;

contacting points around a full circumference of a second treatment site in the cavity or passageway at a location adjacent to the first treatment site; and

transferring energy at the second site to alter its physiological properties.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the realignment is by at least about 30 degrees.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the realignment is by at least about 45 degrees.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the medical device includes a junction between the distal treatment end and a proximal shaft, and wherein realignment occurs primarily by action of the junction.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein substantially all of the realignment occurs by action of the junction.

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

an elongate shaft having an elongate member slidably located internally to the shaft, where the elongate member is substantially less flexible than the shaft, an energy transfer element located at a distal end of the shaft, and

when the shaft and energy transfer element extends beyond a distal end of the elongate member, the shaft may form an angle with the elongate member.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein the energy transfer element is located on an expandable member capable of increasing in diameter to contact the tissue.

23. The device of claim 22, wherein the expandable member comprises a basket.

24. The device of claim 22, wherein the energy transfer element comprises a leg of the basket.