Tracking aspiration catheter

• US 20070060944A1
• Filed: 08/18/2005
• Published: 03/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Galdonik, Jason, Boldenow, Gregory
• Granted Patent: US 8,021,351 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/200
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/22 Implements for squeezing-off ulcers or the like on the inside of inner organs of the body; Implements for scraping-out cavities of body organs, e.g. bones; Calculus removers; Calculus smashing apparatus; Apparatus for removing obstructions in blood vessels, not otherwise provided for dilators A61M29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22039 eccentric
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2217/005 with suction drainage system
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/39 Markers, e.g. radio-opaque or breast lesions markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0024 Expandable catheters or sheaths
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0081 Soft tip
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0068 Static characteristics of the catheter tip, e.g. shape, atraumatic tip, curved tip or tip structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/007 Side holes, e.g. their profiles or arrangements; Provisions to keep side holes unblocked
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/008 Strength or flexibility characteristics of the catheter tip

Abstract

In general, aspiration catheters have a suction device, a proximal portion and a shaft with a proximal end and a distal end. The shaft is operably connected at its proximal end to the proximal portion. The suction device is attached or attachable to the proximal portion to form a continuous lumen from the suction device to an aspiration opening at the distal end of the shaft. Improvements in the aspiration catheter design provide for improved tracking and/or a reduced chance of snagging during delivery of the aspiration catheter. In some embodiments, the tip of the shaft has a natural curve relative to the neutral orientation of the remaining portions of the shaft. In other embodiments, the aspiration catheter further comprises a tracking portion that has a guide lumen. A guide structure can extend through the guide lumen to limit the relative motion of the tip of the catheter relative to the guide structure during delivery of the aspiration catheter within a patient'"'"'s vessel. In further embodiments, the aspiration catheter comprises a deflection structure having a tether and a bumper. The deflection structure has a first configuration in which the bumper extends from the distal opening. Improved methods for using the aspiration catheter to recover an embolism protection device are described.

Claims

1. An aspiration catheter comprising a suction device, a proximal portion and a shaft with a proximal end and a distal end operably connected at its proximal end to the proximal portion to form a suction lumen, wherein the suction device is attached or attachable to the proximal portion to operably connect the suction device to the suction lumen and the shaft comprising a tip at the distal end of the shaft having an aspiration opening, the tip having a natural curve relative to the natural orientation of the shaft and wherein the haft comprises a rapid exchange segment near the distal end of the shaft and a guide port adjacent the rapid exchange segment, the guide port having a suitable size for the passage of a guide structure.

2. The aspiration catheter of claim 1 wherein the suction device comprises a syringe and wherein the proximal portion comprises a Leur lock attachable to the syringe.

3. The aspiration catheter of claim 1 wherein the suction device comprises a pump.

4. The aspiration catheter of claim 1 wherein the shaft has a length from about 50 cm to about 300 cm.

5. The aspiration catheter of claim 1 wherein the shaft has an outer diameter from about 0.010 inches to about 0.065 inches.

6. The aspiration catheter of claim 1 wherein the shaft comprises a polymer with a metal reinforcement embedded in the polymer.

7. The aspiration catheter of claim 1 wherein the shaft comprises a first segment and a second segment distal to the first segment and wherein the first segment comprises a polymer with metal reinforcement and the second segment comprises a polymer without metal reinforcement.

8. The aspiration catheter of claim 1 wherein the rapid exchange segment comprises polymer with metal reinforcement.

9. The aspiration catheter of claim 1 wherein the shaft comprises a polymer with embedded braided metal.

11. The aspiration catheter of claim 1 wherein the curved tip is curved from about 30 degrees to about 60 degrees.

12. The aspiration catheter of claim 1 wherein the curved tip has a length less than about 4 mm.

13. The aspiration catheter of claim 1 wherein the shaft comprises side ports in fluid communication with the aspiration lumen.

10. (canceled)

14. An aspiration catheter comprising a suction device, a proximal portion, a shaft and a tracking portion, wherein the shaft comprises an aspiration lumen having a distal opening, wherein the suction device is attached or attachable to the proximal portion to form a continuous lumen extending from the suction device to the distal opening and wherein the tracking portion presents a guide lumen at or near to the distal opening, the guide lumen having a diameter significantly less than the aspiration lumen, the tracking portion being configured not to block significantly the distal opening or having a shifted aspiration configuration wherein the distal opening is not blocked significantly.

15. The aspiration catheter of claim 14 wherein the tracking portion comprises a tubular extension operably connected to the shaft at the distal opening.

16. The aspiration catheter of claim 15 wherein the tubular extension has a slit.

17. The aspiration catheter of claim 15 wherein the tubular extension comprises rolled polymer with overlapping rolls that form the guide lumen.

18. The aspiration catheter of claim 14 wherein the tracking portion comprises a coil operably connected with a tether wherein the center of the coil forms the guide lumen.

19. The aspiration catheter of claim 14 wherein the tracking portion comprises a central core with two or more arms extending from the central core, wherein the guide lumen extends through the central core and arms meet the inner diameter of the shaft at the opening.

20. The aspiration catheter of claim 14 wherein the tracking portion comprises a structure with a cup shape with an open bottom wherein the lip of the cup meets the inner diameter of the shaft at the opening and the guide lumen extends through the open bottom of the cup.

21. An aspiration catheter comprising a suction device, a proximal portion, a shaft and a deflection structure, wherein the shaft comprises an aspiration lumen having a distal opening, wherein the suction device is attached or attachable to the proximal portion to form a continuous lumen extending from the suction device to the distal opening and wherein the deflection structure comprises a bumper and a tether and has a first configuration wherein the bumper extends out from the distal opening.

22. The aspiration catheter of claim 21 wherein the tether comprises a rod and the tip of the rod is the bumper.

23. The aspiration catheter of claim 21 wherein the bumper comprises an elastic loop.

24. The aspiration catheter of claim 21 wherein the bumper comprises a bent tip portion of the tether.

25. The aspiration catheter of claim 21 wherein the bumper comprises a coil.

26. The aspiration catheter of claim 21 wherein the bumper comprises a cup structure operably connected to the tether.

27. The aspiration catheter of claim 21 wherein the deflection structure has a second configuration wherein the bumper is withdrawn into the suction lumen such that the opening is unobstructed.

28. A method for the removal of an embolism protection device from a patient'"'"'s vessel, the method comprising:

applying suction while an aspiration catheter is being moved in a distal direction along a guide structure toward the embolism protection device in a deployed configuration; and

collapsing an embolism protection device in a retrieval configuration within the aspiration catheter while applying suction through the aspiration catheter.

29. A method for the delivery of an aspiration catheter with a suction port at its distal end, the method comprising:

delivering the aspiration catheter over a guide structure within a patient'"'"'s vessel wherein the guide structure extends from the suction port but is constrained relative to the suction port so that the guide structure cannot move freely over the suction opening; and

disengaging the guide structure so that it is not constrained relative to the suction opening.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein the guide structure is constrained with distal lumen extending from the suction lumen.

31. The method of claim 29 wherein the guide structure is constrained with a bumper structure extending from the suction lumen.

32. A method for the delivery of an aspiration catheter with a suction port at its distal end, the method comprising:

delivering the aspiration catheter over a guide structure with a bumper extending from the suction port; and

withdrawing the bumper away from the suction port.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein the bumper is withdrawn completely from the catheter.

34. The method of claim 32 wherein the bumper is withdrawn into the catheter and parked prior to the application of suction.

35. A method for the delivery of an aspiration catheter with a distal suction port, the method comprising tracking a catheter along a guide structure with close tracking resulting from a curve in the catheter tip, the catheter comprising a metal braid within a polymer to increase torque transmittal along the length of the catheter.