Vascular guidewire control apparatus

• US 20070179472A1
• Filed: 01/09/2007
• Published: 08/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Windcrest LLC
• Original Assignee: Windcrest LLC
• Inventors: Whittaker, David, Lauritzen, Keith, Whittaker, Allison, Dibdin, Steven
• Granted Patent: US 8,147,481 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/528
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0113 Mechanical advancing means, e.g. catheter dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/013 One-way gripping collars
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0136 Handles therefor

Abstract

A controller for use with a guidewire, such as a vascular guidewire, provides a mechanism for gripping and applying a torque to the guidewire without the need to thread the guidewire axially through the controller and at a location close to a point of access of the guidewire. In one embodiment, the controller includes a side-access, multi-part assembly including a collet or other gripping element that applies a uniform radially inward force on the guidewire. In another embodiment, for use with guidewires having active electrically controllable elements, the controller integrally or removably incorporates a switch or other mechanism to initiate an energized state. The controller thereby permits ergonomic, single-handed control of an electronically steerable guidewire, including axially displacing, torquing and steering the guidewire.

Claims

1. A controller for facilitating manual control by a user of a guidewire, the controller comprising:

a housing having a primary axis and a first engagement feature substantially along the primary axis, a second engagement feature, non-parallel to the primary first engagement feature and adapted to receive the guidewire, and a third engagement feature parallel with the first engagement feature for accommodating a portion of the guidewire.

2. The controller according to claim 1 further comprising:

a cap; and

a collet sized to be axially received by the housing and having a first end for engagement with the housing and a second end for engagement with the cap.

3. The controller according to claim 1 wherein the user may control axial displacement, rotation and deflection of the tip of the guidewire using a single hand.

4. The controller according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the engagement features comprises a slot.

5. The controller according to claim 1, wherein all of the engagement features comprise slots.

6. The controller according to claim 1, wherein the leading end of the housing is provided with a beveled surface, and the first end of the collet is provided with a beveled surface substantially complementary to the beveled surface of the leading end of the housing, and whereby abutment of the beveled surface of the leading end of the housing with the beveled end of the first end of the collet applies a radially inward force on the first end of the collet.

7. The controller according to claim 1, wherein the cap comprises an interior beveled surface and the second end of the collet comprises a beveled surface substantially complementary to the beveled surface of the interior beveled surface of the cap, and whereby abutment of the interior beveled surface of the cap with the beveled surface of the second end of the collet applies a radially inward force on the second end of the collet.

8. The controller according to claim 1, wherein the leading end of the housing is provided with a beveled surface, and the first end of the collet is provided with a beveled surface substantially complementary to the beveled surface of the leading end of the housing, and whereby abutment of the beveled surface of the leading end of the housing with the beveled end of the first end of the collet applies a radially inward force on the first end of the collet, and further wherein the cap comprises an interior beveled surface and the second end of the collet is provided with a beveled surface substantially complementary to the beveled surface of the interior beveled surface of the cap, and whereby abutment of the interior beveled surface of the cap with the beveled surface of the second end of the collet applies a radially inward force on the second end of the collet.

9. The controller according to claim 1, wherein the collet comprises at least two prongs, the prongs having contact surfaces that are substantially parallel to the surface of the guidewire and wherein the housing and the cap, when both engaged with the collet, apply respective radially inward forces on the collet that are substantially equal, whereby the collet applies a radially inward force on the guidewire that is substantially uniformly distributed.

10. The controller according to claim 1, wherein the leading end of the housing comprises exterior threads, and the cap comprises interior threads are received by the exterior threads of the housing when the housing and the cap are engaged.

11. The controller according to claim 1, wherein the first engagement feature is perpendicular to the second engagement feature.

12. The controller according to claim 1, wherein the second engagement feature is a fulcrum for rotating and locking the controller onto the guidewire.

13. A switch coupled to an electrical circuit causing the flow of electricity to the tip of a guidewire, wherein the switch may be held and/or manipulated by the user in conjunction with a controller for the guidewire in a single hand.

14. The switch according to claim 13, wherein the switch is coupled to the electrical circuit via a wireless link.

15. The switch according to claim 13, wherein the switch is detached from the controller and may be held only by the fourth and fifth finger of a user'"'"'s hand during use in conjunction with the controller.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein the first position is not parallel to the second position.

18. The method according to claim 15, wherein the first position is perpendicular to the second position.

16. A method of using a controller to displace, rotate, or deflect the tip of a guidewire using a single hand, comprising the steps of:

aligning a non-parallel engagement feature with the guidewire so that the controller is in a first position;

engaging the guidewire with the non-parallel engaging feature;

shifting the controller to a second position in which the guidewire is fully received by the controller.