METHODS AND DEVICES FOR RESTORING BLOOD FLOW WITHIN BLOCKED VASCULATURE

• US 20070225749A1
• Filed: 02/05/2007
• Published: 09/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Lazarus Effect, Inc. (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Lazarus Effect, Inc. (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Dieck, Martin, MARTIN, Brian
• Application Number:
  US11/671,450
• Publication Number:
  US 20070225749A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/200
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/22012 in direct contact with, or very close to, the obstruction or concrement for removing obstructions in blood vessels by laser A61B18/245
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/221 Gripping devices in the form of loops or baskets for gripping calculi or similar types of obstructions surgical snare instruments A61B17/32056
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/32056 Surgical snare instruments for removing or smashing calculi A61B2017/2212; tonsillotomes A61B17/26
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/320725 with radially expandable cutting or abrading elements A61B17/32075 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00778 Operations on blood vessels A61B2017/22097, A61B2017/320741 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00853 low friction, hydrophobic and corrosion-resistant fluorocarbon resin coating (ptf, ptfe, polytetrafluoroethylene)
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00862 elastic or resilient for sutures A61B2017/0618
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00867 shape memory effect for prostheses A61F2210/0014
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22034 for gripping the obstruction or the tissue part from inside
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22051 with an inflatable part, e.g. balloon, for positioning, blocking, or immobilisation A61B2017/22048, A61B2017/3486 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22094 for crossing total occlusions, i.e. piercing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2212 having a closed distal end, e.g. a loop
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2215 having an open distal end

Abstract

The devices and methods described herein to clearing of blockages within body lumens, such as the vasculature, by addressing the frictional resistance on the obstruction prior to attempting to translate and/or mobilize the obstruction within the body lumen.

Claims

1. An intravascular apparatus for removing an obstruction from a vessel of a patient, the device comprising:

a microcatheter having a size and flexibility to navigate within a neurovascular region of the patient;

a near connector having a first expanded profile when unconstrained, such that on deployment in the vessel the near connector expands towards the first expanded profile;

a far connector being collapsible to fit within the microcatheter and having a second expanded profile when unconstrained, such that on deployment in the vessel the second connector expands towards the second expanded profile;

at least one lead filament coupling the near connector to the microcatheter; and

a plurality of traversing filaments extending between the near and far connectors, and spaced apart on each connector such that spacing the traversing filaments causes the filaments to move towards a wall of the vessel.

2. The intravascular apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a blood permeable member affixed to the far connector, the blood permeable member being collapsible to fit within the microcatheter.

3. The intravascular apparatus of claim 2, where the blood permeable member comprises a structure selected from the group consisting of a basket, a filter, a bag, a coil, a helical wire structure, a mesh, a corrugated sheet, a braided wires, a single wound wire, a plurality of crossing wires, a tube, a membrane, and a film.

4. The intravascular apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a plurality of hook shaped members located on the blood permeable member.

5. The intravascular apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a third connector located adjacent to the near connector, and a plurality of non-rotating filaments extending between the far connector and the third connector, where the first connector is rotatable relative to the far and third connectors to cause the plurality of traversing filaments to form a mesh pattern.

6. The intravascular apparatus of claim 1, where the near and far connectors are rotatable relative to each other to cause at least a section of the plurality of filaments to cross one another.

7. The intravascular apparatus of claim 6, where the near connector is stationary and the far connector is rotatable.

8. The intravascular apparatus of claim 6, where the far connector is stationary and the near connector is rotatable.

9. The intravascular apparatus of claim 6, where the far connector and the near connector are rotatable in opposite directions.

10. The intravascular apparatus of claim 1, where the near connector comprises a shape selected from a circle, an arcuate shape, a partial circular shape, a loop, an oval, a square, a rectangle, a polygon, an overlapping loop, a pair of semi-circles, a flower shape, and a figure 8.

11. The intravascular apparatus of claim 1, where the far connector comprises a shape selected from an arcuate shape, a partial circular shape, a loop, an oval, a square, a rectangle, a polygon, an overlapping loop, a pair of semi-circles, a flower shape, and a figure 8.

12. The intravascular apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of hook shaped members located on at least one filament.

13. The intravascular apparatus of claim 1, where the near connector is collapsible to fit within the microcatheter.

14. The intravascular apparatus of claim 1, where the near connector is affixed to an exterior of the microcatheter.

15. The intravascular apparatus of claim 1, where the near connector comprises a plurality of near connector portions.

16. The intravascular apparatus of claim 15, where at least one of the near connector portions is axially spaced from another near connector portion.

17. The intravascular apparatus of claim 1, where the far connector comprises a plurality of far connector portions.

18. The intravascular apparatus of claim 17, where at least one of the far connector portions is axially spaced from another far connector portion.

19. The intravascular apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one support ring within the filament.

20. The intravascular apparatus of claim 1, where the near connector, the lead filament, and the plurality of traversing filaments, are collapsible to fit within the microcatheter and are self-expanding upon deployment from the microcatheter.

21. The intravascular apparatus of claim 1, where the near connector, the lead filament, and the plurality of traversing filaments, are collapsible to fit within the microcatheter and are actuated to expand upon deployment from the microcatheter.

22. The intravascular apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a balloon located on the microcatheter, where on expansion the balloon expands the vessel allowing for removal of the obstruction.

23. The intravascular apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an expandable coil located on the microcatheter and having an expanded profile, where deployment of the coil causes expansion of the vessel allowing for removal of the obstruction.

24. The intravascular apparatus of claim 1, where at least one of the traversing filaments is moveable relative to the near connector so that tension may be applied to the respective filament to spread the filaments.

25. The intravascular apparatus of claim 1, where at least one of the traversing filaments is moveable relative to the far connector so that tension may be applied to the respective filament to spread the filaments.

26. The intravascular apparatus of claim 1, where at least one of the traversing filaments is moveable relative to the near and far connectors so that tension may be applied to the respective filament to spread the filaments.

27. The intravascular apparatus of claim 1, where the filaments are fixed relative to the near and far connectors such that axial movement of the lead wire causes axial movement of the near and far connectors and filaments.

28-167. -167. (canceled)