RETRIEVAL DEVICE WITH SIDEWALL GRIPPERS

• US 20070293928A1
• Filed: 06/14/2006
• Published: 12/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DePuy Synthes Products LLC (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: DePuy Synthes Products LLC (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Tomlin, Damian
• Granted Patent: US 8,585,732 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/1.11
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12022 Occluding by internal devices, e.g. balloons or releasable wires plugging an opening in the wall of an organ A61B17/0057; occluders for the cervical canal A61F6/146; vas deferens occluders A61F6/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1214 Coils or wires
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/22031 Gripping instruments, e.g. forceps, for removing or smashing calculi A61B17/221 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/30 Surgical pincettes without pivotal connectionsfor holding suture needles or materials A61B17/0483; wound clamps A61B17/08 ; hand-held gripping tools without pivotal connections in general B25B9/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/12054 Details concerning the detachment of the occluding device from the introduction device
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22034 for gripping the obstruction or the tissue part from inside
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22035 for retrieving or repositioning foreign objects

Abstract

A foreign body retrieval system includes a pusher and a retrieval element connected to the distal end of the pusher. The retrieval element includes one or more gripping members that are movable between a retracted position and an extended position. In the extended position, the gripping members extend in a radial and outward direction from the retrieval element in order to snag and capture a foreign body.

Claims

1. A retrieval system for retrieving a foreign object from a patient, comprising:

an elongated flexible pusher having a proximal end portion, a distal end portion and a lumen extending therethrough;

a retrieval element located at the distal end portion of the pusher, the retrieval element including at least one gripping member which is movable between a retracted position and an extended position, the gripping member projecting in a radial and outward direction from the retrieval element when the gripping member is in the extended position;

the gripping member having a gripper and an extension element, said extension element being movable to cause the gripping member to move into the extended position;

a pushrod slidably located within the lumen of the pusher, said pushrod being longitudinally movable between a first position and a second position; and

wherein movement of said pushrod from the first position to the second position places the pushrod into contact with the extension element to cause the gripping member to move into the extended position.

2. The retrieval system of claim 1, wherein the extension element of the gripper member is biased toward the retracted position of the gripper member.

3. The retrieval system of claim 2, wherein the pushrod disengages the extension element when the pushrod moves from the first position to the second position, causing the biased extension element to move the gripping member toward the retracted position.

4. The retrieval system of claim 1, wherein the retrieval element is a separate component that is secured to the distal end portion of the pusher.

5. The retrieval system of claim 1, wherein the retrieval element is made from a hypotube.

6. The retrieval system of claim 5, wherein the gripping member is made by cutting out and bending a portion of the hypotube.

7. The retrieval system of claim 2, wherein the retrieval element is made of a shape memory material.

8. The retrieval system of claim 1, wherein the gripper and the extension element are integral with each other.

9. The retrieval system of claim 1, wherein the gripper is adapted to engage an embolic coil when the gripping member is in the extended position.

10. The retrieval system of claim 1, wherein the gripper is generally flush with an outer surface of the retrieval element when the gripping member is in the retracted position.

11. The retrieval system of claim 1, wherein the retrieval element is tubularly shaped and includes a plurality of the gripping members, the gripping members being arranged so that each gripping member is located at a position that is opposite another gripping member along the retrieval element.

12. A retrieval system for retrieving a foreign object from a patient, comprising:

an elongated flexible pusher having a proximal end portion, a distal end portion and a lumen extending therethrough;

a retrieval element located at the distal end portion of the pusher, the retrieval element including a plurality of gripping members each movable between a retracted position and an extended position, each gripping member projecting in a radial and outward direction from the retrieval element when each gripping member is in the extended position;

each gripping member having a gripper and a spring-biased extension element, said extension element biasing the gripping member toward the retracted position, said extension element being movable to cause the gripping member to move into the extended position;

a pushrod slidably located within the lumen of the pusher, said pushrod being longitudinally movable between a first position and a second position; and

wherein movement of said pushrod from the first position to the second position contacts the pushrod with the spring-biased extension element to cause the gripping member to move into the extended position.

13. The retrieval system of claim 12, wherein the pushrod disengages the spring-biased extension element when the pushrod moves from the first position to the second position, causing the extension element to bias the gripping member back toward the retracted position.

14. A method for retrieving a foreign body from a vessel within a patient, comprising:

providing a retrieval system comprising an elongated flexible pusher having a retrieval element, the retrieval element including at least one gripping member capable of moving between a retracted position and an expanded position, wherein in the expanded position the gripping member extends in a radial and outward direction from the retrieval element;

manipulating the pusher to place the retrieval element adjacent a foreign body located in a vessel of the body;

inserting the retrieval element into the foreign body;

moving the gripping member from the retracted position to the extended position to snag the foreign body; and

removing the retrieval element and the snagged foreign body from the vessel.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein manipulating the pusher comprises guiding the pusher through a guide catheter to place the retrieval element adjacent a foreign body.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein the gripping member includes an extension element which biases the gripping member to the retracted position, said extension element being movable to cause the gripping member to move into the extended position;

the pusher including a pushrod slidably movable within the pusher, the pusher being movable between a first position and a second position wherein movement of the pushrod from the first position to the second position contacts the pushrod and the extension element to cause the gripping member to move into the extended position; and

moving the gripping member from the retracted position to the extended position comprises moving the pushrod from the first position to the second position so that said pushrod contacts said spring element to cause the gripping member to move into the extended position.

17. The method according to claim 14, wherein said moving of the gripping member includes camming action between a cam surface of the pusher and a cam follower surface of the gripping member, said camming action effecting outwardly directed radial movement of the gripping member into engagement with the foreign body.