ATHERECTOMY DEVICES AND METHODS

• US 20080004643A1
• Filed: 10/19/2006
• Published: 01/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Atheromed, Inc. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Atheromed, Inc. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: To, John, Danek, Christopher James
• Granted Patent: US 8,920,448 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/159
• 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 17/320758 with a rotating cutting instrument, e.g. motor driven A61B17/320725, A61B17/32075 and A61B17/320783 take precedence; for removing intra-ocular material A61F9/00763; endoscopic rotatable cutting instruments A61B17/32002
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/320783 through side-hole, e.g. sliding or rotating cutter inside catheter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/003 Steerable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00318 Steering mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22038 with a guide wire
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22041 outside the catheter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320716 comprising means for preventing embolism by dislodged material
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320741 for stripping the intima or the internal plaque from a blood vessel, e.g. for endarterectomy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320775 Morcellators, impeller or propeller like means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3735 Optical coherence tomography [OCT]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3784 both receiver and transmitter being in the instrument or receiver being also transmitter
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0152 with pre-shaped mechanisms, e.g. pre-shaped stylets or pre-shaped outer tubes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0155 with hydraulic or pneumatic means, e.g. balloons or inflatable compartments

Abstract

The devices and methods generally relate to treatment of occluded body lumens. In particular, the present devices and method relate to removal of the occluding material from the blood vessels as well as other body lumens.

Claims

1. A vascular device for removing material from body lumens, the device comprising:

a catheter body having a proximal end and a distal end;

a cutter assembly located at the distal end of the catheter body, the cutter assembly comprising a housing having at least one opening and a cutter having at least one cutting surface configured to rotate relative to the housing, where movement between the housing opening and the cutting surface removes material located therebetween;

a rotating shaft extending through the catheter body and coupled to the cutter, the shaft having a proximal end adapted to couple to a first rotating mechanism; and

a deflecting member extending along the catheter body, such that movement of the deflecting member causes deflection of the cutter assembly relative to an axis of the catheter.

2. The device of claim 1, where the catheter body is coupled to a fluid source.

3. The device of claim 1, where the catheter body is coupled to a vacuum source.

4. The device of claim 1, where the rotating shaft is coupled to a rotating mechanism.

5. The device of claim 1, where the deflecting member comprises a steerable sheath adapted to deflect in shape.

6. The device of claim 5, where the steerable sheath comprises a deflecting wire extending through a portion of the sheath, such that axial movement of the deflecting wire deflects the sheath.

7. The device of claim 6, where the deflecting wire is affixed to the cutter assembly.

8. The device of claim 6, where the deflecting wire is affixed to a portion of the catheter body that extends out of the deflecting sheath.

9. The device of claim 5, where the sheath is rotatable about the catheter body.

10. The device of claim 5, where the sheath is rotatable about an axis of the catheter.

11. The device of claim 1, where the deflecting member comprises a pre-shaped mandrel slidably located in the catheter body, where at least the distal end the catheter body assumes the shape of the pre-shaped mandrel when advanced therein.

12. The device of claim 1, where the deflecting member comprises a pre-shaped tube slidably located in the catheter body, where at least the distal end the catheter body assumes the shape of the pre-shaped mandrel when advanced therein.

13. The device of claim 1, where the deflecting member comprises a slidable sheath having a fixed curved shape, such that advancement of the slidable sheath over the catheter body causes the catheter body to assume the curved shape of the sheath.

14. The device of claim 13, where the sheath is rotatable about the catheter body.

15. The device of claim 13, where the catheter body is rotatable within the sheath.

16. The device of claim 1, where the deflecting member comprises a steerable guidewire extending through the catheter body.

17. The device of claim 1, where the deflecting member comprises a mandrel slidably located in the catheter body and extendable out of a distal surface of the catheter body, where upon extending out of the distal surface pushes against tissue to deflect the distal end of the catheter body.

18. The device of claim 1, where a portion of the housing comprises a curved surface and the opening forms a plane across the curved surface such that as the cutting surface rotates across the opening, a portion of the cutting surface extends out of the housing through the opening.

19. The device of claim 1, where the torque shaft and cutter each have a lumen allowing for advancement of a guidewire therethrough.

20. The device of claim 1, further comprising a guidewire track having a lumen, where at least a portion of the guidewire track is exterior to the catheter body.

21. The device of claim 1, cutter comprises a plurality of flutes and the cutting surface is an edge of the flute.

22. The device of claim 21, where the cutting surface of the flute is helical.

23. The device of claim 21, where each flute is arranged relative to the openings in the housing such that during operation, a total length of the cutting surface exposed through the housing openings remains the same.

24. The device of claim 1, further including a ferrule linking the housing to the said outer tube on the catheter body.

25. The device of claim 1, where the shaft has at least one helical conveyor member wound about an exterior such that rotation of the torque shaft conveys material along the length of the torque shaft.

26. The device of claim 1, where the helical conveyor member is wound in the same rotational sense as the helical flutes on the cutter

27. The device of claim 1, where a guide-wire portion is fixedly attached to the cutter.

28. The device of claim 1, where the deflecting member comprises a wire extending along a length of the flexible catheter.

29. The device of claim 28, where the wire is affixed to the cutter assembly.

30. The device of claim 1, further comprising a burr rotatably located on a tip of the cutter assembly.

31. The device of claim 1, where the deflecting member is lockable to fix the deflection of the catheter.

32. The device of claim 1, where the deflecting member has sufficient friction to lock the catheter relative to the deflecting member.

33-106. -106. (canceled)