Multi-Wire Tissue Cutter
First Claim
1. A device for cutting tissue in a human body, the device comprising:
- an elongate, hollow shaft having a proximal portion and a distal portion;
a bundle of flexible wires slidably disposed within at least a portion of the shaft and having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the distal end of the bundle is configured to facilitate cutting of tissue, and wherein the wires of the bundle are at least partially free to move, relative to one another, to allow a cross-sectional shape of the bundle to differ along a length from the proximal to the distal end; and
an actuator coupled with the proximal portion of the shaft and the proximal end of the bundle of wires, wherein the actuator is configured to move the wires back and forth through the hollow shaft to cause the distal ends of the wires to cut tissue.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A device for cutting tissue in a human body may include an elongate, hollow shaft having a proximal portion and a distal portion, a bundle of flexible wires slidably disposed within at least a portion of the shaft and having a proximal end and a distal end, and an actuator coupled with the proximal portion of the shaft and the proximal end of the bundle of wires. The distal end of the bundle may be configured to facilitate cutting of tissue, and the wires of the bundle may be at least partially free to move, relative to one another, to allow a cross-sectional shape of the bundle to differ along a length from the proximal to the distal end. The actuator may be configured to move the wires back and forth through the hollow shaft to cause the distal ends of the wires to cut tissue.
574 Citations
49 Claims
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1. A device for cutting tissue in a human body, the device comprising:
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an elongate, hollow shaft having a proximal portion and a distal portion; a bundle of flexible wires slidably disposed within at least a portion of the shaft and having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the distal end of the bundle is configured to facilitate cutting of tissue, and wherein the wires of the bundle are at least partially free to move, relative to one another, to allow a cross-sectional shape of the bundle to differ along a length from the proximal to the distal end; and an actuator coupled with the proximal portion of the shaft and the proximal end of the bundle of wires, wherein the actuator is configured to move the wires back and forth through the hollow shaft to cause the distal ends of the wires to cut tissue. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method for cutting tissue in a human body, the method comprising:
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advancing an elongate, hollow shaft of a tissue cutting device at least partway into the body such that a tissue cutting portion of the device faces target tissue and a non-cutting portion of the device faces non-target tissue; and advancing a bundle of flexible, elongate wires longitudinally through the hollow shaft to cut at least a portion of the target tissue using distal ends of the wires. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. A system for cutting tissue in a human body, the system comprising:
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a tissue cutting device, comprising; an elongate, hollow shaft having a proximal portion with a first cross-sectional shape and a distal portion with a second cross-sectional shape; a bundle of flexible wires slidably disposed within at least a portion of the shaft, each of the wires comprising a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end configured to facilitate cutting of tissue, wherein the wires are sufficiently free to move, relative to one another, to allow a cross-sectional shape of the bundle of wires to change from the first cross-sectional shape of the shaft proximal portion to the second cross-sectional shape of the shaft distal portion; and an actuator coupled with the shaft and the bundle of wires at or near their proximal ends, wherein the actuator is configured to move the wires back and forth through the hollow shaft to cause the distal ends of the wires to cut tissue; and a power source removably coupled with the actuator to provide power to move the wires back and forth. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49)
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Specification