Vascular Position Locating Apparatus and Method
First Claim
1. A method of locating a branch vessel in a human patient comprising;
- tracking a sensor moving in a vessel in a first navigational direction;
detecting movement of the sensor in a direction generally orthogonal to the first navigational direction; and
determining if the detected movement is indicative of branch vessel entry.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A branch vessel in a human patient is located using in vivo tracked field sensors where in one variation the sensor positions can be located by determining the positions of the sensors relative to a plurality of magnetic field sources of known location. This approach is used, for example, in locating the opening in a renal artery and positioning the proximal end of the AAA stent-graft adjacent to the opening. According to another embodiment, field sensors in combination with signal generators are placed in vivo to locate vasculature aspects. In a further embodiment, an in vivo sensor is positioned in a deployed prosthesis to create a reference for a prosthetic member having a sensor to track to during cannulation of the deployed prosthesis with the prosthetic member.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. A method of locating a branch vessel in a human patient comprising;
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tracking a sensor moving in a vessel in a first navigational direction; detecting movement of the sensor in a direction generally orthogonal to the first navigational direction; and determining if the detected movement is indicative of branch vessel entry.
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2. A method of positioning a tubular prosthesis in a passageway in a human body comprising:
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advancing a tubular prosthesis through a vessel in a patient; obtaining the position in three dimensions of a portion of an opening to a branch vessel; and positioning the proximal end portion of the prosthesis at a predetermined distance from said branch vessel opening portion. - View Dependent Claims (3)
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4. A method of cannulating a bifurcated tubular prosthesis in vivo comprising:
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positioning a bifurcated tubular prosthesis in the aorta of a patient having an ipsilateral leg and a truncated contralateral leg portion; positioning a first sensor in the truncated contralateral leg portion; obtaining the position in three dimensions of the first sensor; advancing a contralateral leg delivery catheter having a distal portion and a proximal portion and a second sensor coupled to the distal portion toward the first sensor position; and monitoring the second sensor position in three dimensions relative to the first sensor position to guide the distal portion of the contralateral leg delivery catheter into the truncated contralateral leg portion.
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5. A prosthesis delivery system comprising:
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a tubular prosthesis delivery catheter having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion; a first sensor coupled to said catheter distal end portion; a flexible member having a fixed end portion and a feeler end portion, said flexible member fixed end portion being secured to said catheter distal end portion; and a second sensor coupled to said flexible member feeler end portion and suspended thereby. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A prosthesis delivery system comprising:
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a tubular prosthesis delivery sheath having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion; a tip member having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, said tip member proximal end portion being releasably coupled to said sheath distal end portion; a first sensor coupled to said tip member; a flexible member having a fixed end portion and a feeler end portion, said flexible member fixed end portion being secured to said tip member; and a second sensor coupled to said flexible member and suspended thereby and being movable relative to said tip member.
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23. A stent-graft delivery system comprising:
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a stent-graft delivery catheter having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion; a flexible member having a fixed end portion and a feeler end portion, said flexible member fixed end portion being secured to said catheter distal end portion; a first sensor coupled to one of said catheter distal end portion and said flexible member; a signal generator coupled to the other of said catheter distal end portion and said flexible member; and the one of said sensor and signal generator that is coupled to the flexible member is suspended thereby.
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24. A stent-graft delivery system comprising:
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a stent-graft delivery sheath having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion; a tip member having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, said tip member being releasably coupled to said sheath distal end portion; a flexible member having a fixed end portion and a feeler end portion, said flexible member fixed end portion being secured to said tip member; a sensor coupled to one of said tip member and said flexible member; a signal generator coupled to the other of said tip member and said flexible member; and the one of said sensor and signal generator that is coupled to said flexible member is suspended thereby and movable relative to said tip member.
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25. A probe for locating structure in a patient comprising:
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an elongated member configured for endovascular delivery in a patient, said elongated member having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion; a first sensor coupled to said elongated member distal end portion; a flexible member having a fixed end portion and a feeler end portion, said flexible member fixed end portion being secured to said elongated member distal end portion; and a second sensor coupled to said flexible member and suspended thereby. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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Specification