Embolectomy Catheter

• US 20080167678A1
• Filed: 01/05/2007
• Published: 07/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hesham Morsi
• Original Assignee: Hesham Morsi
• Inventors: Morsi, Hesham
• Granted Patent: US 7,914,549 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/200
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/320725 with radially expandable cutting or abrading elements A61B17/32075 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00292 mounted on or guided by flexible, e.g. catheter-like, means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00336 with a protective sleeve, e.g. retractable or slidable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00539 hydraulically
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00561 creating a vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22034 for gripping the obstruction or the tissue part from inside
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22055 with three or more balloons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22061 for spreading elements apart
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22062 to be filled with liquid

Abstract

A novel catheter and methods for using the same are described herein. Embodiments of the catheter utilize sets of expandable members which collapse into recesses which are part of the catheter body. The recesses provide the catheter body with a low profile for insertion of the catheter into small blood vessels In addition, the recesses may comprise openings for capturing emboli and clots by suction

Claims

1. A catheter comprising:

a catheter body having an inner lumen, an outer lumen, and a plurality of recesses disposed along said catheter body, wherein each recess includes at least one opening to said inner lumen, and wherein said inner lumen and outer lumen are sealed from each other; and

a plurality of expandable members disposed along said catheter body in fluid communication with said outer lumen, wherein each expandable member has an expanded position and a contracted position, and wherein each expandable member in said contracted position fits within one of said plurality of recesses.

2. The catheter of claim 1 wherein said plurality of expandable members are disposed along said catheter body as sets of expandable members, wherein each set comprises at least one expandable member.

3. The catheter of claim 1 wherein each set comprises at least two expandable members.

4. The catheter of claim 1 wherein each expandable member in each set is disposed circumferentially around said catheter body.

5. The catheter of claim 1 wherein each set of expandable members is aligned with each other

6. The catheter of claim 1 wherein each set of expandable members is offset from each other.

7. The catheter of claim 1 wherein each set of expandable member comprises different numbers of expandable members.

8. The catheter of claim 1 wherein each recess contains one or more openings.

9. The catheter of claim 1 wherein said one or more openings are elongated.

10. The catheter of claim 1, further comprising a guide wire disposed coaxially within said inner lumen.

11. The catheter of claim 2, further including a seal at said distal end of said catheter, wherein said guide wire extends through said seal.

12. The catheter of claim 1 wherein said expandable members comprise a resilient material.

13. The catheter of claim 1 wherein said plurality of expandable members are radially expandable.

14. The catheter of claim 1 wherein each expandable member has a concave profile in said expanded position.

15. The catheter of claim 1 wherein each expandable member is angled distally in said expanded position.

16. The catheter of claim 1 wherein each expandable member is angled proximally in said expanded position.

17. The catheter of claim 1 wherein said plurality of expandable members comprises a trapezoidal shape, a rectangular shape, or an ovoid shape.

18. The catheter of claim 1 wherein said plurality of members have the diameters of said plurality of expandable members are substantially the same.

19. The catheter of claim 1 wherein a web is affixed inside each of said plurality of members.

20. The catheter of claim 11 wherein said web comprises a less resilient material than that of said plurality of members.

22. The device of claim 13 wherein said catheter further comprises an outer lumen, wherein said outer lumen is in fluid communication with said plurality of expandable members.

23. The device of claim 13 further comprising a guide wire slidably disposed within the inner lumen of said catheter.

25. The method of claim 20 wherein expanding the plurality of members comprises injecting a fluid through the outer lumen and into the plurality of members.

26. The method of claim 20 wherein contracting said plurality of members comprises applying vacuum through the at least one opening in each recess from the inner lumen.

27. The method of claim 26 further comprising sucking at least a portion of the embolus into the inner lumen through the at least one opening in each recess.

28. The method of claim 22 further comprising providing a guiding catheter, wherein a portion of the catheter is disposed within the guiding catheter.

29. The method of claim 23 withdrawing the catheter from the vessel comprises withdrawing the catheter and the plurality of members into the gliding catheter and removing the guiding catheter and the catheter from the vessel.

21. A device for removal of an embolus from a vessel comprising:

a guiding catheter;

a catheter slidably disposed within said guiding catheter, said catheter having an inner lumen, a plurality of radially expandable members disposed axially along said catheter, and a plurality of recesses, wherein each recess corresponds to one of said plurality of expandable members, and each recess has at least one opening in fluid communication with said inner lumen.

24. A method of removing at least a portion of an embolus from a vessel comprising:

providing a catheter comprising an inner lumen, an outer lumen, a plurality of radially expandable members in fluid communication with the outer lumen, and a plurality of recesses disposed along the catheter, wherein each recess includes at least one opening to the inner lumen;

inserting the catheter into the vessel, wherein the plurality of members are in a contracted position within the plurality of recesses;

expanding said plurality of members to engage the embolus between each member;

contracting said plurality of members to capture at least a portion of the embolus in between each recess and each member; and

withdrawing the catheter from the vessel to remove the embolus.

30. The method of claim 24 further comprising delivering a therapeutic compound through the at least opening in each recess.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein said therapeutic compound is an anti-platelet agent.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein said therapeutic compound comprises heparin, aspirin, a thienopyridine, a glycoprotein IIB/IIa inhibitor, tissue plasminogen activator, or combinations thereof