EMBOLIC PROTECTION DEVICE WITH LOCKING DEVICE

• US 20080255604A1
• Filed: 04/13/2007
• Published: 10/16/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Abbott Laboratories Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Abbott Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: Yribarren, Travis Richard, NEWHAUSER, Richard
• Granted Patent: US 8,241,318 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/200
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/01 Filters implantable into blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/015 Stop means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/018 made from tubes or sheets of material, e.g. by etching or laser-cutting
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0006 circular
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0067 conical
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0138 having flexible regions as a result of weakened outer material, e.g. slots, slits, cuts, joints or coils

Abstract

A device and method for locking onto a guidewire. The device includes an element transversely movable along the guidewire. The element may have a plurality of portions and a biasing member connecting first and second portions of the transversely moveable element such that the first portion and another of the portions are movable from a first position, where the first portion and the other portion are aligned with respect to one another, to a second position, where the first portion is no longer aligned with respect to the other portion, the device being locked to the guidewire in the second position. The device can be used for locking an embolic protection device including a filter to a guidewire that is adapted to be introduced into a vascular system of a patient.

Claims

1. A device for locking onto a guidewire, comprising:

an element transversely movable along the guidewire, the element comprising a plurality of portions; and

a biasing member connecting a first portion and a second portion of the transversely moveable element;

the first portion and another portion of the transversely moveable guide member being movable from a first position, where the first portion and the other portion are aligned with respect to one another, to a second position, where the first portion is not aligned with respect to the other portion, the device being locked to the guidewire in the second position.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the other portion is the second portion, and the first and second portions are oriented at an angle at the second position.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device moves from the first position to the second position at a portion of the guidewire having a stiffness less than a predetermined biasing force of the biasing element.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the portions of the transversely moveable element is substantially cylindrically shaped.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein each portion of the transversely moveable element is substantially cylindrically shaped.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the biasing member comprises an elastic member that biases the first and second portions of the transversely movable member.

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein the other portion is the second portion and the second portion is laterally offset with respect to the first portion at the second position.

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein the first portion comprises two opposing tabs, each tab provided at an end of the first portion that is adjacent to the second portion and at a position substantially 90 degrees with respect to the elastic element.

9. The device according to claim 6, wherein the elastic member comprises two elastic elements that are aligned with the guidewire in the first position, each elastic element being attached at a first end to the first portion of the transversely moveable element and at a second end to the second portion of the transversely moveable element.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first and second portions of the transversely moveable element abut, and the first portion and/or the second portion have an end shaped to move the first and second portions from the first position to the second position.

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein the first portion and/or the second portion have an end having a shape that provides for limited contact between the first and second portions.

12. The device according to claim 11, wherein the first portion and/or the second portion have an end having a shape that provides for substantially point contact between the first and second portions.

13. The device according to claim 2, wherein the other portion is the second portion, and the biasing element comprises a helical elastic element that is connected between the first portion and the second portion.

14. The device according to claim 13, wherein the first portion comprises an inclined proximal end, and the second portion comprises an inclined distal end, wherein the inclined proximal end of the first portion is adjacent to the inclined distal end of the second portion.

15. The device according to claim 14, where the inclined portions are arranged such that the first and second portions form a substantially cylindrical shape at the first position.

16. The device according to claim 1, wherein the other portion is a third portion provided between the first and second portions, wherein the third portion is laterally offset with respect to the first and second portions at the second position.

17. The device according to claim 16, wherein the first portion comprises an inclined proximal end, the second portion comprises an inclined distal end, and the third portion comprises an inclined distal end and an inclined proximal end.

18. The device according to claim 17, wherein the inclined portions are arranged such that the first, second, and third portions form a substantially cylindrical shape at the first position.

19. The device according to claim 6, wherein the other portion is laterally offset with respect to the first portion at the second position.

20. An embolic protection device, comprising:

the device for locking onto the guidewire according to claim 1; and

a filter moveable on the guidewire, wherein the guidewire is adapted to be introduced into a vascular system of a patient.

21. The embolic protection device of claim 20, wherein the filter comprises:

a collapsible filter body adapted for delivery through the vascular system of the patient, the filter body being moveable between a collapsed position, which is capable of movement through the vascular system, and an expanded position, which is capable of capturing embolic material while allowing blood to pass through the filter body;

the filter body comprising an inlet end and an outlet end, the inlet end having inlet openings sized to allow the blood and the embolic material to enter the filter body, and the outlet end having a plurality of outlet openings sized to allow passage of the blood but to retain the embolic material within the filter body.

22. The device according to claim 20, wherein the device moves from the first position to the second position at a portion of the guidewire having a stiffness less than a predetermined biasing force of the biasing element.

23. The device according to claim 20, wherein the other portion is the second portion, and the first and second portions are oriented at an angle at the second position.

24. The method according to claim 20, wherein the first portion is laterally offset with respect to the other portion at the second position.

25. The device according to claim 20, wherein at least one of the portions of the transversely moveable element is substantially cylindrically shaped.

26. The device according to claim 20, wherein the biasing member comprises an elastic member that biases the first and second portions of the transversely moveable element.

27. A method for locking a device onto a guidewire, the guidewire including a stiff portion with a first stiffness and a floppy portion with a second, lesser stiffness, and the method comprising:

advancing the device along the stiff portion of the guidewire, the device comprising a plurality of portions aligned with respect to one another at a first position, wherein a first and a second portions of the device are connected by a biasing member;

providing the device at the floppy portion of the guidewire; and

biasing the first portion so that the first portion is not aligned with respect to another portion of the device at a second position, whereby the device is locked to the guidewire.

28. The method according to claim 27, wherein the second portion is the other portion, and the first and second portions are oriented at an angle at the second position.

29. The method according to claim 27, wherein the first portion is laterally offset with respect to the other portion at the second position.

30. The method according to claim 27, further comprising:

advancing a retracting device over the device so that the first and second portions of the device are again aligned with respect to one another, and

retracting the device along the guidewire.

31. A device for locking onto a guidewire, comprising:

an element transversely movable along a guidewire, the element comprising a collet portion, the collet portion having a deflectable tooth feature, wherein the tooth feature can be deflected from a first position to a second position, the device being locked to the guidewire in the second position.

32. An embolic protection device, comprising:

the device for locking onto the guidewire according to claim 31; and

a filter moveable on the guidewire, wherein the guidewire is adapted to be introduced into a vascular system of a patient.

33. A method for locking a device onto a guidewire, the guidewire including a stiff portion with a first stiffness and a floppy portion with a second, lesser stiffness, and the method comprising:

advancing the device along the stiff portion of the guidewire, the device comprising an element transversely movable along the guidewire, the element comprising a collet portion, the collet portion having at least one deflectable tooth feature, wherein the tooth feature can be deflected from a first position to a second position, the device being locked to the guidewire in the second position;

providing the device at the floppy portion of the guidewire; and

biasing the tooth element so that the guidewire becomes pinched between the tooth element and an opposing surface of the collet, whereby the device is locked to the guidewire.

34. A device for locking onto a guidewire, comprising:

an element transversely movable along a guidewire, the element comprising a tubular portion, wherein the tubular portion can be deformed from a first position to a second position, the device being locked to the guidewire in the second position.

35. An embolic protection device, comprising:

the device for locking onto the guidewire according to claim 34; and

a filter moveable on the guidewire, wherein the guidewire is adapted to be introduced into a vascular system of a patient.

36. A method for locking a device onto a guidewire, the guidewire including a stiff portion with a first stiffness and a floppy portion with a second, lesser stiffness, and the method comprising:

advancing the device along the stiff portion of the guidewire, the device comprising an element transversely movable along the guidewire, the element comprising a tubular portion, wherein the tubular portion can be deformed from a first position to a second position, the device being locked to the guidewire in the second position;

providing the device at the floppy portion of the guidewire; and

deforming the tubular portion to the second position, so that a lumen of the tubular portion reduces in profile, thereby pinching the guidewire and locking the device to the guidewire.