MAGNETIC STENT REMOVAL

• US 20090093822A1
• Filed: 10/03/2007
• Published: 04/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cook Medical Technologies, LLC (Cook Group Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Wilson-Cook Medical Incorporated (Cook Group Incorporated)
• Inventors: DUCHARME, RICHARD W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,066,715 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/108
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00876 magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/95 Instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/041 Bile ducts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/9528 for retrieval of stents
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/009 magnetic

Abstract

A medical device and method for its use in the digestive system of a mammalian patient is provided. The medical device includes a stent and a retrieval device. The stent has a magnetic element connected to an end of the stent. The retrieval device includes a magnetic member, and the retrieval device is sized to be ingested by the patient. The magnetic member is capable of being magnetically coupled to the magnetic element of the stent for removal of the stent through the natural forces of the digestive system.

Claims

1. A retrieval device for retrieving a stent placed with a body lumen of the digestive system of a mammalian patient, the stent having a magnetic element connected to an end of the stent, the retrieval device comprising:

a magnetic member having a size suitable for being wholly ingested by the mammalian patient;

the magnetic member capable of being magnetically coupled to the magnetic element of the stent and sized for removal of the stent from the body lumen through natural forces of the digestive system.

2. The retrieval device of claim 1, the stent being disposed within the pancreatic or biliary duct of the mammalian patient;

and wherein the magnetic member is configured to be advanced downstream by peristaltic contractions of the duodenum.

3. The retrieval device of claim 2, wherein the force of attraction between the magnetic element and magnetic member is greater than a force imposed on the magnetic member by the peristaltic contractions of the duodenum.

4. The retrieval device of claim 3, wherein the force of attraction between the magnetic element and magnetic member is greater than the friction between the stent and the pancreatic or biliary duct.

5. The retrieval device of claim 1, further comprising a tail connected to the magnetic member, the tail constructed of a flexible material, the magnetic member and tail sized to be ingested together by the mammalian patient.

6. The retrieval device of claim 5, wherein the tail is elongated and has a length greater than a length of the magnetic member.

7. The retrieval device of claim 5, wherein the tail is tubular.

8. The retrieval device of claim 7, wherein the tubular tail increases in diameter as the tubular tail projects away from the magnetic member.

9. The retrieval device of claim 5, wherein the tail is formed by a plurality of strips.

10. The retrieval device of claim 5, wherein the tail is a sheet connected to the magnetic member by one or more tethers.

11. The retrieval device of claim 10, wherein the sheet and tethers are structured to form a parachute.

12. A medical system for use in the digestive system of a mammalian patient, the medical system comprising:

a stent having a magnetic element connected to an end of the stent; and

a retrieval device having a magnetic member, the retrieval device sized to be ingested in its entirety by the mammalian patient;

at least one of the magnetic element and magnetic member having a magnet, the magnetic member capable of being magnetically coupled to the magnetic element of the stent for removal of the stent.

13. The medical device of claim 12, wherein the stent is disposed within a body lumen of the digestive system of the mammalian patient, and wherein coupling of the magnetic element and the magnetic member permits removal of the stent from the body lumen through natural forces of the digestive system acting on the retrieval device.

14. The medical device of claim 12, wherein the retrieval device includes a tail connected to the magnetic member, the tail constructed of a flexible material, the magnetic member and tail sized to be swallowed together by the mammalian patient.

15. The medical device of claim 14, wherein the tail is elongated and has a length greater than a length of the magnetic member.

16. The medical device of claim 14, wherein the tail is formed by a plurality of strips.

17. A method for retrieving a stent placed with a body lumen of the digestive system of a mammalian patient, the stent having a magnetic element connected to an end of the stent, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a magnetic member having a size suitable for being ingested by the mammalian patient, the magnetic member capable of being magnetically coupled to the magnetic element of the stent;

ingesting the magnetic member; and

magnetically coupling the magnetic member to the magnetic element of the stent;

removing the stent from the body lumen via the natural action of the digestive system acting on the magnetic member; and

removing the magnetic member and the stent from the digestive system.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of allowing the magnetic member and stent to naturally pass through the digestive system.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the magnetic member is ingested whole.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising the steps of:

providing a second magnetic member having a size suitable for being swallowed by the mammalian patient, the second magnetic member capable of being magnetically coupled to the magnetic element of the stent; and

ingesting the second magnetic member.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the second magnetic member is structured differently from the magnetic member.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising the steps of:

providing a third magnetic member having a size suitable for being ingested by the mammalian patient, the third magnetic member capable of being magnetically coupled to the magnetic element of the stent the third magnetic member being structured differently from both the magnetic member and the second magnetic member; and

ingesting the third magnetic member.