EMBOLIZATION DEVICE AND A METHOD OF USING THE SAME

• US 20090105748A1
• Filed: 12/19/2008
• Published: 04/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Endologix
• Original Assignee: Thomas J. Fogarty
• Inventors: DREWS, Michael J., HOLMGREN, Neil, WILLIS, David B., FOGARTY, Thomas J., MODESITT, D. Bruce
• Granted Patent: US 8,262,686 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/200
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12022 Occluding by internal devices, e.g. balloons or releasable wires plugging an opening in the wall of an organ A61B17/0057; occluders for the cervical canal A61F6/146; vas deferens occluders A61F6/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12118 for positioning in conjunction with a stent
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1214 Coils or wires
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12163 having a string of elements connected to each other
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00004 (bio)absorbable, (bio)resorbable or resorptive
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/1205 Introduction devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3966 Radiopaque markers visible in an X-ray image
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/39 Markers, e.g. radio-opaque or breast lesions markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/07 Stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/88 the wire-like elements formed as helical or spiral coils forming a net-like or mesh-like structure A61F2/90
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/90 characterised by a net-like or mesh-like structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/065 Y-shaped blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/077 having means to fill the space between stent-graft and aneurysm wall, e.g. a sleeve

Abstract

Non-expandable space-occupying devices for treating voids within the body are disclosed. The devices can have multiple non-expandable space-occupying elements connected to a flexible leader. Methods of making and using the devices are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for filling an abnormal void within the body, the method comprising:

placing in a void within the body a catheter having a distal exit, the distal exit placed at a treatment site;

passing a space-occupying device through the catheter and distal exit, the space-occupying device having a device volume and comprising a flexible leader, a first non-expandable space-occupying element connected to the leader, and a second non-expandable space-occupying element connected to the leader; and

deploying the device into the treatment site.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting a device volume wherein the device volume is large enough to substantially fill the treatment site, and selecting a device volume wherein the device volume is small enough to prevent substantial alteration of the natural fluid flow through an adjacent element.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the adjacent element is a vascular prosthesis.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising placing a vascular prosthesis at the treatment site.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein deploying the device into the treatment site comprises deploying the device into the volume between a vascular wall at the treatment site and the vascular prosthesis.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the device further comprises a radiopaque agent, and wherein the method further comprises visualizing the location of the device after passing the device through the distal exit.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising releasing a therapeutic and/or diagnostic agent and releasing at the treatment site.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein passing and deploying the device further comprises pushing the device with a driver.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the driver comprises a ratcheting mechanism contacting the device, wherein the ratcheting mechanism impedes retraction of the device from the catheter.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the driver comprises a slider, the slider having an outer diameter, the catheter having an inner diameter, wherein the outer diameter of the slider is smaller than the inner diameter of the catheter, and wherein the slider abuts a first end of the device and delivers a force to the device.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising removing debris from the treatment site before deploying the device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein removing debris comprises applying a lytic agent to the treatment site.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising delivering the space-occupying device from a tube to the catheter, wherein a connector connects the tube and the catheter, and wherein the connector releasably fixes the catheter to the tube.

14. A method for filling an abnormal void within the body comprising:

inserting a filling device into the closed sac volume, wherein the filling device comprises a first rotatable joint and a rigid length substantially adjacent to the rotatable joint;

pushing the filling device in the closed sac volume; and

substantially filling the closed sac volume with the filling device.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the first rotatable joint comprises a first coiled configuration, and wherein the rigid length comprises an uncoiled configuration adjacent to the first coiled configuration.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the filling device further comprises a second rotatable joint comprising a second coiled configuration adjacent to the uncoiled configuration on the opposite side of the uncoiled configuration from the first coiled configuration.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the first rotatable joint comprises a flexible leader having a first thickness.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the rigid length comprises a rigid element having a second thickness greater than the first thickness.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the first rotatable joint comprises a ball and socket joint.

20. A method for filling an abnormal void within the body comprising:

inserting a filling device into the closed sac volume, wherein the filling device comprises a rotatable joint having two-degrees of rotational freedom;

pushing the filling device in the closed sac volume; and

substantially filling the closed sac volume with the filling device.