DETACHMENT MECHANISM FOR IMPLANTABLE FIXATION DEVICES

• US 20090163934A1
• Filed: 02/26/2009
• Published: 06/25/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Evalve, Inc. (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Evalve, Inc. (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Ketai, Theodore W., Thornton, Troy L., Raschdorf, Alfred H. JR.
• Granted Patent: US 8,216,256 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/139
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/00234 for minimally invasive surgery A61B17/0218, A61B17/0469, A61B17/12013, A61B17/1285, A61B17/29, A61B17/320016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/04 for suturing wounds; Holders or packages for needles or suture materials suture materials A61L17/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0401 Suture anchors, buttons or pledgets, i.e. means for attaching sutures to bone, cartilage or soft tissue; Instruments for applying or removing suture anchors A61B17/0642 takes precedence; fixation devices for tendons or ligaments A61F2/0811
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0469 Suturing instruments for use in minimally invasive surgery, e.g. endoscopic surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0482 Needle or suture guides guides for drills, pins or wire A61B17/17; for puncturing needles A61B17/3403
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/064 Surgical staples, i.e. penetrating the tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0643 with separate closing member, e.g. for interlocking with staple
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/068 Surgical staplers , e.g. containing multiple staples or clampsstaplers containing only one staple A61B17/10; magazines or containers for staples A61B17/105; for performing anastomosis A61B17/115; staplers in general B25C5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/08 Wound clamps or clips, i.e. not or only partly penetrating the tissue suture bridges A61B17/0466; Devices for bringing together the edges of a wound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/10 for applying or removing wound clamps, e.g. containing only one clamp or staple A61B17/076 takes precedence; containing multiple wound clamps A61B17/068; Wound clamp magazines containers, packaging elements or packages specially adapted for particular articles or with special means for dispensing contents B65D83/00, B65D85/00
• 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 17/12122 within the heart for closing a cardiac septal defect A61B17/0057
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/122 Clamps or clips , e.g. for the umbilical cord for the vas deferens A61F6/206
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1227 Spring clips
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1285 for minimally invasive surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00243 cardiac
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00477 Coupling A61B2017/0046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00575 for closure at remote site, e.g. closing atrial septum defects
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00783 Valvuloplasty
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0409 Instruments for applying suture anchors for applying suture clamps, clips or locks A61B2017/0488
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0417 : T-fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0419 : H-fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0472 : Multiple-needled, e.g. double-needled, instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0474 : Knot pushers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/061 : hollow or tubular suture extending inside a hollow needle A61B2017/06052; hollow sutures A61B2017/06185
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/12054 : Details concerning the detachment of the occluding device from the introduction device
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2931 : with releasable head
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2442 : Annuloplasty rings or inserts for correcting the valve shape; Implants for improving the function of a native heart valve
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/246 : Devices for obstructing a leak through a native valve in a closed condition

Abstract

The invention provides devices, systems and methods for tissue approximation and repair at treatment sites. The devices, systems and methods of the invention will find use in a variety of therapeutic procedures, including endovascular, minimally-invasive, and open surgical procedures, and can be used in various anatomical regions, including the abdomen, thorax, cardiovascular system, heart, intestinal tract, stomach, urinary tract, bladder, lung, and other organs, vessels, and tissues. The invention is particularly useful in those procedures requiring minimally-invasive or endovascular access to remote tissue locations, where the instruments utilized must negotiate long, narrow, and tortuous pathways to the treatment site. In addition, many of the devices and systems of the invention are adapted to be reversible and removable from the patient at any point without interference with or trauma to internal tissues.

Claims

1. A system for delivering an implantable fixation device comprising:

the implantable fixation device having an attachment portion at a proximal end thereof, said attachment portion having an interior;

an interventional catheter having an attachment portion configured to engage the attachment portion of said fixation device, said attachment portion of the interventional catheter having an interior;

at least one of said attachment portions of said fixation device and said interventional catheter being biased to disengage from the other attachment portion; and

a rod at least partially disposed within both interiors and regulating engagement between the attachment portions of the interventional catheter and the fixation device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the fixation device attachment portion or the catheter attachment portion is generally tubular shaped.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the attachment portions of said fixation device and said interventional catheter define complementary sigmoid curves.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the attachment portion of interventional catheter is hingedly coupled thereto.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the rod and the fixation device are provided with mating threaded portions.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the rod is slidably disposed at least partially in both interiors.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of said attachment portions of said fixation device and said interventional catheter are biased in a radially inward direction, and

wherein when the rod is at least partially disposed within both interiors the at least one attachment portion is maintained in a radially outward direction preventing disengagement of the fixation device from the interventional catheter.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the catheter attachment portion comprises at least one spring arm having an engagement surface at a distal end thereof;

the fixation device attachment portion is configured to mate with the engagement surface of the spring arm;

the spring arm being biased to disengage from the attachment portion of the fixation device; and

the rod pushes the engagement surface of the spring arm into engagement with the attachment portion of the fixation device thereby preventing detachment of the catheter from the fixation device.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the catheter attachment portion further comprises a distal collar for engaging a portion of the implantable fixation device, the distal collar extending distally of the at least one spring arm, and wherein the collar minimizes lateral movement of the implantable fixation device relative to the interventional catheter.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein a pair of elongate arms couple the distal collar with the catheter attachment portion.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the attachment portion of the fixation device comprises a detent.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the detent comprises a receptacle.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the detent comprises an aperture extending at least partially through a wall of the fixation device.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the spring arm is integral with the catheter attachment portion.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the interventional catheter includes a waist axially spaced from the attachment portion, the waist defining an area of reduced inner diameter, the attachment portion being biased toward the interior; and

the rod generally having an external diameter smaller than the interior diameter of the waist such that the rod may freely traverse the waist, the rod including an enlarged portion proximate a distal end thereof, the enlarged portion having an external diameter slightly greater than the interior diameter of the waist such that when the enlarged portion is positioned within the waist the catheter attachment portion is deflected away from the interior thereby facilitating detachment of the interventional catheter from the fixation device.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein:

the catheter attachment portion includes an inward facing flange; and

the fixation device attachment portion includes a circumferential groove sized to engage the flange of the catheter attachment portion.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the interventional catheter includes at least one longitudinal slit extending at least between the catheter attachment portion and the waist.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the flange forms a continuous lip spanning the interior circumference of the catheter.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the flange comprises a plurality of discrete portions spaced along the interior circumference of the catheter.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the attachment portion of the catheter comprises a spring arm collar attached to the catheter proximate a distal end thereof, said spring arm collar including at least one inwardly biased spring arm, each spring arm having an enlarged boss at a distal end thereof,

wherein said fixation device attachment portion includes at least one radial slot adapted to receive a portion of the spring arm thereby preventing relative rotation between the spring arm collar and the catheter, said fixation device attachment portion further including at least one detent configured to releasably engage with the enlarged boss.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the detent comprises a receptacle.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the detent comprises an aperture extending at least partially through a wall of the fixation device.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein the spring arm collar includes a second inwardly biased spring arm having an enlarged boss at a distal end thereof,

wherein said fixation device attachment portion includes a second radial slot adapted to receive a portion of the second spring arm thereby preventing relative rotation between the spring arm collar and the catheter, said fixation device attachment portion further comprising a second detent configured to releasably engage with the enlarged boss of the second spring arm.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the second detent comprises a receptacle.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the second detent comprises an aperture extending at least partially through a wall of the fixation device

26. The system of claim 20, wherein the spring arm collar is removably attached to the catheter.

27. The system of claim 20, wherein the catheter includes a circumferential groove, and the spring arm collar is seated within the groove.

28. The system of claim 20, wherein the enlarged boss comprises a distal portion of the spring arm rolled at least partially into a cylinder-like shape.

29. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of said attachment portions comprise a shape memory alloy.

30. A system for delivering an implantable fixation device comprising:

the implantable fixation device having an attachment feature at a proximal end thereof,

an interventional catheter having an attachment portion configured to couple with the attachment feature of said fixation device, said attachment portion of the interventional catheter disposed adjacent a distal end thereof, and

a spline releasably disposed between the attachment feature of the fixation device and the attachment portion of the interventional catheter, said spline configured to prevent rotation of the fixation device relative to the interventional catheter.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the spline is slidably received by the attachment feature and the attachment portion.

32. The system of claim 30, wherein the attachment feature of the fixation device comprises a first grooved region disposed along an inner surface of the fixation device, the first grooved region having a profile complementary to at least a portion of the spline, and wherein the spline is at least partially disposed in the first grooved region.

33. The system of claim 30, wherein the attachment portion of the interventional catheter comprises a second grooved region disposed along an outer surface of the interventional catheter, the second grooved region having a profile complementary to at least a portion of the spline, and wherein the spline is at least partially disposed in the second grooved region.

34. The system of claim 30, wherein the attachment feature and the attachment portion comprise a bayonet connector.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the attachment feature of the fixation device comprises a slotted region adapted to receive at least a portion of the attachment portion of the inteventional catheter.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the slotted region comprises an L-shaped slot.

37. The system of claim 35, wherein the slotted region comprises a helical shaped slot.

38. The system of claim 34, wherein the attachment portion of the interventional catheter comprises a lug adapted to be engaged with the attachment feature of the fixation device.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein the lug protrudes radially outward from the interventional catheter.