ASSISTED ASPIRATION CATHETER SYSTEM

• US 20100094201A1
• Filed: 10/13/2008
• Published: 04/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Walk Vascular, LLC (Abbott Laboratories)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Mallaby, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 9,510,854 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/28
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/32037 for removing obstructions from inner organs or blood vessels, e.g. for atherectomy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22079 with suction of debris
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2217/005 with suction drainage system
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2217/007 with irrigation system
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/77 Suction-irrigation systems aspiration tips supplying fluids A61M1/85; specific for negative pressure wound therapy A61M1/92; combined with tracheal tubes A61M16/0463
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/84 Drainage tubes; Aspiration tips for negative pressure wound therapy A61M1/90; for surgical cutting instruments A61B17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3317 Electromagnetic, inductive or dielectric measuring means

Abstract

A thrombectomy system comprising an aspiration catheter having an aspiration lumen and a high pressure irrigation lumen, the aspiration catheter having a proximal end and a distal, and a control box fluidly connected to the aspiration catheter and configured to synchronously provide irrigation and vacuum through the aspiration catheter.

Claims

1. A thrombectomy system, comprising

an aspiration catheter having an aspiration lumen and a high pressure irrigation lumen, the aspiration catheter having a proximal end and a distal;

and

a control box fluidly connected to the aspiration catheter and configured to synchronously provide irrigation and vacuum through the aspiration catheter.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the control box is configured so that irrigation cannot be provided without also simultaneously providing aspiration.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the control box includes a pressure/vacuum valve whereby providing irrigation through a first passage in the control box opens a second passage fluidly connected to the aspiration lumen.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the pressure/vacuum valve is a mechanical valve such that fluid pressure in the first passage operates the valve.

5. The system of claim 3 wherein the pressure/vacuum valve is controlled electronically.

6. The system of claim 3 wherein the control box includes a fluid source hook up, a vacuum source hook up and a displacement pump, the displacement pump providing irrigation pressure.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the control box further includes a control board having a current sensor electrically connected to the pump and a vacuum pressure sensor to sense vacuum pressure in the second passage.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the control board is configured to cut power to the pump when a reading from the current sensor is out of a predetermined range.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein the control board is configured to cut power to the pump when a reading from the current sensor drops faster than a preset limit.

10. The system of claim 7 wherein the control board is configured to cut power to the pump when a reading from the vacuum pressure sensor is out of a predetermined range.

11. The system of claim 3 further comprising a priming valve fluidly connecting the first and second passages when opened.

12. The system of claim 3, further comprising a vacuum bottle fluidly connected to the vacuum source hook up.

13. The system of claim 3, further comprising a saline bottle fluidly connected to the fluid source hook up.

14. The system of claim 6 further comprising tubing fluidly connecting the control box to the aspiration catheter aspiration and irrigation lumens.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein operation of the pump produces fluid pressure pulses and wherein the tubing operates to damping the fluid pressure pulses.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the tubing comprises a compliant polymeric material.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein the catheter irrigation lumen has a compliancy along a proximal region thereof and wherein the tubing has a compliancy that is greater than that of the proximal region of the catheter aspiration lumen.

18. The system of claim 14 further comprising an interface connector disposed between the tubing and the aspiration catheter whereby the aspiration catheter is detachable and reattachable to the tubing.

19. The system of claim 14 wherein the control box is permanently attached to the tubing and wherein the tubing is permanently attached to the aspiration catheter.

20. The system of claim 19 further comprising an interface connector disposed between the tubing and the aspiration catheter.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the interface connector further comprises a filter.

22. The system of claim 18 wherein the connector comprises a filter fluidly connected between the tubing and the high pressure irrigation lumen.

23. The system of claim 1 wherein the aspiration catheter aspiration lumen is defined by a spiral cut metal tube covered by a polymer sheath.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein the pitch of the spiral cut is greater in a distal region of the metal tube than in a proximal region of the metal tube.

25. The system of claim 1 wherein the aspiration catheter aspiration lumen has a distal opening and wherein the aspiration lumen high pressure irrigation lumen has a distal orifice, wherein the distal orifice is proximal of the distal opening by at least 0.02 cm.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein the distal orifice is configured to release a jet of irrigation fluid across the width of the aspiration lumen.

27. The system of claim 25 wherein the distal orifice is further configured such that the jet of irrigation fluid is released normal to a longitudinal axis of the aspiration lumen.

28. A method of removing a thrombus, comprising the steps of:

providing the system of claim 1;

inserting the aspiration catheter percutaneously into a body vessel lumen;

advancing the aspiration catheter to a region of interest; and

operating the control box to synchronously provide high pressure irrigation and aspiration through the aspiration catheter to draw the thrombus into the aspiration lumen.

29. The method of claim 1 wherein the system of claim 1 is the system of claim 4.

30. The method of claim 1 wherein the system of claim 1 is the system of claim 11 and further comprising the step of, prior to the step of inserting the aspiration catheter, operating the priming valve to evacuate air from the pump.