DEBULKING CATHETERS AND METHODS

• US 20100198240A1
• Filed: 04/09/2010
• Published: 08/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Foxhollow Technologies Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Patel, Himanshu, Rosenthal, Michael H., Simpson, John B., Stine, Greg, Farhangnia, Mehrdad, Follmer, Brett
• Granted Patent: US 8,226,674 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/159
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/04 Endoscopic instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/32075 Pullback cutting; combined forward and pullback cutting, e.g. with cutters at both sides of the plaque
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/320758 with a rotating cutting instrument, e.g. motor driven A61B17/320725, A61B17/32075 and A61B17/320783 take precedence; for removing intra-ocular material A61F9/00763; endoscopic rotatable cutting instruments A61B17/32002
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/320783 through side-hole, e.g. sliding or rotating cutter inside catheter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2010/0225 for taking multiple samples
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00685 Archimedes screw
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320032 Details of the rotating or oscillating shaft, e.g. using a flexible shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320791 with cutter extending outside the cutting window

Abstract

A method of removing material from a blood flow lumen includes providing a device having a cutting element and an opening, the cutting element being movable relative to the opening. The method then includes advancing the device through a patient'"'"'s vascular system to the blood flow lumen. Finally, the method involves moving the cutting element and the opening relative to the blood flow lumen so that a continuous piece of material is severed by the cutting element and directed into the opening as the cutting element and opening move through the blood flow lumen, the continuous piece of severed material being directed into the device for removal from the patient. The method may include providing a device having a rotatable cutter that, in some embodiments, is not parallel to the longitudinal axis of the device, is movable, has retracted and deployed positions, or any combination thereof. The method may further include forcing the opening toward the wall of the vascular site after the advancing step and before the moving step.

Claims

1. An atherectomy device for removing material from a vascular location comprising:

an elongate body having proximal and distal ends and a first interlocking member;

a torque transmitting element contained within the elongate body, the torque transmitting element being rotatable;

an opening in the elongate body proximal to the distal end of the elongate body;

a cutting element coupled to the torque transmitting element, the cutting element being rotated by the torque transmitting element when cutting material from the vascular location, the cutting element being oriented to direct the material being cut from the vascular location through the opening; and

a containment chamber having proximal and distal ends and a second interlocking member, the first interlocking member being configured to engage with the second interlocking member, the first interlocking member being movable with respect to the second interlocking member from an unlocked position where the containment chamber is not attached to the elongate body to a locked position where the containment chamber is attached to the elongate body, the containment chamber being configured for receiving the material passing through the opening which has been cut by the cutting element.

2. The atherectomy device of claim 1 wherein the first interlocking member is positioned adjacent the distal end of the elongate body.

3. The atherectomy device of claim 1 wherein the second interlocking member is positioned adjacent the proximal end of the containment chamber.

4. The atherectomy device of claim 1 wherein the first interlocking member is a pin extending from the elongate body.

5. The atherectomy device of claim 1 wherein the second interlocking member is a slot formed in a wall of the containment chamber.

6. The atherectomy device of claim 1 wherein the elongate body has a first guidewire lumen and the containment chamber has a second guidewire lumen, the first and second guidewire lumens being axially aligned when the first and second interlocking members are in the locked position.

7. The atherectomy device of claim 6 wherein the first and second interlocking members are configured to be fixed in the locked position when a guidewire is received within the first and second guidewire lumens.

8. A method of removing material from a target site in a body lumen using an atherectomy device, comprising:

providing an atherectomy device having an elongate body with an opening proximal of a distal end of the elongate body, a cutting element, and a first containment chamber, the first containment chamber being removably attached to the elongate body;

advancing the atherectomy device through the body lumen to the target site;

cutting material from the body lumen at the target site using the cutting element, the material being cut by the cutting element passing through the opening and into the first containment chamber;

withdrawing the atherectomy device from the body lumen; and

after the atherectomy device has been withdrawn from the body lumen detaching the first containment chamber from the elongate body.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

providing a second containment chamber;

attaching the second containment chamber to the elongate body after the first containment chamber has been detached from the elongate body;

advancing the atherectomy device with the second containment chamber through the body lumen to the target site; and

cutting material from the body lumen at the target site using the cutting element, the material being cut by the cutting element passing through the opening and into the second containment chamber.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of:

changing the position of the cutting element so that part of the cutting element is exposed through the first opening during the cutting step.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the elongate body has a first interlocking member and the first and second containment chambers each have a second interlocking member, the first interlocking member being configured to engage with the second interlocking member of one of the first and second containment chambers, the first interlocking member being movable with respect to the second interlocking member from an unlocked position where the containment chamber is not attached to the elongate body to a locked position where the containment chamber is attached to the elongate body.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the first interlocking member is positioned adjacent the distal end of the elongate body.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the second interlocking member of each of the first and second containment chambers is positioned adjacent the proximal end of the containment chamber.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein the first interlocking member is a pin extending from the elongate body.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein the second interlocking member of each of the first and second containment chambers is a slot formed in a wall of the containment chamber.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein the elongate body has a first guidewire lumen and wherein each of the first and second containment chambers have a second guidewire lumen, the first guidewire lumen being axially aligned with the second guidewire lumen of one of the first and second containment chambers when the first interlocking member and second interlocking member of one of the first and second containment chambers are in the locked position.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein the first interlocking member and second interlocking member of one of the first and second containment chambers are configured to be fixed in the locked position when a guidewire is received within the first guidewire lumen and second guidewire lumen of one of the first and second containment chambers.

18. An atherectomy kit for removing material from a vascular lumen comprising:

a catheter having an elongate body with proximal and distal ends and an opening, and a cutting element positioned to direct the material being cut from the vascular location through the opening;

first and second containment chambers, each containment chamber having proximal and distal ends and being configured to be removably connected to the elongate body of the catheter, such that during use of the catheter in the body lumen the elongate body of the catheter is configured to be attached, alternatively, to one of the first and second containment chambers, the first containment chamber being configured for receiving the material passing through the opening in the elongate body of the catheter when attached during use of the catheter in the body lumen, the second containment chamber being configured for receiving the material passing through the opening in the elongate body of the catheter when attached during use of the catheter in the body lumen;

instructions describing the method of using the kit to remove material from the vascular lumen; and

a package configured to contain the catheter, first and second containment chambers and the instructions.

19. The kit of claim 18 wherein the elongate body has a first interlocking member and the first and second containment chambers each have a second interlocking member, the first interlocking member being configured to engage with the second interlocking member of one of the first and second containment chambers, the first interlocking member being movable with respect to the second interlocking member from an unlocked position where the containment chamber is not attached to the elongate body to a locked position where the containment chamber is attached to the elongate body.

20. The kit of claim 19 wherein the first interlocking member is positioned adjacent the distal end of the elongate body.

21. The kit of claim 19 wherein the second interlocking member of each of the first and second containment chambers is positioned adjacent the proximal end of the containment chamber.

22. The kit of claim 19 wherein the first interlocking member is a pin extending from the elongate body.

23. The kit of claim 19 wherein the second interlocking member of each of the first and second containment chambers is a slot formed in a wall of the containment chamber.

24. The kit of claim 19 wherein the elongate body has a first guidewire lumen and wherein each of the first and second containment chambers have a second guidewire lumen, the first guidewire lumen being axially aligned with the second guidewire lumen of one of the first and second containment chambers when the first interlocking member and second interlocking member of one of the first and second containment chambers are in the locked position.

25. The kit of claim 19 wherein the first interlocking member and second interlocking member of one of the first and second containment chambers are configured to be fixed in the locked position when a guidewire is received within the first guidewire lumen and second guidewire lumen of one of the first and second containment chambers.