CANNULA STABILIZER

• US 20110118668A1
• Filed: 11/02/2010
• Published: 05/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Circulite Inc. (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Circulite Inc. (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Marseille, Oliver, Farnan, Robert C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,308,715 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/164.01
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0233 specifically adapted for attaching to a body wall by means which are on both sides of the wall, e.g. for attaching to an abdominal wall
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/04 in the body, e.g. expansible A61M25/10, A61M16/0488 take precedence

Abstract

An apparatus and method for stabilizing a cannula to a vascular structure. The stabilizer includes a ring that circumferentially surrounds the cannula. Three or more struts extend distally from the ring and are outwardly-deflected by a first angle relative to a first axis that is parallel to a lengthwise central axis of the cannula. Each strut includes a contact pad that radially extends from the strut and is distally-deflected by a second angle relative to a second axis that is orthogonal to the first axis. Three or more arms extend proximally from the ring and each arm opposes one of the struts. The arms are inwardly-deflected by a third angle relative to the first axis. The stabilizer is configured to move relative to the cannula until the contact pads engage the vascular structure, causing the arms to engage and resist further movement of the stabilizer relative to the cannula.

Claims

1. An apparatus for stabilizing a cannula to a vascular structure, the apparatus comprising:

(i) a ring circumferentially surrounding the cannula;

(ii) three or more struts extending distally from the ring, wherein the three or more struts are positioned around the ring and each of the three or more struts is outwardly-deflected by a first angle relative to a first axis that is parallel to a lengthwise central axis of the cannula;

(iii) a contact pad radially extending from each of the three or more struts, wherein each contact pad is distally-deflected by a second angle relative to a second axis that is orthogonal to the first axis; and

(iv) three or more arms, extending proximally from the ring, wherein each of the three or more arms directly opposes one of the three or more struts and each of the three or more arms is inwardly-deflected by a third angle relative to the first axis;

wherein the apparatus is configured to move relative to the cannula and is secured to the cannula by the three or more arms resulting from the contact pads engaging a wall of the vascular structure.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first angle ranges from about 1 degree to about 15 degrees, the second angle ranges from about 1 degree to about 15 degrees, and the third angle ranges from about 1 degree to about 25 degrees.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

three or more manipulation tabs radially extending from the ring, wherein each of the three or more manipulation tabs resides between successive ones of the three or more struts.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the width of each of the manipulation tab ranges from about 0.5 mm (0.02 inches) to about 10 mm (0.4 inches).

5. The apparatus of claim 3 further comprising:

a strain relief groove between each manipulation tab and the adjacent one of the three or more strut.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is constructed as a unitary structure.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the unitary structure is constructed from a superelastic material.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the unitary structure ranges in thickness from about 0.10 mm (0.004 inches) to about 0.36 mm (0.014 inches).

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the length of each of the three or more struts ranges from about 1 mm (0.4 inches) to about 5 cm (1.97 inches).

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the width of each of the three or more struts is selected such that a width-to-thickness ratio is greater than 2:

1.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a contour of each of the contact pads is circular, elliptical, or rectangular.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein a perimeter of each of the contact pads is at least equal to the width of each of the three or more struts.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more of the contact pads includes a porous polymeric coating.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the length of each of the three arms is less than about ½

of the diameter of the ring.

15. A method of stabilizing a cannula to a vascular structure, the method comprising:

(i) inserting a distal end of the cannula through a wall of the vascular structure;

(ii) advancing a stabilizer over a length of the cannula to the wall of the vascular structure, the stabilizer comprising;

(a) a ring circumferentially surrounding the cannula;

(b) three or more struts extending distally from the ring, wherein the three or more struts are positioned around the ring and each of the three or more struts is outwardly-deflected by a first angle relative to a first axis that is parallel to a lengthwise central axis of the cannula;

(c) a contact pad radially extending from each of the three or more struts, wherein each contact pad is distally-deflected by a second angle relative a second axis that is orthogonal to the first axis; and

(d) three or more arms, extending proximally from the ring, wherein each of the three or more arms directly opposes one of the three or more struts and each of the three or more arms is inwardly-deflected by a third angle relative to the first axis; and

(iii) continuing the advancing until the contact pads engage the wall of the vascular structure, thereby causing the three or more arms to engage the cannula and resisting further movement of the stabilizer relative to the cannula.

16. The method according to claim 15 further comprising:

securing the cannula with purse string sutures before advancing the stabilizer.