Coring Knife

• US 20110144680A1
• Filed: 02/25/2011
• Published: 06/16/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thoratec LLC
• Original Assignee: Thoratec LLC
• Inventors: Hoarau, Carine, Badia, James, Reichenbach, Steven H., Costa, Ruth Eleanor, Nguyen, John Duc
• Granted Patent: US 10,010,660 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/170
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/32053 Punch like cutting instruments, e.g. using a cylindrical or oval knife A61B17/326 takes precedence; trepans A61B17/1695; for use on the cornea A61F9/007
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3425 for internal organs, e.g. heart ports
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/148 in line with a blood vessel using resection or like techniques, e.g. permanent endovascular heart assist devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/178 drawing blood from a ventricle and returning the blood to the arterial system via a cannula external to the ventricle, e.g. left or right ventricular assist devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/232 Centrifugal pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/237 the blood flow through the rotating member having mainly axial components, e.g. axial flow pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/863 Apex rings
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 60/896 having flexible or resilient parts, e.g. flap valves

Abstract

A coring knife can be used to make a circular incision. The coring knife can include an abutment that can be inserted into heart tissue. The circular incision is made by pressing the circular cutting edge of the coring knife against the abutment.

Claims

1. A coring knife comprising:

a coring blade including a cylindrical wall defining a circular cutting edge and a hollow interior; and

a coring abutment located forward of the cutting edge, the coring abutment attached to a support extending into the coring blade,

wherein the cutting edge and the coring abutment are movable relative to each other.

2. The coring knife of claim 1, further comprising a handle attached to the support, wherein linear movement of the handle toward the cutting edge moves the coring abutment away from the cutting edge, and linear movement of the handle away from the cutting edge moves the coring abutment toward the cutting edge.

3. The coring knife of claim 1, further comprising a handle attached to the support, wherein twisting movement of the handle moves the cutting edge away from or closer to the coring abutment.

4. The coring knife of claim 1, further comprising a handle or lever connected to the coring abutment, wherein tilting movement of the handle or lever pivots the coring abutment relative to the cutting edge.

5. The coring knife of claim 1, further comprising an absorbent material within the coring blade, the absorbent material configured to absorb blood.

6. The coring knife of claim 1, wherein the coring abutment is sized for an interference fit against the cutting edge of the coring blade.

7. The coring knife of claim 1, wherein the coring abutment includes a convex abutment surface.

8. The coring knife of claim 1, further comprising a foreblade coupled to the coring abutment, wherein the coring abutment is disposed between the foreblade and the cutting edge.

9. The coring knife of claim 1, further comprising a coring knife casing, wherein the coring blade is movable into and out of the coring knife casing.

10. The coring knife of claim 9, wherein the coring blade is configured to move out of the coring knife casing when the coring blade is rotated relative to the coring knife casing.

11. The coring knife of claim 9, further comprising a control sleeve attached to the coring blade, the control sleeve having a helical slot and disposed within the coring knife casing, wherein the coring knife casing includes a guide peg that extends into the helical slot, and wherein rotation of the control sleeve causes the coring blade to move out of the coring knife casing.

12. The coring knife of claim 11, further comprising a grip, an internal sleeve, and a central shaft fixedly attached to the grip and extending into the internal sleeve, the internal sleeve carrying the control sleeve, the coring knife blade, and the coring knife casing, and wherein the internal sleeve is configured to be selectively positioned and locked at any one of a plurality of locations on the central shaft.

13. The coring knife of claim 12, wherein a plurality of holes arranged linearly are formed into the internal sleeve, and a detent mechanism within the central shaft releasably engages at least one of the holes.

14. The coring knife of claim 12, wherein a linear slot is formed into the internal sleeve, and a pin extends from the central shaft into the linear slot to prevent rotation of the internal sleeve relative to the central shaft.

15. The coring knife of claim 14, wherein the coring blade is configured to move out of the coring knife casing when the control sleeve is rotated relative to the coring knife casing and the internal sleeve.

16. A coring knife comprising:

a coring blade including a cylindrical wall defining a circular cutting edge and a hollow interior;

a coring abutment attached to a support extending into the coring blade; and

a coring knife casing containing the coring blade,

wherein the coring blade is configured to extend out of the coring knife casing and toward the coring abutment, and the coring knife casing includes a stop feature configured to fit in an alignment feature of a separate device for aligning the coring knife prior to extension of the coring blade out of the coring knife casing.

17. The coring knife of claim 16, further comprising a grip, wherein the coring knife casing is configured to be selectively positioned and locked at any one of a plurality of locations between the grip and the coring abutment prior to extension of the coring blade out of the coring knife casing

18. A coring knife comprising:

a grip;

a coring abutment connected to the grip; and

a slide assembly connected to a grip, the slide assembly including a coring blade with a circular cutting edge and a coring knife casing containing the coring blade, the coring blade configured to extend out of the coring knife casing, the coring knife casing configured to be selectively positioned and locked at any one of a plurality of locations between the grip and the coring abutment prior to extension of the coring blade out of the coring knife casing.

19. The coring knife of claim 18, wherein the slide assembly includes a stop feature configured to fit in an alignment feature of a separate device for aligning the coring knife prior to extension of the coring blade out of the coring knife casing.

20. The coring knife of claim 18, wherein the coring abutment is pivotally attached to a support that extends into the coring blade.