DELIVERY DEVICE FOR IMPLANTABLE MONITOR

• US 20110230866A1
• Filed: 03/16/2010
• Published: 09/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Given Imaging Limited (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Given Imaging Limited (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Benoist, William Brent
• Granted Patent: US 8,219,171 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3468 for implanting or removing devices, e.g. prostheses, implants, seeds, wires devices for implanting seeds A61M37/0069
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/063 Devices specially adapted for delivering implantable medical measuring apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/076 Permanent implantations telemetry using implanted circuitry A61B5/0031; implanted stimulators for therapy A61N1/3605, A61N1/362, A61N1/372
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14539 for measuring pH

Abstract

A system, device, and method for placing a capsule for sensing one or more parameters of a patient by anchoring the capsule to a tissue at a specific site and releasing the capsule from the device, using a single actuator operated during a single motion. As an example, a delivery device may anchor the capsule to the tissue site and release the capsule from the delivery device during a single motion of the actuator. This allows a user to place the capsule by interacting with only a single actuator through one type of motion, thus making delivery of the capsule more reliable and user-friendly.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

an elongated probe configured to carry at a distal end thereof an implantable capsule for deployment within a patient;

an anchor element configured to anchor the capsule to tissue within the patient;

a release mechanism configured to release the capsule from the probe; and

an actuator located at the proximal end of the elongated probe configured to cause the anchor element to anchor the capsule to the tissue, and to release the capsule from the probe, said actuator to cause said anchoring and said releasing by a single motion.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the single motion comprises a pulling motion.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the actuator comprises a movable trigger.

4. The device of claim 1, further comprising a vacuum inlet adapted to be coupled to a vacuum source, wherein the device is configured to provide suction through the vacuum inlet to draw the tissue into a void of the capsule.

5. The device of claim 4, further comprising a vacuum seal, wherein said actuator is configured to push the vacuum seal over the vacuum inlet during the single motion of the actuator such that suction is ceased.

6. The device of claim 1, further comprising a capsule coupling mechanism configured to couple the capsule to a distal end of the probe, wherein the release mechanism causes the capsule coupling mechanism to release the capsule during the single motion of the actuator.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the capsule coupling mechanism includes at least one pull-wire configured to couple to the capsule, and further wherein the release mechanism causes the pull-wire to retract and thereby to release the capsule during the single motion of the actuator.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the anchor element comprises a locking pin, and further wherein the actuator engages with the locking pin to advance the locking pin through the tissue during the single motion.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the device comprises a push-wire, wherein the actuator engages with the push-wire to advance the locking pin through the tissue during the single motion of the actuator.

10. The device of claim 1, further comprising a locking mechanism that prevents the trigger to move before pulled by the operator.

11. A method comprising:

delivering an implantable capsule to tissue within a patient using a delivery device;

anchoring the implantable capsule to the tissue; and

releasing the capsule from the delivery device, wherein anchoring the capsule and releasing the capsule are done during a single motion of an actuator of the device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein anchoring the capsule to the tissue comprises advancing a locking pin through the tissue during the single motion of the actuator.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising coupling the capsule to a distal end of the device using at least one pull-wire, wherein releasing the capsule from the device comprises retracting the pull-wire to release the capsule.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the capsule includes a sensor and further comprising:

measuring one or more parameters of the patient via the sensor of the capsule; and

transmitting the measured parameters from the capsule to a receiver.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the tissue comprises the esophagus.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising providing suction to the tissue to draw a portion of the tissue into a void of the capsule, wherein anchoring the capsule to the tissue comprises anchoring the capsule to the portion of the tissue drawn into the void of the capsule.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein releasing the capsule from the delivery device comprises stopping suction to the tissue.

18. A device comprising:

means for carrying an implantable capsule for deployment within a patient;

means for anchoring the capsule to tissue within the patient;

means for releasing the capsule from the carrying means; and

means for activating the anchoring means to anchor the capsule to the tissue and activating the releasing means to release the capsule from the carrying means during a single motion of the activating means.

19. The device of claim 18, further comprising means for coupling the capsule to the carrying means, wherein the releasing means causes the coupling means to release the capsule during the single motion of the activating means.

20. A system comprising:

a delivery apparatus comprising;

an elongated probe configured to carry at a distal end thereof an implantable capsule for deployment within a patient;

an anchor element configured to anchor the capsule to tissue within the patient;

a release mechanism configured to release the capsule from the probe; and

an actuator located at the proximal end of the elongated probe configured to control delivery of the capsule; and

wherein the actuator is configured to activate the anchor element to thereby cause the anchor element to anchor the capsule to the tissue, and to activate the release mechanism to thereby release the capsule from the probe, said actuator to activate the anchor element and the release mechanism by a single motion of the actuator.