STEERABLE SURGICAL SNARE

• US 20120004666A1
• Filed: 07/02/2010
• Published: 01/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: University of Utah Research Foundation (State of Utah)
• Original Assignee: University of Utah (State of Utah)
• Inventors: Cowley, Collin George, Petty, Creighton Ralph, Snyder, Alexander David, Hansen, Andrew Steven, Rees, Tyler David, Langheinrich, Kristofer
• Granted Patent: US 8,690,891 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/127
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/221 Gripping devices in the form of loops or baskets for gripping calculi or similar types of obstructions surgical snare instruments A61B17/32056
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00323 Cables or rods
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00358 Snares for grasping
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2212 having a closed distal end, e.g. a loop

Abstract

Apparatus, assemblies, and methods for capturing objects within a body are disclosed. A surgical snare device includes a steerable deflection portion with a steerable distal tip. An interface is linked to the steerable deflection portion to selectively manipulate the distal tip. A snare loop disposed at the distal tip can have a length that remains substantially constant as the distal tip is deflected and the snare loop moves in concert with the distal tip. The distal tip may deflect up to at least one-hundred eighty degrees, while the snare loop moves a corresponding amount. A method includes extending a snare through a body lumen and to a location near an object. The snare may have a loop that changes positions while maintaining the same length. The loop may be placed around an object and then used to retrieve the object from the body lumen.

Claims

1. A surgical snare, comprising:

a steerable deflection portion, wherein said steerable deflection portion has a steerable distal tip;

an interface linked to said steerable deflection portion, wherein said interface provides for selective manipulation of said distal tip; and

a snare loop disposed proximate said distal tip of said steerable deflection portion, said snare loop having a length, wherein said snare loop is configured to move as said distal tip of said steerable deflection portion is selectively deflected, and wherein said snare loop maintains said length as said distal tip is selectively deflected.

2. The surgical snare recited in claim 1, wherein said steerable deflection portion includes:

a flexible elongate body between said interface and said distal tip, wherein said distal tip is configured to deflect substantially independent of said flexible elongate body in response to selective manipulation of said interface.

3. The surgical snare recited in claim 1, wherein said distal tip is a deflection tip that is configured to selectively deflect by bending between about zero and about ninety degrees and configured to cause said snare loop to selectively undergo a corresponding amount of deflection between about zero and about ninety degrees.

4. The surgical snare recited in claim 2, wherein said distal tip is a deflection tip that is configured to selectively deflect by bending between about zero and about one-hundred eighty degrees and configured to cause said snare loop to selectively undergo a corresponding amount of deflection between about zero and about one-hundred eighty degrees.

5. The surgical snare recited in claim 1, wherein said steerable deflection portion comprises a core wire linked to said interface and extending between said interface and said distal tip.

6. The surgical snare recited in claim 5, wherein said steerable deflection portion further comprises a deflection wire at said distal tip of said steerable deflection portion, and wherein said deflection wire is configured to restrict compression of said steerable deflection portion at said distal tip and to instead cause said steerable deflection portion to bend in response to a force applied to said core wire.

7. The surgical snare recited in claim 6, wherein said distal tip is configured to selectively deflect about said deflection wire such that said deflection wire is proximate an external curve of said selectively deflected distal tip in response to an input at said interface that causes said force to be applied to said core wire.

8. The surgical snare recited in claim 1, wherein said snare loop has a shape that includes one or more of the following:

gooseneck;

diamond;

hexagonal;

or

elliptical.

9. The surgical snare recited in claim 1, wherein said steerable deflection portion comprises a coiled shaft, said coiled shaft including at least a tight coil portion and a loose coil portion, said loose coil portion being positioned proximate said distal tip.

10. A surgical snare, comprising:

a flexible body, said flexible body defining an axis;

a deflecting tip attached to said flexible body, wherein said deflecting tip has at least a first state and a second state;

a core wire extending along said axis of said flexible body, wherein a distal end of said core wire is at least indirectly coupled to said deflecting tip;

an interface linked to a proximal end of said core wire, wherein said interface is selectively changeable between a first position and a second position, wherein at said first position said deflecting tip is at said first state, and wherein at said second position said deflecting tip is at said second state, said second state being at least about ninety degrees offset relative to said first state; and

a snare loop at least indirectly coupled to said deflecting tip and extending at least partially longitudinally relative to said flexible body, wherein said snare loop is configured to sweep along an arc corresponding to at least about a ninety degree rotation as said deflecting tip transitions from said first state through said second state.

11. The surgical snare recited in claim 10, wherein said core wire is directly attached to said deflecting tip.

12. The surgical snare recited in claim 10, wherein said deflecting tip includes a coiled shaft and a deflection wire, wherein said deflection wire is arranged to cause said coiled shaft to flex rather than compress as said interface changes from said first position to said second position.

13. The surgical snare recited in claim 10, wherein said snare loop has a length, and wherein said snare loop is configured to substantially maintain said length constant as said snare loop moves in concert with said transition of said deflecting tip from said first state through said second state.

14. The surgical snare recited in claim 10, wherein said snare loop is directly secured to one or more of said core wire, said flexible body, or said deflecting tip.

15. A method for capturing an object through a body lumen, the method comprising:

extending a guidable snare through the body lumen and to a location proximate the object, said guidable snare having;

an elongate body;

a deflectable tip coupled to said elongate body; and

a snare loop portion having a length and being linked to said deflectable tip and configured to;

(i) transition between positions based on selective deflections of said deflectable tip; and

(ii) substantially maintain the length the same during said transition between positions; and

engaging the object with said snare loop portion, wherein engaging the object with said snare loop portion includes selectively deflecting said deflectable tip, thereby at least partially causing said snare loop portion to transition from a first position to a second position.

16. The method recited in claim 15, wherein extending said guidable snare through the body lumen comprises extending the guidable snare through a delivery tube and causing at least a portion of said snare loop portion to extend out a distal opening in said delivery tube.

17. The method recited in claim 16, further comprising retracting said guidable snare at least partially into said delivery tube, wherein retracting said guidable snare causes said object and said snare loop portion to be at least partially retracted into a portion of said delivery tube, and wherein retracting said guidable snare into said delivery tube causes said snare loop portion to change shape around said object prior to said object entering said delivery tube.

18. The method recited in claim 15, wherein said first and second positions of said snare loop portion are offset by at least about ninety degrees, and wherein selectively deflecting said deflectable tip comprises selectively bending said deflectable tip to cause said snare portion to transition from said first position to said second position, and wherein said snare loop portion at said second position extends around at least a portion of said object and substantially maintains said same length.

19. The method recited in claim 15, wherein said guidable snare includes:

(i) a core wire, said core wire having a distal end coupled to said deflectable tip; and

(ii) a user interface portion coupled to a proximal end of said core wire, and wherein selectively deflecting said deflectable tip to thereby cause said snare loop portion to transition from said first position to said second position comprises manipulating said user interface portion to cause said core wire to bend said deflectable tip by at least about ninety degrees substantially in real-time.

20. The method recited in claim 15, wherein said snare loop portion is radiopaque and wherein extending said guidable snare through the body lumen comprises monitoring a location and position of said snare loop portion using radiographic visualization.