IMPLANT DELIVERY AND ACTIVE RELEASE SYSTEM

• US 20120330349A1
• Filed: 06/26/2012
• Published: 12/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Donald K. Jones, Vladimir Mitelberg
• Original Assignee: Donald K. Jones, Vladimir Mitelberg
• Inventors: Jones, Donald K., Mitelberg, Vladimir
• Application Number:
  US13/533,592
• Publication Number:
  US 20120330349A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/200
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12109 in a blood vessel
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12113 within an aneurysm
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1214 Coils or wires
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00867 shape memory effect for prostheses A61F2210/0014
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/12068 detachable by heat
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/12077 Joint changing shape upon application of heat, e.g. bi-metal or reversible thermal memory

Abstract

A medical implant deployment system for placing an implant at a preselected site within a vessel, duct or body lumen of a mammal. The deployment system includes a heating element at the distal end of a positioning member and a thermal responsive coupling including a thermal responsive element connected to the implant by a frangible member. After positioning the implant, the heating element is activated which causes the thermal responsive element to apply mechanical force sufficient to break the frangible member using traction, thereby releasing the implant at a desired position within the body.

Claims

1. A vascular occlusion coil deployment system for use in placing a coil at a preselected site within a vessel comprising:

an elongate flexible positioning member having a lumen extending therethrough and having proximal and distal ends;

an embolic coil having proximal and distal ends;

a thermal responsive coupling member mounted on the distal end of said positioning member, said coupling member having a housing member, a heating element, a thermal responsive element having proximal and distal ends and a frangible member coupled to and positioned between said thermal responsive element distal end and said embolic coil,

said thermal responsive element having a first configuration coupled to said embolic coil and a second configuration separated from said embolic coil by traction wherein said thermal responsive element is operable between said first and second configurations upon the application of energy to said responsive element;

an energy transmission conductor extending through the lumen of the positioning member and extending from the proximal end to the distal end of the positioning member, said energy transmission conductor being coupled to said thermal responsive coupling member; and

a power supply adapted to provide energy to said energy transmission conductor such that upon the application of energy to said energy transmission conductor said heating element heats thereby causing said thermal responsive element to move from said first configuration to said second configuration and release said embolic coil.

2. A vascular occlusion coil deployment system as defined in claim 1, wherein said thermal responsive element comprises a shape memory material.

3. A vascular occlusion coil deployment system as defined in claim 2, wherein said shape memory material is nitinol.

4. A vascular occlusion coil deployment system as defined in claim 1, wherein said heating element and said thermal responsive element are integrally formed.

5. A vascular occlusion coil deployment system as defined in claim 4, wherein said frangible member comprises a polymer.

6. A vascular occlusion coil deployment system as defined in claim 4, wherein said frangible member comprises a solder.

7. A vascular occlusion coil deployment system for use in placing a coil at a preselected site within the body of a mammal comprising:

an elongated flexible positioning member having proximal and distal ends;

an embolic coil having proximal and distal ends;

a thermal responsive coupling member mounted on the distal end of said positioning member, said coupling member having a tubular housing member having proximal and distal ends and a thermal responsive element positioned within the lumen of said tubular housing member having proximal and distal ends wherein the distal end of said thermal responsive element is coupled to said embolic coil and said embolic coil is positioned distal to said thermal responsive element,

said thermal responsive element having a first axial length when said element distal end is coupled to said embolic coil and a second axial length different from said first length, said thermal responsive element is operable between said first and second axial lengths upon the application of energy to said thermal responsive element;

an elongate energy transmission conductor having proximal and distal ends and extends from the proximal end of the positioning member to the distal end of the positioning member, said energy transmission conductor distal end is coupled to said thermal responsive element; and

a power supply adapted to provide energy to said energy transmission conductor such that upon the application energy to said energy transmission conductor proximal end said thermal responsive element moves from said first axial length to said second axial length to thereby uncouple said thermal responsive element distal end from said embolic coil.

8. A vascular occlusion coil deployment system as defined in claim 7, wherein said energy transmission conductor comprises a pair of electrical energy conductors and said thermal responsive element is resistively heated.

9. A vascular occlusion coil deployment system as defined in claim 8, wherein said thermal responsive element second axial length is smaller than said first axial length.

10. A vascular occlusion coil deployment system as defined in claim 8, wherein said thermal responsive element comprises shape memory material.

11. A vascular occlusion coil deployment system as defined in claim 10, wherein said shape memory material is nitinol.

12. A medical implant deployment system for use in placing an implant at a preselected site within the body comprising:

an elongate flexible positioning member having proximal and distal ends;

an implant having proximal and distal ends;

a thermal responsive coupling member mounted on the distal end of said positioning member, said coupling member having a housing member, a heating element, a thermal responsive element having proximal and distal ends and a frangible member coupled to and positioned between said thermal responsive element distal end and said implant,

said thermal responsive element having a first configuration coupled to said implant and a second configuration uncoupled from said implant whereby uncoupling of said implant occurs by traction, said thermal responsive element being operable between said first and second configurations upon the application of energy to said thermal responsive element;

an energy transmission conductor extending from the proximal end of said positioning member to the distal end of said positioning member, said energy transmission conductor being coupled to said thermal responsive coupling member; and

a power supply adapted to provide energy to said energy transmission conductor such that upon the application of energy to said energy transmission conductor said heating element heats thereby causing said thermal responsive element to move from said first configuration to said second configuration and release said implant.

13. A medical implant deployment system as defined in claim 12, wherein said thermal responsive element comprises a shape memory material.

14. A medical implant deployment system as defined in claim 13, wherein said shape memory material is nitinol.

15. A medical implant deployment system as defined in claim 12, wherein said frangible member comprises a polymer.

16. A medical implant deployment system as defined in claim 12, wherein said frangible member comprises a solder.

17. A medical implant deployment system as defined in claim 12, wherein said heating element and said thermal responsive element are integrally formed.

18. A medical implant deployment system as defined in claim 17, wherein said thermal responsive element comprises a shape memory material

19. A medical implant deployment system as defined in claim 18, wherein said frangible member comprises a polymer.

20. A medical implant deployment system as defined in claim 18, wherein said frangible member comprises a solder.