ANCHOR DELIVERY SYSTEM

• US 20130274799A1
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Published: 10/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Teleflex Life Sciences Limited (Teleflex Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: NeoTract, Inc. (Teleflex Incorporated)
• Inventors: Catanese, Joseph III, George, Robert, Cheng, Floria, Cutts, Jolene, Tong, Ling-Kang, Gearhart, Michael, McLean, Matthew, Niederjohn, James, Tachibana, Brian Y., Thompson, Ben, Bender, Theodore
• Granted Patent: US 9,504,461 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/232
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/00234 for minimally invasive surgery A61B17/0218, A61B17/0469, A61B17/12013, A61B17/1285, A61B17/29, A61B17/320016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0401 Suture anchors, buttons or pledgets, i.e. means for attaching sutures to bone, cartilage or soft tissue; Instruments for applying or removing suture anchors A61B17/0642 takes precedence; fixation devices for tendons or ligaments A61F2/0811
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0469 Suturing instruments for use in minimally invasive surgery, e.g. endoscopic surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0482 Needle or suture guides guides for drills, pins or wire A61B17/17; for puncturing needles A61B17/3403
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/32 Surgical cutting instruments A61B18/042 takes precedence; suture cutters A61B17/0467; instruments for ligaturing or cutting A61B17/128; instruments for rupturing the amniotic membrane A61B17/4208; specially adapted knives for eye surgery A61F9/0133
• 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 17/3478 Endoscopic needles, e.g. for infusion biopsy needles A61B10/0233; catheters with injection needles A61M25/0067
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/42 Gynaecological or obstetrical instruments or methods ligaturing clamps or clips for the umbilical cord A61B17/122; curettage A61B17/320708; dilators A61M29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00022 Sensing or detecting at the treatment site
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00274 Prostate operation, e.g. prostatectomy, turp, bhp treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0046 with a releasable handle; with handle and operating part separable for prosthetic joint-implanting tools A61F2/4603
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00792 Plastic surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00796 Breast surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00805 Treatment of female stress urinary incontinence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0409 Instruments for applying suture anchors for applying suture clamps, clips or locks A61B2017/0488
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0417 T-fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0419 H-fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0464 for soft tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0479 Packages or dispensers for MIS suturing instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0488 Instruments for applying suture clamps, clips or locks for applying suture anchors A61B2017/0409; for applying wound clamps A61B17/10; for applying ligaturing clamps or clips A61B17/128
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06052 : Needle-suture combinations in which a suture is extending inside a hollow tubular needle, e.g. over the entire length of the needle hollow suture needles A61B2017/061
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06095 : pliable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2923 : Toothed members, e.g. rack and pinion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00547 : Prostate

Abstract

A system and associated method for manipulating tissues and anatomical or other structures in medical applications for the purpose of treating diseases or disorders or other purposes. In one aspect, the system includes a delivery device and a plurality of anchor assemblies. The delivery system is configured to deliver a first anchor using loaded energy and reload the energy required to deliver an addition anchor.

Claims

1. A system for deploying an anchor assembly, comprising:

a cartridge carrying the anchor assembly,

a handle configured to couple with the cartridge such that mechanical energy loaded in at least one spring mechanism within the handle is transferred to the cartridge to deploy the anchor assembly; and

an actuator configured to initiate transfer of the mechanical energy and restore the majority of the mechanical energy to the spring mechanisms.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the actuator is configured to restore the majority of the mechanical energy during deployment of the anchor assembly.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the actuator is configured to be activated more than one time to completely deploy the anchor assembly and restore the majority of the mechanical energy.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein the actuator is configured to restore mechanical energy to the at least one spring mechanism sufficient to deploy a second anchor assembly from a second cartridge.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the cartridge is removable from the handle without releasing the mechanical energy in the at least one spring mechanism.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the cartridge further comprises a needle.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the anchor assembly comprises a first anchor, a connector, and a second anchor.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the cartridge further comprises an elongate member configured to access an interventional site adjacent a prostate.

9. The system of claim 1 further comprising an insert configured to couple with the handle.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the insert is configured such that removal of the insert loads mechanical energy in the at least one spring mechanism sufficient to deliver the anchor assembly.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein prior to removal of the insert the at least one spring mechanism is loaded with less mechanical energy than is sufficient to deliver the anchor assembly.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein prior to removal of the insert the at least one spring mechanism is in an unloaded state.

13. The system of claim 1 where the anchor assembly includes a customizable-length connector element.

14. The system of claim 1 further comprising a scope, wherein the cartridge is configured such that insertion and removal of the cartridge can be completed without removal or adjustment to the scope.

15. A method for delivering a plurality of anchor assemblies, comprising:

inserting a cartridge into a handle assembly comprising an actuator and a drive mechanism having a first loaded configuration characterized by a total stored energy and an unloaded configuration, wherein the cartridge comprises at least one anchor assembly and a penetrating member and wherein the at least one anchor assembly and the penetrating member are configured to advance from a distal portion of the cartridge;

positioning the distal portion of the cartridge at an interventional site adjacent a prostate;

operating the actuator to cycle the drive mechanism from the loaded configuration to the unloaded configuration to a second loaded configuration characterized by a total stored energy, wherein operating the actuator simultaneously delivers the at least one anchor assembly to the prostate by transferring load from the drive mechanism to the cartridge; and

removing the cartridge.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the drive mechanism comprises a spring mechanism.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the total stored energy of the second loaded configuration is the same as the total stored energy of the first loaded configuration.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the total stored energy of the second loaded configuration is sufficient to deliver an additional anchor assembly to the prostate.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein operating the actuator retracts the penetrating member.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein operating the actuator sizes the anchor assembly to a custom size.

21. A system for treating a prostate, comprising:

a cartridge, the cartridge comprising a distal anchor, a connector, and a proximal anchor; and

a handle configured to receive the cartridge, the handle comprising an actuator, a spring mechanism loaded with mechanical energy, and a delivery assembly;

wherein the delivery assembly comprises a member that mates with the cartridge to transfer the mechanical energy from the spring mechanism to the cartridge and wherein the actuator operates to reload the mechanical energy.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein transferring the mechanical energy from the spring mechanism delivers one or more of the distal anchor, the connector, and the proximal anchor to the prostate.

23. The system of claim 21 wherein operating the actuator releases the mechanical energy from the spring mechanism to the cartridge prior to reloading the mechanical energy.

24. The system of claim 21 wherein the cartridge further comprises a penetrating member and transferring the mechanical energy from the spring mechanism advances the penetrating member from a distal portion of the cartridge.

25. The system of claim 21 wherein operating the actuator cuts the connectors to a custom length.

26. The system of claim 21 wherein the handle further comprises an elongate shaft assembly.

27. The system of claim 26 wherein the cartridge and the handle are configured to cooperate to position the proximal anchor and the distal anchor in distal portion of the elongate shaft assembly when the cartridge is inserted into the handle.