RETRIEVAL CATHETER WITH EXPANDABLE TIP

• US 20140074144A1
• Filed: 09/11/2012
• Published: 03/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Tyco Healthcare Group LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Shrivastava, Sanjay, Lu, Wenfeng, Cam, Anh
• Granted Patent: US 9,597,171 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/200
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/22031 Gripping instruments, e.g. forceps, for removing or smashing calculi A61B17/221 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/22032 having inflatable gripping elements balloon catheters A61M25/10
• 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 2017/00287 Bags for minimally invasive surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00557 inflatable A61B2017/22051 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00871 polymeric
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/12059 Joint of soluble material
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22034 for gripping the obstruction or the tissue part from inside
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22062 to be filled with liquid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22067 Blocking; Occlusion A61B2017/22054 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22084 stone- or thrombus-dissolving
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22085 light-absorbing A61B2017/22087 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2215 having an open distal end
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0042 Microcatheters, cannula or the like having outside diameters around 1 mm or less
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/109 having balloons for removing solid matters, e.g. by grasping or scraping plaque, thrombus or other matters that obstruct the flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/062 used with a catheter
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/0283 Electro-active polymers [EAP]
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0021 characterised by the form of the tubing A61M25/0054 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/1002 characterised by balloon shape A61M25/1006, A61M25/1009 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/06 Haemostasis valves, i.e. gaskets sealing around a needle, catheter or the like, closing on removal thereof

Abstract

Catheters of the present disclosure include a catheter shaft and an expandable tip, which can retrieve materials slightly larger than an inner diameter of the catheter shaft. The tip may be expandable such that it can easily transform from a first size and shape to a second size and shape to aid in the retrieval of the materials (i.e., the thrombus, embolus, or foreign body). Catheter tips may be expanded by inflation, removal of a constraining member, or an input such as heat, light, or electrical energy.

Claims

1. A retrieval catheter, comprising:

an elongate shaft having a shaft lumen extending from a proximal end portion to a distal end portion of the elongate shaft;

an inflatable tip disposed at a distal end of the elongate shaft, the inflatable tip extending distally of the distal end and forming a tip lumen distally of the distal end;

wherein, in a first, unexpanded state, the tip lumen has a first cross-sectional dimension;

wherein, in a second, expanded state, the tip lumen has a second cross-sectional dimension greater than the first cross-sectional dimension.

2. The catheter of claim 1, wherein, in the first state, the inflatable tip has a cylindrical profile.

3. The catheter of claim 1, wherein, in the second state, the inflatable tip has a frusticonical profile.

4. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the inflatable tip comprises a radially outer surface and a radially inner surface more compliant than the radially outer surface.

5. The catheter of claim 1, wherein, in the second state, the inflatable tip has a greater volume than in the first state.

6. The catheter of claim 1, wherein in the first state, the inflatable tip has a first outer cross-sectional dimension and wherein, in the second state, the inflatable tip has a second outer cross-sectional dimension greater than the first outer cross-sectional dimension;

7. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the inflatable tip is in fluid communication with a fluid source.

8. The catheter of claim 7, further comprising a pump configured to controllably move fluid between the inflatable tip and the fluid source.

9. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the inflatable tip comprises a pathway from a proximal end of the inflatable tip to the distal end of the inflatable tip.

10. The catheter of claim 9, wherein the pathway forms a spiral.

11. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the inflatable tip extends a greater longitudinal distance in the second state than in the first state.

12. A method of treating a blood vessel, comprising:

advancing an elongate shaft within the vessel to a location adjacent an object within the vessel, the elongate shaft having a shaft lumen extending from a proximal end portion to a distal end portion of the elongate shaft;

inflating an inflatable tip disposed at a distal end of the elongate shaft and extending distally of the distal end to form a tip lumen distally of the distal end, whereby the inflatable tip transitions from a first, unexpanded state, wherein the tip lumen has a first cross-sectional dimension, to a second, expanded state, wherein the tip lumen has a second cross-sectional dimension greater than the first cross-sectional dimension; and

receiving the object into the shaft lumen through the tip lumen.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein inflating the inflatable tip comprises moving fluid from a fluid source to an interior region of the inflatable tip.

14. The method of claim 12, whereby an inner radial surface and an outer radial surface of the inflatable tip expand radially outward.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein receiving the object comprises providing suction at the distal end of the elongate shaft.

16. A retrieval catheter, comprising:

an elongate shaft having a shaft lumen extending from a proximal end portion to a distal end portion of the elongate shaft, the elongate shaft having a distal end comprising a self-expanding member that expands from a collapsed state to an expanded state when unrestrained, the member extending distally of the distal end and forming a tip lumen distally of the distal end;

a cover over an outer surface of the self-expanding member that retains the member in the collapsed state, the cover being at least partially dissolvable when activated, wherein the self-expanding member is configured to expand to the expanded state when the cover is at least partially dissolved.

17. The retrieval catheter of claim 16, wherein the self-expanding member comprises a plurality of woven strands.

18. The retrieval catheter of claim 16, wherein the self-expanding member comprises a spiral coil.

19. The retrieval catheter of claim 16, wherein the self-expanding member is substantially cylindrical in the first state.

20. The retrieval catheter of claim 16, wherein the self-expanding member is substantially frusticonical in the second state.

21. The retrieval catheter of claim 16, wherein the self-expanding member comprises a plurality of longitudinal slits.