DEVICE AND METHOD FOR REMOVING TISSUE INSIDE A BODY VESSEL

• US 20140107693A1
• Filed: 10/12/2012
• Published: 04/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cook Medical Incorporated (Cook Group Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Cook Medical Incorporated (Cook Group Incorporated)
• Inventors: Plassman, Trevor
• Granted Patent: US 8,920,451 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/200
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3201 Scissors for biopsy A61B10/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3207 Atherectomy devices working by cutting or abrading; Similar devices specially adapted for non-vascular obstructions A61B17/32037 takes precedence; endoscopic cutting instruments A61B17/320016
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22034 for gripping the obstruction or the tissue part from inside

Abstract

Disclosed are a tool and a method for removing tissue inside a body vessel. A first helical coil has a first pitch and a first lumen. The first coil is threaded into a tubular hollow body that is lined with a spiral thread with a second pitch that is substantially the same as the first pitch. The hollow body may be a second coil. A first set of cutting elements extends from the first coil into the first lumen. A second set of cutting elements extends from the hollow body into the first lumen. The first and second sets of cutting elements are arranged with respect to each other such that a screw-like movement of the first helical coil relative to the hollow body causes a cutting element of the first set and a cutting element of the second set to pass each other closely enough to cut tissue.

Claims

1. A fibrin removal assembly comprising

a first helical coil having a first pitch and a first lumen with a first inner diameter,

a hollow body having a generally tubular shape, a second lumen lined with a spiral thread forming a second inner diameter, the spiral thread having a second pitch, the second pitch being substantially the same as the first pitch,

a first set of cutting elements extending from the first inner diameter inward into the first lumen and configured to cut tissue in a first circumferential direction, and

a second set of cutting elements extending from the second inner diameter inward into the first lumen and configured to cut tissue in a second circumferential direction opposite the first circumferential direction, the first and second sets of cutting elements being axially arranged and oriented with respect to each other that a circumferential and axial displacement of the first helical coil relative to the hollow body along the spiral thread causes at least one cutting element of the first set of cutting elements to pass at least one cutting element of the second set of cutting elements closely enough to cut tissue between the cutting element of the first set and the cutting element of the second set.

2. The fibrin removal assembly of claim 1, wherein the hollow body and the first helical coil are made of metal.

3. The fibrin removal assembly of claim 2, wherein the hollow body and the first helical coil are made of an austenitic alloy.

4. The fibrin removal assembly of claim 3, wherein the hollow body and the first helical coil are made of an austenitic nickel-chromium-based super alloy.

5. The fibrin removal assembly of claim 2, wherein the first set of cutting elements is soldered to the first inner diameter.

6. The fibrin removal assembly of claim 2, wherein the second set of cutting elements is soldered to the second inner diameter.

7. The fibrin removal assembly of claim 1, wherein the hollow body is a second helical coil.

8. The fibrin removal assembly of claim 1, wherein the first inner diameter is equal to the second inner diameter.

9. The fibrin removal assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the cutting elements of the first set is substantially sickle shaped with a concave edge facing the first circumferential direction.

10. The fibrin removal assembly of claim 9, wherein the cutting elements of the second set are substantially sickle shaped with a concave edge facing the second circumferential direction.

11. The fibrin removal assembly of claim 1, wherein at least the second set of cutting elements comprises a cutting element with a dull edge cooperating with an edge of an associated cutting element of the first set.

12. The fibrin removal assembly of claim 11, wherein the cooperating edge of the associated cutting element of the first set is a dull edge.

13. The fibrin removal assembly of claim 1, wherein at least the cutting elements of the first set have a shark fin shape with a straight cutting edge.

14. The fibrin removal assembly of claim 13, wherein the cutting elements of the second set also have a shark fin shape with a straight cutting edge.

15. The fibrin removal assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the cutting elements of the first set further comprises an axially extending blade facing in the first circumferential direction.

16. The fibrin removal assembly of claim 15, wherein each of the cutting elements of the second set further comprises an axially extending blade facing in the second circumferential direction.

17. The fibrin removal assembly of claim 1, further comprising an elongated tube connected to a proximal end of the hollow body and an elongated wire extending through the tube and connected to a proximal end of the first helical coil, the elongated tube and the elongated wire being configured to perform a relative circumferential movement in with respect to each other.

18. The fibrin removal assembly of claim 17, further comprising an outer catheter configured to surround at least a distal portion of the elongated tube and the elongated wire, the elongated wire and the elongated tube each having a greater length than the outer catheter.

19. A method of removing tissue inside a body vessel, the method comprising the steps of:

distally inserting an outer catheter into a body vessel;

positioning a distal end of the outer catheter proximate a location of tissue to be removed;

distally inserting a fibrin removal tool into the outer catheter, the fibrin removal tool having

a first helical coil with a first pitch and with a first lumen having a first inner diameter,

a hollow body having a generally tubular shape, a second lumen with a second inner diameter, and a spiral thread lining the lumen with a second pitch, the second pitch being substantially the same as the first pitch,

a first set of cutting elements extending from the first inner diameter inward into the first lumen and configured to cut tissue in a first circumferential direction, and

a second set of cutting elements extending from the second inner diameter inward into the first lumen and configured to cut tissue in a second circumferential direction opposite the first circumferential direction, the first and second sets of cutting elements being axially arranged and oriented with respect to each other that a circumferential and axial displacement of the first helical coil relative to the hollow body along the spiral thread causes at least one cutting element of the first set of cutting elements to pass at least one cutting element of the second set of cutting elements closely enough to cut tissue between the cutting element of the first set and the cutting element of the second set;

positioning the fibrin removal tool proximate the distal end of the outer catheter;

causing a spiral-like relative movement between the first helical coil and the hollow body so as to cut the tissue located between the at least one cutting element of the first set and the at least one cutting element of the second set; and

distally removing the fibrin removal tool.