APPARATUS FOR TREATING VULNERABLE PLAQUE

• US 20140249475A1
• Filed: 05/16/2014
• Published: 09/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Abbott Cardiovascular Systems Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Abbott Cardiovascular Systems Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Pacetti, Stephen Dirk
• Application Number:
  US14/280,441
• Publication Number:
  US 20140249475A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/96.01
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/22032 having inflatable gripping elements balloon catheters A61M25/10
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/320725 with radially expandable cutting or abrading elements A61B17/32075 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22081 Treatment of vulnerable plaque
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/1097 with perfusion means for enabling blood circulation only while the balloon is in an inflated state, e.g. temporary by-pass within balloon
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/10 Balloon catheters A61M25/0125 takes precedence; embolectomy A61B17/22032; retractors A61B17/02; inflatable balloons for placing stents or stent-grafts A61F2/958 ; stomach balloons for treatment of obesity A61F5/0003; oesophagal tubes A61J15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 29/02 Dilators made of swellable material balloon catheters for angioplasty A61M25/104

Abstract

Embodiments include a medical device having a balloon portion with a first end, a second end, and a variable balloon mass to inflate the balloon portion non-uniformly from the first end to the second end. In one embodiment, the balloon portion inflates in a controlled manner to rupture a vulnerable plaque near the second end.

Claims

1. A balloon catheter, comprising:

a balloon portion having a proximal end attached to the catheter, a distal end attached to the catheter, and a variable balloon mass to result in said balloon portion expanding non-uniformly from said proximal end to said distal end during inflation, wherein said balloon portion is adapted to rupture a vulnerable plaque in a blood vessel from said proximal end to said distal end, wherein said balloon comprises at least one internal member to shape the inflation profile of the balloon.

2. The balloon catheter of claim 1, wherein said at least one internal member is to result in the balloon inflating from a non-inflated uniform diameter from the proximal end to the distal end to have a diameter that tapers from the proximal end to the distal end to rupture said vulnerable plaque near the distal end.

3. The balloon catheter of claim 1, wherein said at least one internal member is one of disk-shaped or spokes, is coupled to an inner surface of said balloon, is disposed substantially perpendicular to said tubular shape of said balloon, and is made of an elastomeric material.

4. The balloon catheter of claim 3, wherein an expandable member disposed near a distal end of said balloon is thicker relative to an expandable member disposed near said proximal end.

5. The balloon catheter of claim 1, wherein said at least one expandable member extends near said proximal end to near said distal end and is coupled to an inner surface of said balloon.

6. The balloon catheter of claim 5, wherein said at least one expandable member has a thickness that tapers from near said distal end to near said proximal end.

7. The balloon catheter of claim 6, wherein three expandable members are disposed equidistantly within said balloon.

8. The medical device of claim 7, wherein three balloon segments are coupled to each other linearly and have an increasing wall thickness from said proximal end to said distal end, and wherein each of the three balloon segments has an independent inflation lumen.

9. The medical device of claim 7, wherein three balloon segments are coupled to each other linearly and have an increasing wall thickness from said proximal end to said distal end, and wherein said three balloon segments share a common inflation lumen.

10. The balloon catheter of claim 1 wherein the balloon is configured to be inflated with an inflation medium, which is heated to a temperature which is higher than a normal body temperature.

11. The balloon catheter of claim 1 further comprising:

a detector coupled to said balloon portion, said detector for detecting a vulnerable plaque;

a drug lumen coupled to said balloon portion, said drug lumen for releasing an anticoagulant as said balloon is inflated; and

a perfusion lumen coupled to said balloon portion, said perfusion lumen for allowing blood to flow downstream from said vulnerable plaque while said balloon is inflated.

12. A medical device, comprising:

a catheter having a proximal portion and a distal portion; and

at least one balloon, disposed near said distal portion, having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein said at least one balloon is adapted to inflate from said proximal end to said distal end to rupture a vulnerable plaque in a blood vessel near said distal end, wherein said at least one balloon comprises a middle portion and at least one internal member to shape the inflation profile of the balloon to taper along an inflatable length of the balloon from said distal end to said middle portion and from said middle portion to said proximal end.

13. The medical device of claim 12, wherein said at least one internal member is to result in the balloon inflating from a non-inflated uniform diameter from the proximal end to the distal end to have a diameter that tapers from the proximal end to the distal end to rupture said vulnerable plaque near the distal end.

14. The medical device of claim 12, wherein said at least one balloon has a tubular shape when inflated, and wherein said catheter has at least one inflation lumen formed therein.

15. The medical device of claim 12, wherein said at least one balloon, when non-inflated, has a folded configuration.

16. The medical device of claim 15, wherein said at least one balloon, when non-inflated, has a diameter that tapers down from said proximal end to said distal end, and wherein said at least one balloon has a length of about 8 to 30 mm.

17. The medical device of claim 12, wherein said at least one balloon is made of a compliant material comprising one of a high durometer polyurethane, nylon, mylar, and Pebax.

18. The medical device of claim 12, wherein said at least one expandable member is one of disk-shaped or spokes, is coupled to an inner surface of said at least one balloon, is disposed substantially perpendicular to said tubular shape of said at least one balloon, and is made of an elastomeric material.

19. The medical device of claim 18, wherein an expandable member disposed near a distal end of said at least one balloon is thicker relative to an expandable member disposed near said proximal end.

20. The medical device of claim 12, wherein said at least one expandable member extends near said proximal end to near said distal end and is coupled to an inner surface of said at least one balloon.

21. The medical device of claim 20, wherein said at least one expandable member has a thickness that tapers from near said distal end to near said proximal end.

22. The medical device of claim 21, wherein three expandable members are disposed equidistantly within said at least one balloon.

23. The medical device of claim 22, wherein three balloon segments are coupled to each other linearly and have an increasing wall thickness from said proximal end to said distal end, and wherein each of the three balloon segments has an independent inflation lumen.

24. The medical device of claim 22, wherein three balloon segments are coupled to each other linearly and have an increasing wall thickness from said proximal end to said distal end, and wherein said three balloon segments share a common inflation lumen.

25. A medical device, comprising:

means for controlling the inflation behavior of a balloon catheter; and

means for treating a vulnerable plaque, wherein means for controlling further comprises means for inflating said balloon catheter non-uniformly from a first end to a second end, wherein said balloon comprises at least one internal member to shape the inflation profile of the balloon.

26. The medical device of claim 25, wherein means treating further comprises means for rupturing said vulnerable plaque in a direction with a blood flow.