DETECTION AND CLEARING OF OCCLUSIONS IN CATHETERS

• US 20140276341A1
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Integra LifeSciences Switzerland Sàrl
• Original Assignee: DePuy Synthes Products LLC (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Ludin, Lev, DeFusco, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 9,084,620 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/9
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1492 having a flexible, catheter-like structure, e.g. for heart ablation A61B18/1477 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/18 by applying electromagnetic radiation, e.g. microwaves radiation therapy A61N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0019 Cleaning catheters or the like, e.g. for reuse of the device, for avoiding replacement
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0166 Sensors, electrodes or the like for guiding the catheter to a target zone, e.g. image guided or magnetically guided
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/0464 Cerebrospinal fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/33 Controlling, regulating or measuring
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3303 Using a biosensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3317 Electromagnetic, inductive or dielectric measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/0687 Skull, cranium
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/0693 Brain, cerebrum
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/005 with embedded materials for reinforcement, e.g. wires, coils, braids
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0067 characterised by the distal end, e.g. tips A61M25/0054, A61M25/04 take precedence; balloon catheters A61M25/10
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/007 Side holes, e.g. their profiles or arrangements; Provisions to keep side holes unblocked
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0074 Dynamic characteristics of the catheter tip, e.g. openable, closable, expandable or deformable
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0082 Catheter tip comprising a tool
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 27/002 Implant devices for drainage of body fluids from one part of the body to another intraocular A61F9/00781; middle ear A61F11/202
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 27/006 Cerebrospinal drainage; Accessories therefor, e.g. valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16831 Monitoring, detecting, signalling or eliminating infusion flow anomalies low-level float-valves causing cut-off A61M5/40; indicating or recording presence, absence or direction of flow in general G01P13/0066

Abstract

A catheter system with integral sensing and clearing of occlusions is described. The system can include a catheter in fluid communication with a shunt for transporting a bodily fluid within, or out of, a patient'"'"'s body. The catheter and/or the shunt can include one or more detection wires and one or more transmission wires. The detection wires can be in electrical communication with the fluid and can enable the detection of changes in electrical properties of the fluid indicating an occlusion, or other anomaly, in the catheter. The transmission wires can be in electrical communication with the fluid and can enable the application of electromagnetic energy to the occlusion to facilitate its removal. The detection wires and the transmission wires can be the same or different wires. The system can include a probe that can be externally connected to the wires to provide detection and or transmission signals.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a catheter in fluid communication with a fluid of a patient'"'"'s body;

a shunt in fluid communication with the catheter;

a detection circuit comprising one or more wires in electrical communication with the fluid, detecting a change in one or more electrical properties of the fluid; and

a transmission circuit, comprising one or more other wires in electrical communication with the fluid, providing an electromagnetic signal to the fluid to remove an occlusion.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the detection circuit comprises a first wire and a second wire;

and

wherein each wire comprises one or more contacts in electrical communication with the fluid.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the transmission circuit comprises a first wire and a dermal patch;

and

wherein the first wire comprises one or more contacts in electrical communication with the fluid.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the catheter comprises one or more drain holes and an inner lumen;

and

wherein the one or more wires of the detection circuit, the transmission circuit, or both are disposed at least partially in a sidewall of the catheter and in electrical communication with the fluid.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the catheter further comprises a wire lumen with one or more access ports;

and

wherein a portion of the one or more wires of the transmission circuit, detection circuit, or both are housed in the wire lumen in electrical communication with the fluid.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an electronics interface disposed in the shunt and in electrical communication with the detection circuit, the transmission circuit, or both.

7. A system comprising:

a catheter in fluid communication with a fluid of a patient'"'"'s body;

a shunt in fluid communication with the catheter;

a detection circuit, comprising one or more wires in electrical communication with the fluid;

a transmission circuit comprising one or more other wires in electrical communication with the fluid;

a detection unit, in electrical communication with the detection circuit, monitoring one or more electrical properties of the detection circuit to detect an occlusion in the catheter; and

an external energy source, in electrical communication with the transmission circuit, providing energy to the transmission circuit to remove detected occlusions.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the external energy source provides a radio-frequency (RF) signal at a frequency between approximately 250 KHz and 2 Mhz.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the external energy source provides an RF signal at a frequency of approximately 500 KHz.

10. A system comprising:

a catheter in fluid communication with a fluid of a patient'"'"'s body;

a shunt in fluid communication with the catheter;

a detection circuit in electrical communication with the fluid;

a transmission circuit in electrical communication with the fluid;

an electronics interface disposed in the shunt and in electrical communication with the detection circuit, the transmission circuit, or both; and

a probe electrically coupleable to the electronics interface.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

a detection unit in electrical communication with the probe; and

an external energy source in electrical communication with the probe;

wherein the detection unit monitors one or more electrical properties of the detection circuit to detect an occlusion when the probe is electrically coupled to the electronics interface; and

wherein the external energy source provides energy to the transmission circuit to remove detected occlusions when the probe is electrically coupled to the electronics interface.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the detection unit detects a change in the impedance of the detection circuit.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the detection unit detects a change in the resistance of the detection circuit.

14. The system of claim 11, further comprising a dermal patch completing a circuit between the transmission circuit and the external energy source.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the electronics interface comprises one or more sockets in electrical communication with the detection circuit, the transmission circuit, or both;

and

wherein the probe comprises one or more pins electrically coupleable to the one or more sockets in the electronics interface.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the electronics interface comprises a first set of one or more antennas in electrical communication with the detection circuit, the transmission circuit, or both;

and

wherein the probe comprises a second set of one or more antennas wirelessly coupleable to the first set of one or more antennas in the electronics interface.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the electronics interface comprises a first antenna in electrical communication with the detection circuit and a second antenna in electrical communication with the transmission circuit;

and

wherein the probe comprise a third antenna wirelessly coupleable to the first antenna and a fourth antenna wirelessly coupleable to the second antenna.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the electronics interface comprises one or more sockets in electrical communication with the transmission circuit or the detection circuit and a first set of one or more antennas in electrical communication with the other of the transmission circuit or the detection circuit;

and

the probe comprises one or more pins electrically coupleable to the one or more sockets in the electronics interface and a second set of one or more antennas wirelessly coupleable to the first set of antennas.

19. The system of claim 10, wherein the electronics interface comprises one or more sealed chambers, each chamber comprising one or more sockets electrically coupleable to the probe.

20. The system of claim 10, wherein the catheter and the shunt are integral.

21. A method comprising:

transmitting a first signal through a detection circuit comprising a detection unit and one or more wires disposed in a catheter and in electrical communication with a fluid in the catheter;

detecting a change in one or more electrical properties of the detection circuit indicating an occlusion; and

transmitting a second signal from an external energy source to the one or more wires disposed in the catheter to remove the occlusion.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein detecting a change in the impedance of the detection circuit indicates an occlusion.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein detecting a change in the resistance of the detection circuit indicates an occlusion.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the second signal comprises an RF signal at a frequency between approximately 250 KHz and 2 MHz.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the second signal comprises an RF signal at a frequency of approximately 500 KHz.