GUIDEWIRE FEEDER

• US 20140276648A1
• Filed: 03/13/2014
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Valtech Cardio Ltd (Edwards Lifesciences Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Valtech Cardio Ltd (Edwards Lifesciences Corporation)
• Inventors: HAMMER, Tal, KUTZIK, Meir, REICH, Tal, KOIFMAN, Alexei
• Granted Patent: US 10,449,333 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/528
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/09116 Design of handles or shafts or gripping surfaces thereof for manipulating guide wires
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/09041 Mechanisms for insertion of guide wires

Abstract

Apparatus for use with a guidewire is provided, the apparatus including (1) a first housing, shaped to define a first channel through which the guidewire is slidable; (2) a second housing, shaped to define a second channel through which the guidewire is slidable in at least a first direction toward the first housing; (3) a guidewire-engaging element, disposed within the second housing, and configured to inhibit the guidewire from sliding through the second channel in a second direction away from the first housing; and (4) a tubular member, (a) shaped to define a lumen therethrough, through which the guidewire is slidable, and (b) coupled to the second housing and slidably coupled to the first housing. Other embodiments are also described.

Claims

1. Apparatus for use with a guidewire, the apparatus comprising:

a first housing, shaped to define a first channel through which the guidewire is slidable;

a second housing, shaped to define a second channel through which the guidewire is slidable in at least a first direction toward the first housing;

a guidewire-engaging element, disposed within the second housing, and configured to inhibit the guidewire from sliding through the second channel in a second direction away from the first housing; and

a tubular member;

shaped to define a lumen therethrough, through which the guidewire is slidable, and

coupled to the second housing and slidably coupled to the first housing.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the tubular member is slidable within the first channel.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the guidewire-engaging element has an engaged state and a disengaged state, and is configured to inhibit the guidewire from sliding through the second channel in the second direction, only when in the engaged state, and

the apparatus further comprises an engagement switch, configured to reversibly move the guidewire-engaging element between the engaged state and the disengaged state.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is configured to facilitate percutaneous advancement of the guidewire by a physician, while the physician (a) directly holds the second housing of the device with only one finger and one thumb, and (b) does not directly hold the first housing.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lumen of the tubular member provides communication between the first channel and the second channel

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the tubular member is more rigid than the guidewire, and is configured to inhibit bending of a portion of the guidewire that is disposed within the lumen of the tubular member.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first channel, the second channel, and the lumen are collinear.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the first channel, the second channel, and the lumen define an axis, and wherein the second housing is rotatable around the axis.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the tubular member is coupled to the second housing and slidably coupled to the first housing such that the second housing is slidable toward the first housing and away from the first housing.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the apparatus is configured such that, while a portion of the guidewire is disposed within the second channel, when the second housing is moved toward the first housing, the guidewire moves in the first direction.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the apparatus is configured such that, while the portion of the guidewire is disposed within the second channel, oscillation of the second housing between the first direction and the second direction moves the guidewire in the first direction.

12. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the apparatus is configured such that, when the second housing slides toward the first housing, the tubular member slides into the first housing.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the apparatus is configured such that, while the portion of the guidewire is disposed within the second channel, and a portion of the guidewire is disposed within the lumen of the tubular member, when the second housing is moved toward the first housing, the portion of the guidewire that is disposed within the lumen of the tubular member moves while within the tubular member into the first housing, without moving with respect to the tubular member.

14. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the apparatus is configured such that, when the second housing slides toward the first housing, the tubular member slides into the first channel.

15. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is further for use with a device for facilitating percutaneous procedures, and wherein the first housing is configured to be coupled to the device.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the first housing comprises a coupling member, configured to facilitate coupling the first housing to the device.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the coupling member comprises a generic coupling member, configured to facilitate coupling of the first housing to any of a range of devices for facilitating percutaneous procedures.

19. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the guidewire-engaging element is configured such that, while the guidewire is disposed within the second channel, when the guidewire moves in the second direction, the guidewire-engaging element responsively grips the guidewire.

20. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the guidewire-engaging element is pivotally coupled to the second housing.

21. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the guidewire-engaging element defines a guidewire-engaging edge, and is configured such that, while the guidewire is disposed within the second channel, the guidewire-engaging edge is disposed against the guidewire at a nonzero angle, such that movement of the guidewire in the second direction through the second channel causes the guidewire-engaging edge to press into the guidewire.

22. The apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the guidewire-engaging element is configured such that, while the guidewire is disposed within the second channel, when the guidewire-engaging edge presses into the guidewire, the nonzero angle becomes closer to a right angle.

23. The apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the guidewire-engaging element is configured such that, while the guidewire is disposed within the second channel, the guidewire-engaging edge is disposed against the guidewire at a nonzero angle that is not a right angle.

24. The apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the guidewire-engaging edge is configured such that, while the guidewire is disposed within the second channel, the guidewire-engaging edge is disposed against the guidewire at an obtuse angle with respect to a portion of the guidewire that is disposed closer to the tubular member than is the guidewire-engaging edge.

18. (canceled)

25. A method for use with a guidewire, the method comprising:

providing apparatus including;

a first housing,

a second housing, and

a tubular member, coupled to the second housing and slidably coupled to the first housing;

sliding a portion of the guidewire that is disposed within the tubular member in a first direction through the first housing by sliding the tubular member into the first housing by moving the second housing toward the first housing; and

moving the second housing away from the first housing without sliding the guidewire in a second direction through the first housing.

26-52. -52. (canceled)