Endarterectomy process

• US 4,574,781 A
• Filed: 09/24/1981
• Issued: 03/11/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Thomas J. Fogarty
• Original Assignee: Thomas J. Fogarty
• Inventors: Chin, Albert K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thaler, Michael H.
• Application Number:
  US06/305,114
• Time in Patent Office: 1,629 Days
• Field of Search: 128/304, 128/305, 128/754, 128/753, 128/751, 128/1 R, 30/316, 30/280, 30/113.1, 15/104.05, 15/104.16, 15/104.17, 15/104.18, 15/104.19, 15/104.02
• US Class Current: 606/159
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/22 Implements for squeezing-off ulcers or the like on the inside of inner organs of the body; Implements for scraping-out cavities of body organs, e.g. bones; Calculus removers; Calculus smashing apparatus; Apparatus for removing obstructions in blood vessels, not otherwise provided for dilators A61M29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320741 for stripping the intima or the internal plaque from a blood vessel, e.g. for endarterectomy

Abstract

A cutting annulus which is radially expansible is employed to achieve complete removal of arteriosclerotic material from occluded arteries.

Claims

1. A method for excising arteriosclerotic occlusions from arteries comprising longitudinally positioning a flexible wire along a fixed path within an artery between an occlusion and the undiseased layers of said artery, attaching a radially compressible and expansible annular knife having overlapped end portions to said wire in a position to excise said occlusion, the wire-connected end of said knife being the leading end of said knife and having a cutting edge which extends cicumferentially and longitudinally of the knife and through a full 360°

of its periphery and pulling said wire along said path to excisingly traverse said occlusion with said cutting edge of said knife while maintaining the end portions of said knife in overlapped relation.

2. The method of claim 1, said wire being attached generally tangentially to said knife at the leading portion of the leading end thereof.