Transluminal thrombectomy apparatus
First Claim
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1. A transluminal thrombectomy apparatus comprising:
- (a) a flexible drive shaft having a tip affixed to the distal end thereof, said tip being solid and having a proximal end and a distal end, the ends of said tip being rounded, and the entire exterior surface of said tip being continous and smooth, whereby said tip is not capable of cutting or of injuring the wall of a lumen;
(b) a flexible, cylindrical shaft housing, said flexible drive shaft extending through said shaft housing and through shaft housing connecting means at its proximal end, said shaft housing connecting means connecting said shaft housing to a drive shaft bearing block and seal, whereby a fluid path will exist from said shaft bearing block down through said shaft housing;
(c) a rotating prime mover; and
(d) drive shaft connecting means at the proximal end of said drive shaft which extends through said shaft housing connecting means for connecting said drive shaft to said rotating prime mover.
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Abstract
The invention is an apparatus for breaking up a thrombus by introducing a rotating drive shaft into the thrombus whereby the fibrin of the thrombus will be withdrawn from the thrombus onto the rotating drive shaft, thereby breaking up the network of the thrombus which prevents blood flow. The apparatus includes a drive shaft housing which can be used to withdraw fluid from the area of the thrombus or to introduce medicines, such as streptokinase which will further break up the thrombus or other chemicals such as contrast agents for visualizing the vascular anatomy.
484 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A transluminal thrombectomy apparatus comprising:
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(a) a flexible drive shaft having a tip affixed to the distal end thereof, said tip being solid and having a proximal end and a distal end, the ends of said tip being rounded, and the entire exterior surface of said tip being continous and smooth, whereby said tip is not capable of cutting or of injuring the wall of a lumen; (b) a flexible, cylindrical shaft housing, said flexible drive shaft extending through said shaft housing and through shaft housing connecting means at its proximal end, said shaft housing connecting means connecting said shaft housing to a drive shaft bearing block and seal, whereby a fluid path will exist from said shaft bearing block down through said shaft housing; (c) a rotating prime mover; and (d) drive shaft connecting means at the proximal end of said drive shaft which extends through said shaft housing connecting means for connecting said drive shaft to said rotating prime mover. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification