Angioplasty catheter and method for use thereof

• US 4,685,458 A
• Filed: 05/31/1985
• Issued: 08/11/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Eli Lilly and Company
• Original Assignee: Vaser, Inc.
• Inventors: Leckrone, Michael E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cohen, Lee S.
• Application Number:
  US06/739,986
• Time in Patent Office: 802 Days
• Field of Search: 128/303.1, 128/303.15, 128/304, 128/305, 128/401, 128/6, 128/751, 128/752, 604/101
• US Class Current: 606/7
• 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 18/20 using laser
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00154 pulsed
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00172 Pulse trains, bursts, intermittent continuous operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22038 with a guide wire
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22052 eccentric

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a device for use in removing undesired material from a duct within a patient'"'"'s body. The device comprises a catheter adapted to be disposed within a duct and an element disposed adjacent to the distal end portion of the catheter such as a fiber optic emitting laser energy, a heated element or a knife for intersecting and releasing the undesired material. The undesired material may be an occlusion or an accumulation of plaque within a blood vessel. An inflatable bladder is provided for positioning the distal end portion of the catheter adjacent the inner surface of the duct to maintain the element for intersecting and releasing the undesired material adjacent thereto. The device can also include a pair of abutments disposed adjacent the distal end portion of the catheter to form a chamber adjacent the inner surface of the blood vessel and prevent the escape of laser energy after it has been applied to the undesired material.

Claims

1. A catheter device for use in removing undesired material from a duct within a patient'"'"'s body comprising:

a catheter adapted to be inserted within a duct in the patient'"'"'s body, the catheter having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion,

means disposed adjacent the exterior of the catheter and the distal end portion of the catheter for severing undesired material from the interior of the duct in a patient'"'"'s body when the distal end portion of the catheter is disposed adjacent to the undesired material, the severing means including an element adapted to be heated, and means for heating the element, the element when heated being adapted to sever the undesired material from the interior of the duct,

an inflatable bladder mounted on the catheter adjacent the distal end portion thereof disposed substantially opposite the severing means, and

means for controllably inflating the bladder when the device is disposed in the duct to enable the inflated bladder to contact the inner surface of the duct and urge the distal end portion of the catheter against the inner surface of the duct adjacent thereto,

whereby the means for severing undesired material is positioned adjacent to the inner surface of the duct.

2. A catheter device in accordance with claim 1 and further comprising a pair of abutments extending radially from the outer surface of the catheter and spaced apart from one another along the length of the catheter adjacent the distal end portion thereof, the severing means being mounted between the pair of abutments, the bladder when inflated being adapted to urge the pair of abutments against the inner surface of the duct.

3. A catheter device in accordance with claim 1 and further comprising a lumen havng a proximal end and a distal end disposed within the catheter, the proximal end of the lumen being adapted to be connected to a source of reduced pressure less than the ambient pressure, the distal end of the lumen having a port disposed adjacent to the severing means, the port being adapted to receive undesired material when connected to the source of reduced pressure.

4. A catheter device in accordance with claim 1 and further comprising a filament extending along the length of the catheter to adjacent the distal end of the catheter, the catheter being rotatably disposed about the filament and adapted to be translated and rotated with respect to the filament, whereby the catheter is adapted to be positioned and to be rotated within the duct.

5. A catheter device for use in removing undesired material from a duct having an inner surface within a patient'"'"'s body comprising:

a catheter adapted to be inserted within a duct in the patient'"'"'s body, the catheter having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, the catheter adjacent the distal end portion having a recess extending along the length thereof, an elongated severing element being disposed within the recess adjacent the exterior of the catheter and extending in the direction of the length of the catheter for severing undesired material from the interior of the duct in the patient'"'"'s body when the distal end portion of the catheter is disposed adjacent to the undesired material and the length of the catheter is rotated within the length of the duct, the elongated severing element when positioned approximately adjacent to the inner surface of the duct having no contact with the inner surface of the duct,

an inflatable bladder mounted on the catheter adjacent the distal end portion thereof and disposed substantially opposite the elongated severing element and,

means for controllably inflating the bladder when the device is disposed in the duct to enable the inflated bladder to contact the inner surface of the duct and urge the surface of the distal end portion of the catheter adjacent the recess against the inner surface of the duct adjacent thereto, and

whereby the elongated severing element is adapted to be positioned adjacent to the inner surface of the duct and the undesired material thereon for removing of the undesired material upon rotation of the catheter.

6. A catheter device in accordance with claim 5 and further comprising a lumen having a proximal end portion and distal end portion disposed within the catheter, the proximal end portion of the lumen being adapted to be connected to a source of reduced pressure less than the ambient pressure, the distal end portion of the lumen having a port disposed adjacent to the elongated severing element, the port being adapted to receive undesired material when connected to the source of reduced pressure.

7. A catheter device in accordance with claim 5 further comprising a filament extending along the length of the catheter to adjacent the distal end portion of the catheter, the catheter being rotatably mounted about the filament and adapted to be translated and rotated with respect to the filament, whereby the catheter is adapted to be positioned and to be rotated within the duct.

8. A method for removing undesired material from a duct an inner surface within a patient'"'"'s body by use of a catheter adapted to be inserted within the duct in the patient'"'"'s body, the catheter having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, the catheter adjacent the distal end portion having a recess extending along the length thereof, an elongated severing element disposed within the recess adjacent the exterior of the catheter and extending in the direction of the length of the catheter for severing undesired material from the interior of the duct in a patient'"'"'s body when the distal end portion of the catheter is disposed adjacent to the undesired material and the length of the catheter is rotated within the length of the duct, the elongated severing element within the recess when positioned approximately adjacent to the inner surface of the duct being spaced apart from the inner surface of the duct, and an inflatable bladder mounted on the catheter adjacent the distal end portion thereof disposed substantially opposite the recess and the elongated severing element therein,

the method comprising the steps of:

placing the distal end portion of the catheter adjacent the undesired material,

controllably inflating the bladder when the recess in the distal end portion of the catheter is adjacent the undesired material to enable the inflated bladder to contact the inner surface of the duct and urge the recess in the distal end portion of the catheter adjacent the inner surface of the duct adjacent thereto, and

operating the elongated severing element when the recess is positioned adjacent to the inner surface of the duct at the undesired material such that the elongated severing element contacts and substantially severs the undesired material without contacting the inner surface of the duct.

9. A method in accordance with claim 8 in which the step of operating the elongated severing element comprises rotating the elongated severing element with respect to the undesired material.

10. A method in accordance with claim 8 wherein the catheter has a lumen with a proximal end portion and a distal end portion disposed within the cathether, the proximal end portion of the lumen being adapted to be connected to a source of reduced pressure less than the ambient pressure, the distal end portion of the lumen having a port disposed adjacent to the elongated severing element and further comprising the step of applying reduced pressure to the port to cause the undesired material to be received into the lumen.

11. A method in accordance with claim 8 wherein the catheter has a filament extending along the length of the catheter to adjacent the distal end portion of the catheter, the catheter being rotatably disposed about the filament and adapted to be translated and rotated with respect to the filament and further comprising the step of positioning the catheter by rotating and translating the catheter within the duct.

12. A method of removing undesired material from a duct within a patient'"'"'s body by use of a catheter adapted to be inserted within the duct, the catheter having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion and a pair of abutments extending radially from the outer surface of the catheter and spaced apart from one another along the length of the catheter adjacent the distal end portion thereof, the pair of abutments being adapted to form a chamber therebetween when the pair of abutments are adjacent the inner surface of the duct, an elongated severing element disposed between the pair of abutments for severing undesired material from the interior of the duct, and an inflatable bladder mounted on the catheter adjacent the distal end portion thereof and substantially opposite the elongated severing element, the method comprising the steps of:

positioning the chamber formed between the pair of abutments adjacent the undesired material within the duct,

inflating the inflatable bladder to urge the abutments against the inner surface of the duct adjacent the undesired material; and

rotating the catheter to enable the elongated severing element to sever the undesired material.

13. A method in accordance with claim 12 and further comprising a lumen having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion disposed within the catheter, the proximal end portion of the lumen being adapted to be connected to a source of reduced pressure less than the ambient pressure, the distal end portion of the lumen having a port disposed adjacent to the elongated severing element and further comprising the step of applying reduced pressure to the port to cause the undesired material to be received into the lumen.

14. A method in accordance with claim 12 and further comprising a filament extending along the length of the catheter to adjacent the distal end portion of the catheter, the catheter being rotatably disposed about the filament and adapted to be translated and rotated with respect to the filament and further comprising the step of positioning the catheter by rotating and translating the catheter within the duct.