Method and apparatus for angioplasty
First Claim
1. A method for transluminal angioplasty of a stenosed artery comprising the steps of:
- applying sufficient outward pressure to a selected stenosed region of the artery to form an enlarged channel therethrough, the outward pressure being applied with an expandable device; and
applying sufficient energy to the selected region to which outward pressure is applied to cause the selected region to be heated sufficiently to substantially maintain said enlarged channel after removal of outward pressure, said energy being applied to substantially the entire circumference of the selected region of the artery simultaneously.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The region surrounding the balloon utilized in percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty is heated by means within the balloon or within the skin of the balloon upon inflation of the balloon such that disrupted tissues of the plaque in the arterial wall are heated in order to fuse together fragmented segments of tissue and to coagulate blood trapped within dissected planes of tissue and within fissures created by wall fracture such that upon subsequent balloon deflation a smooth cylindrically-shaped channel results, thereby to prevent collapse of any flap of material which could cause either abrupt arterial closure and an acute myocardial infarction or gradual restenosis at the site of balloon inflation.
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Citations
42 Claims
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1. A method for transluminal angioplasty of a stenosed artery comprising the steps of:
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applying sufficient outward pressure to a selected stenosed region of the artery to form an enlarged channel therethrough, the outward pressure being applied with an expandable device; and applying sufficient energy to the selected region to which outward pressure is applied to cause the selected region to be heated sufficiently to substantially maintain said enlarged channel after removal of outward pressure, said energy being applied to substantially the entire circumference of the selected region of the artery simultaneously. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for transluminal angioplasty of a stenosed artery comprising the steps of:
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applying outward pressure to a selected region of the artery with an expandable device; and applying energy to the selected region to which outward pressure is applied simultaneously with application of outward pressure at a level sufficient to fuse together segments of tissue in the selected region, said level being below the vaporization threshold of the tissue, said energy being applied to substantially the entire circumference of the selected region of the artery simultaneously. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. Apparatus for transluminal angioplasty of a stenosed artery comprising:
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expandable means for applying outward pressure to a selected stenosed region of the artery; and means for applying energy to the selected region to which outward pressure is applied simultaneously with application of outward pressure at a level sufficient to fuse together segments of tissue in the selected region, said level being below the vaporization threshold of the tissue, said energy being applied to substantially the entire circumference of the selected region of the artery simultaneously. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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22. A method for treatment of a body passage comprising the steps of:
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applying outward pressure to a selected region of the body passage at a level sufficient to form an enlarged channel therethrough, the outward pressure being applied with an expandable device; and applying energy to the selected region to which outward pressure is applied at a level sufficient to cause the selected region to be heated sufficiently to substantially maintain said enlarged channel after removal of outward pressure, said energy being applied to substantially the entire circumference of the selected region of the body passage simultaneously. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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24. Apparatus for transluminal angioplasty of a stenosed artery comprising:
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expandable means for applying sufficient outward pressure to a selected stenosed region of the artery to form an enlarged channel therethrough; and means for applying sufficient energy to the selected region to which outward pressure is applied to cause the selected region to be heated sufficiently to substantially maintain said enlarged channel after removal of outward pressure, said energy being applied to substantially the entire circumference of the selected region of the artery simultaneously.
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25. Apparatus for preventing abrupt reclosure and restenosis in transluminal angioplasty of a stenosed artery comprising:
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an elongated flexible tube having an inflatable balloon secured at or near the end thereof; means for inflating said balloon when it has been advanced to a narrowed region of an artery to cause the balloon to enlarge the narrowed region; and heating means for supplying energy through the wall of said balloon while it is inflated to heat a substantial portion of a region of the artery surrounding the balloon and to cause reformation of the tissue in the surrounding region, said heating means including means for simultaneously applying energy to substantially the entire circumference of the region of the artery surrounding the balloon. - View Dependent Claims (26)
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27. Apparatus for treatment of a body passage comprising:
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an elongated flexible tube having a proximal end and a distal end which can be advanced through the body passage; an inflatable balloon secured to said tube at or near the distal end thereof and having a balloon wall; means for inflating and deflating the balloon from the proximal end of said tube to cause the balloon to form an enlarged channel in a selected region of the body passage; and heating means for supplying energy through the wall of said balloon to cause the selected region of the body passage to be heated sufficiently to substantially maintain said enlarged channel after deflation of said balloon, said energy being supplied to substantially the entire circumference of the selected region of the body passage simultaneously. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A method for transluminal angioplasty of a stenosed artery comprising the steps of:
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applying sufficient outward pressure to a selected stenosed region of the artery to form an enlarged channel therethrough, the outward pressure being applied with an expandable device; and applying sufficient energy to the selected region to which outward pressure is applied to cause the selected region to be heated sufficiently to reduce elastic recoil of the selected region of the artery after removal of outward pressure, said energy being applied to substantially the entire circumference of the selected region of the artery simultaneously.
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33. Apparatus for transluminal angioplasty of a stenosed artery comprising:
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an expandable device adapted to apply outward pressure to a selected stenosed region of the artery; and an energy device adapted to apply energy to the selected region to which outward pressure is applied simultaneously with application of outward pressure at a level sufficient to fuse together segments of tissue in the selected region, said level being below the vaporization threshold of the tissue, said energy being applied to substantially the entire circumference of the selected region of the artery simultaneously. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35)
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36. Apparatus for transluminal angioplasty of a stenosed artery comprising:
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an expandable device adapted to apply sufficient outward pressure to a selected stenosed region of the artery to form an enlarged channel therethrough; and an energy device adapted to apply sufficient energy to the selected region to which outward pressure is applied to cause the selected region to be heated sufficiently to substantially maintain said enlarged channel after removal of outward pressure, said energy being applied to substantially the entire circumference of the selected region of the artery simultaneously.
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37. Apparatus for preventing abrupt reclosure and restenosis in transluminal angioplasty of a stenosed artery comprising:
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an elongated flexible tube having an inflatable balloon secured at or near the end thereof, said balloon being inflated when it has been advanced to a narrowed region of an artery to cause the balloon to enlarge the narrowed region; and a heating device adapted to supply energy through the wall of said balloon while it is inflated to heat a substantial portion of a region of the artery surrounding the balloon and to cause reformation of the tissue in the surrounding region, said heating device including a device adapted to simultaneously apply energy to substantially the entire circumference of the region of the artery surrounding the balloon.
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38. Apparatus for treatment of a body passage comprising:
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an elongated flexible tube having a proximal end and a distal end which can be advanced through the body passage; an inflatable balloon secured to said tube at or near the distal end thereof and having a balloon wall, said balloon being inflated to cause the balloon to form an enlarged channel in a selected region of the body passage; and a heating device adapted to supply energy through the wall of said balloon to cause the selected region of the body passage to be heated sufficiently to substantially maintain said enlarged channel after deflation of said balloon, said energy being supplied to substantially the entire circumference of the selected region of the body passage simultaneously. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42)
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Specification