Atherectomy systems and methods
First Claim
1. An atherectomy system for excising obstructive tissue from an artery of a patient comprising:
- a guide wire insertable into the artery;
a support sheath insertable into the artery over the guide wire, the support sheath having a proximal end and a distal end;
a torque tube having a proximal end and a distal end insertable into the artery through the support sheath over the guide wire;
a cutter connected to the distal end of the torque tube;
a substantially cylindrical-shaped hollow housing;
a tube-shaped insert coaxially aligned and slidingly disposed within said housing, said insert having its distal end connected to said support sheath; and
a releasable insert holding means mounted on said housing for selectively moving said insert within said housing for selectively controlling the extent to which the cutter on the distal end of the torque tube extends from the distal end of the support sheath.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An atherectomy system includes a guide wire which can be inserted into an artery of a patient to a region of occlusion, a torque tube having a cutter device affixed to its distal end which is insertable into the artery over the guide wire, and a protective support sheath surrounding the guide wire and the torque tube. A retraction device controllably retracts the support sheath so as to allow the cutter on the distal end of the torque tube to extend progressively greater distances beyond the distal end of the support sheath. The system also includes means for rotating the torque tube, thereby simultaneously rotating the cutter, and vacuum means connected to the torque tube for extracting dislodged cuttings from the patient'"'"'s bloodstream. The guide wire is preferably provided with an abutment on its distal end which both mechanically limits the distance the cutter can advance into the patient'"'"'s body and assists in retrieving the cutter from the patient'"'"'s body following the atherectomy operation.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. An atherectomy system for excising obstructive tissue from an artery of a patient comprising:
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a guide wire insertable into the artery; a support sheath insertable into the artery over the guide wire, the support sheath having a proximal end and a distal end; a torque tube having a proximal end and a distal end insertable into the artery through the support sheath over the guide wire; a cutter connected to the distal end of the torque tube; a substantially cylindrical-shaped hollow housing; a tube-shaped insert coaxially aligned and slidingly disposed within said housing, said insert having its distal end connected to said support sheath; and a releasable insert holding means mounted on said housing for selectively moving said insert within said housing for selectively controlling the extent to which the cutter on the distal end of the torque tube extends from the distal end of the support sheath. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An atherectomy system for excising obstructive tissue from an artery of a patient comprising:
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a guide wire insertable into the artery; a torque tube having a proximal end and a distal end insertable into the artery over the guide wire; a cutter connected to the distal end of the torque tube; a support sheath insertable into the artery over the guide wire and the torque tube, the support sheath having a proximal end and a distal end; a telescopic control unit having a substantially cylindrical-shaped hollow housing, a tube-shaped insert coaxially aligned and slidingly disposed within said housing, the insert being connected to the proximal end of the support sheath, and a releasable insert holding means mounted on said housing for selectively moving said insert within said housing; and means connected to the proximal end of the torque tube for withdrawing obstructive tissue cuttings from the artery. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method for excising obstructive tissue from an artery of a patient, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) positioning a guide wire within the artery; (b) positioning a support sheath within the artery over the guide wire, said support sheath having a proximal end attached to a tubular insert; (c) sliding said tubular insert into a housing; (d) engaging a cap with said housing to prevent motion of said insert relative to said housing; (e) positioning a torque tube within the support sheath, the torque tube having a cutter connected to a distal end thereof and the cutter being positioned within the support sheath so as to lie adjacent a distal end of the support sheath; (f) positioning the support sheath and the cutter within the artery to bring the cutter into contact with the obstructive tissue; (g) cutting the obstructive tissue by rotating the cutter; (h) displacing the support sheath in a proximal direction relative to the cutter to a predetermined position; (i) rotating the cutter to drill a passageway through said obstruction proportional to the distance of displacement in step (h); (j) withdrawing the obstructive tissue from the artery; and (k) withdrawing the guide wire, the support sheath, the torque tube, and the cutter from the artery. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification