Method of use of catheter with working head having selectable impacting surfaces

• US 5,097,849 A
• Filed: 06/29/1990
• Issued: 03/24/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kensey Nash Corporation (DSM-Firmenich AG)
• Original Assignee: Kensey Nash Corporation (DSM-Firmenich AG)
• Inventors: Nash, John, Kensey, Kenneth
• Primary Examiner(s): Thaler, Michael H.
• Application Number:
  US07/546,073
• Time in Patent Office: 634 Days
• Field of Search: 606/127, 606/128, 606/160, 606/161, 606/162, 606/168, 606/171, 606/180, 606/170, 606/159, 128/898, 604/22
• US Class Current: 128/898
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/320758 with a rotating cutting instrument, e.g. motor driven A61B17/320725, A61B17/32075 and A61B17/320783 take precedence; for removing intra-ocular material A61F9/00763; endoscopic rotatable cutting instruments A61B17/32002

Abstract

A catheter and method of use for engaging material within the body of a living being to accomplish a medical and/or surgical procedure, e.g., form and enlarging an opening in a restriction in a vessel, duct, or lumen formed by the material, or to destroy a stone or other hard body formed of the material. The catheter comprises an elongated body portion and a rotatable working head located at the distal end of the catheter. The catheter is positioned with the working head adjacent the material to be enlarged. The working head comprises at least two, non-sharp, impacting surfaces, each of differing aggressiveness of restriction opening action. The less aggressive of the impacting surfaces is brought into engagement with the material when the working head is rotated in one rotational direction. The more aggressive of the impacting surfaces is then rotated in the opposite rotational direction and brought into engagement with the material to complete the procedure.

Claims

1. A method of recanalizing an artery located in the body of a living being utilizing an instrument comprising an elongated body portion and a moveable working head, said artery being partially or fully occluded by material located therein, said material comprising at least one portion made up of a relatively soft component or a relatively hard component, said working head being arranged for rotation about a longitudinal axis of said instrument in either of two opposite rotational directions and comprising a first non-sharp, impacting surface exhibiting a first predetermined aggressiveness of action when engaging material comprising said relatively soft component, and a second non-sharp, impacting surface exhibiting a second and greater predetermined aggressiveness of action when engaging material comprising said relatively hard component, said method comprising introducing said instrument into said body so that said working head is adjacent said material to bring one of said impacting surfaces into engagement with said material, selectively rotating said working head about said axis in one of said rotational directions, said rotational direction being selected depending upon which of said impacting surfaces is to be brought into engagement with said material, whereupon if said material to be engaged by said working head comprises said relatively soft material said working head is rotated in the rotational direction to bring said first impacting surface into engagement with said material and if said material to be engaged by said working head comprises said relatively hard material said working head is rotated in the opposite rotational direction to bring said second impacting surface into engagement with said material.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said relatively soft component comprises fatty tissue.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said relatively soft component comprises thrombus.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said relatively hard component comprises calcific tissue.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said material comprises a portion of said relatively soft component and a portion of said relatively hard component, said method including the steps of rotating said working head in said one direction for bringing said first impacting surface into engagement with said relatively soft component, and rotating said working head in said opposite direction for bringing said second impacting surface into engagement with said relatively hard component.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said relatively soft component comprises fatty tissue.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein said relatively soft component comprises thrombus.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein said relatively hard component comprises calcific tissue.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein said relatively hard material comprises fibrous cap tissue.

5. The method of calim 1 wherein said relatively hard material comprises fibrous cap tissue.

11. A method of recanalizing an artery located in the body of a living being utilizing an instrument comprising an elongated body portion and a movable working head, said artery being partially of fully occluded by material located therein, said material comprising at least one relatively soft component and at least one relatively hard component, said working head being arranged for rotation about a longitudinal axis of said instrument and comprising a first non-sharp, impacting surface exhibiting a first predetermined aggressiveness of action when engaging material comprising said at least one relatively soft component, and a second non-sharp, impacting surface exhibiting a second and greater predetermined aggressiveness of action when engaging material comprising said at least one relatively hard component, said method comprising the steps of introducing said instrument into said body so that said working head is adjacent said material including said at least one relatively soft component, rotating said working head about said axis and bringing said first impacting surface into engagement with said at least one relatively soft component, and positioning the working head adjacent the material including said at least one relatively hard component, rotating said working head about said axis and bringing said second impacting surface into engagement with said at least one relatively hard component.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said relatively soft component comprises fatty tissue.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said relatively hard component comprises calcific tissue.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein said relatively hard material comprises fibrous cap tissue.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein said relatively soft component comprises thrombus.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said relatively hard component comprises calcific tissue.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein said relatively hard material comprises fibrous cap tissue.