Method of dissolving an obstruction in a vessel

• US 5,222,941 A
• Filed: 12/18/1991
• Issued: 06/29/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Don Michael International, LLC
• Original Assignee: T. Anthony Don Michael
• Inventors: Don Michael, T. Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Rosenbaum, C. Fred
• Assistant Examiner(s): SMITH, CHALIN A
• Application Number:
  US07/808,924
• Time in Patent Office: 559 Days
• Field of Search: 604/96-101, 604/21, 604/27, 604/28, 606/191, 606/192, 606/194, 128/633, 128/634, 128/632
• US Class Current: 604/101.05
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22084 stone- or thrombus-dissolving
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0057 Catheters delivering medicament other than through a conventional lumen, e.g. porous walls or hydrogel coatings
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/1052 for temporarily occluding a vessel for isolating a sector
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/1061 having separate inflations tubes, e.g. coaxial tubes or tubes otherwise arranged apart from the catheter tube
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/1095 with perfusion means for enabling blood circulation while the balloon is in an inflated state or in a deflated state, e.g. permanent by-pass within catheter shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/1097 with perfusion means for enabling blood circulation only while the balloon is in an inflated state, e.g. temporary by-pass within balloon
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0021 characterised by the form of the tubing A61M25/0054 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0032 characterized by at least one unconventionally shaped lumen, e.g. polygons, ellipsoids, wedges or shapes comprising concave and convex parts
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/007 Side holes, e.g. their profiles or arrangements; Provisions to keep side holes unblocked
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0155 with hydraulic or pneumatic means, e.g. balloons or inflatable compartments
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/1011 Multiple balloon catheters

Abstract

A method of dissolving an obstruction in a blood vessel by the steps of preventing blood which is in contact with the obstruction from flowing through the vessel to locations downstream of the obstruction while permitting blood to flow through a passage past the obstruction; delivering to the obstruction a dissolution agent which works in conjunction with blood components to effect dissolution of the obstruction; analyzing the composition of fluid in contact with the obstruction; and at least periodically supplying blood to the fluid in contact with the obstruction, based on the result of the analyzing step.

Claims

1. A method of dissolving an clot in a blood vessel, comprising:

preventing blood which is in contact with the clot from flowing through the vessel to locations downstream of the clot while permitting blood to flow through a passage past the clot;

delivering to the clot a dissolution agent which works in conjunction with blood components to effect dissolution of the clot, so that a fluid which includes the dissolution agent and blood is in contact with the obstruction;

withdrawing a sample of the fluid, which includes portions of dissolved clot material, from the blood vessel;

directly determining the composition of the fluid in the sample; and

adjusting the concentration of dissolution agent in the fluid in contact with the clot on the basis of the result of said determining step.

2. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein said step of adjusting comprises supplying blood to the fluid in contact with the clot.

3. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein said step of adjusting comprises increasing the quantity of dissolution agent in he fluid in contact with the clot.

4. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the concentration of dissolution agent in the fluid in contact with the clot has an optimum range of values, and said step of adjusting comprises supplying blood to the fluid in contact with the clot when said determining step indicates that the concentration of dissolution agent in the fluid in contact with the clot is higher than the optimum range, and increasing the quantity of dissolution agent in the fluid in contact with the clot when said determining steps indicate that the concentration of dissolution agent in the fluid in contact with the clot is lower than the optimum range.

5. A method as defined in claim 4 wherein said steps of determining and adjusting are performed a plurality of times in the recited order.

6. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein said steps of determining and adjusting are performed a plurality of times in the recited order.