Atherectomy device having helical blade and blade guide

• US 5,226,909 A
• Filed: 11/04/1992
• Issued: 07/13/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Advanced Cardiovascular Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Devices for Vascular Intervention, Inc.
• Inventors: Evans, Michael, Mueller, Richard L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rosenbaum, C. Fred
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lewis, William
• Application Number:
  US07/971,697
• Time in Patent Office: 251 Days
• Field of Search: 604/22, 128/750-755, 606/159, 606/170, 606/171, 606/180
• US Class Current: 606/159
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/320783 through side-hole, e.g. sliding or rotating cutter inside catheter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00685 Archimedes screw
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22054 with two balloons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320052 Guides for cutting instruments by marking A61B2090/395

Abstract

An atherectomy catheter includes a catheter body having a cylindrical housing at its distal end. The cylindrical housing includes an elongate cutting aperture on one side thereof and a mechanism for severing atheroma which enters within the opening. In a first embodiment, the cutting mechanism comprises a circular cutting blade which is advanced over an elongate guide member which defines a path for the blade. Use of the guide means helps assure that the cutting blade will not be lost from the housing during use. In a second embodiment, a rotatable helical cutting blade is mounted within the housing. In that particular embodiment, the helical cutting blade can serve as the guide member for the circular cutting blade.

Claims

1. An atherectomy catheter comprising:

a flexible catheter body having a lumen extending between proximal and distal ends thereof;

a cylindrical housing secured to the distal end of the flexible catheter body, said housing having a substantially open interior and a single axially aligned, continuous elongated aperture on one side thereof;

an inflatable balloon disposed on a side of the cylindrical housing opposite to the elongate aperture;

a first helical cutting blade comprising a helically wound ribbon having a plurality of turns and an axially disposed sharpened edge disposed and contained within the housing adjacent the elongate aperture; and

means for rotating the first helical cutting blade.

2. An atherectomy catheter comprising:

a flexible catheter body having a lumen extending between proximal and distal ends thereof;

a cylindrical housing secured to the distal end of the flexible catheter body, said housing having a substantially open interior and an axially aligned, continuous elongated aperture on one side thereof;

a first helical cutting blade comprising a helically wound ribbon having a plurality of turns and an axially disposed sharpened edge disposed and contained within the housing adjacent the elongate aperture; and

means for rotating the first helical cutting blade; and

at least one sharpened blade extending generally axially between successive turns of the helical cutting blade.

3. An atherectomy catheter comprising:

a catheter body having a lumen extending between proximal and distal ends thereof;

a cylindrical housing secured to the distal end of the catheter body, said housing having a substantially open interior and an axially-aligned, elongate aperture on one side thereof;

a first helical cutting blade disposed within the housing adjacent the elongate aperture;

means for rotating the first helical cutting blade;

a second helical cutting blade disposed within the housing concentrically within the first helical cutting blade, said first and second helical cutting blades having the opposite pitch; and

means for rotating the second helical cutting blade in a direction opposite to that of the first helical cutting blade.

4. An atherectomy catheter comprising:

a catheter body having a lumen extending between proximal and distal ends thereof;

a cylindrical housing secured to the distal end of the catheter body, said housing having a substantially open interior and an axially-aligned, elongate aperture on one side thereof;

a first helical cutting blade disposed within the housing adjacent the elongate aperture;

means for rotating the first helical cutting blade; and

means for axially translating the first helical cutting blade within the housing.

5. An atherectomy catheter as in claim 4, further comprising a circular cutting blade attached to the helical cutting blade.

6. An atherectomy catheter as in claim 5, wherein the circular cutting blade has an oblique cutting edge.

7. A method for severing atheroma within a blood vessel, said method comprising:

positioning a housing within the blood vessel proximate the atheroma; and

rotating a helical cutting blade within but not beyond the housing, said cutting blade being exposed to the atheroma through an opening in a side of the housing, whereby atheroma is severed by the helical blade.

8. A method as in claim 7, further comprising tamping the severed atheroma within the helical blade to one end of the housing.

9. A method as in claim 7, further comprising urging the opening of the housing against the atheroma to envelope at least a portion of the atheroma within the housing.

10. A method as in claim 9, wherein the housing is urged by inflating a balloon which is disposed on the housing on a side opposite to that of the opening.

11. A method as in claim 10, wherein the inflation pressure in the balloon and the speed of rotation of the helical blade are controlled simultaneously to maintain a desired rate of severing atheroma.