Vascular occulusion removal devices and method
First Claim
1. A catheter for removing an obstruction in a vessel of a patient, said catheter comprising:
- a flexible, tubular sleeve having distal and proximal ends, said sleeve having extending substantially coaxially therethrough so as to project therefrom;
drive means, said drive means being flexible and rotatable, and having fixedly mounted on its projecting end;
head means, said head means comprising a bulbous head, said head being mounted on said drive means so as to be rotated thereby, said head means further including;
a turbulence generating means, said turbulence generating means being disposed between said distal end of said sleeve and said head so as to create turbulence when said drive means is rotated, said catheter further comprising;
means for delivering fluid proximate the distal end of said sleeve, andmeans for recovering fluid and debris from proximate the proximal end of said sleeve.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A catheter for removing vascular obstruction(s) is disclosed. The catheter employs a configuration comprising generally coaxial, rapidly rotatable drive cable, fluid output lumens or channels, and fluid input lumens or channels. The drive cable is fixedly coupled to an elongate head so as to permit the head to be rapidly rotated by the drive cable. The head includes flats or impellers which, when rapidly rotated, generate a zone of turbulence or a vortex adjacent the vascular obstruction. The turbulence generated by the device tends to break up or dismantle the obstruction. The fluid input and output mechanisms permit fluid to be delivered to the vicinity of the obstruction and debris from the obstruction to be removed.
In a preferred practice, a catheter of the invention is hollow, permitting it to be slid over a guide wire which has been steered to the site of the vascular obstruction. The distal end of the catheter, specifically the head, is steered to a location adjacent the obstruction by utilization of the guide wire.
Methods for removing vascular obstructions are disclosed. Preferably, pulsatile turbulence generation is employed.
259 Citations
34 Claims
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1. A catheter for removing an obstruction in a vessel of a patient, said catheter comprising:
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a flexible, tubular sleeve having distal and proximal ends, said sleeve having extending substantially coaxially therethrough so as to project therefrom; drive means, said drive means being flexible and rotatable, and having fixedly mounted on its projecting end; head means, said head means comprising a bulbous head, said head being mounted on said drive means so as to be rotated thereby, said head means further including; a turbulence generating means, said turbulence generating means being disposed between said distal end of said sleeve and said head so as to create turbulence when said drive means is rotated, said catheter further comprising; means for delivering fluid proximate the distal end of said sleeve, and means for recovering fluid and debris from proximate the proximal end of said sleeve. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A catheter for removing an obstruction in a vessel of a patient, said catheter comprising:
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a flexible, tubular sleeve having distal and proximal ends, said sleeve having extending substantially coaxially therethrough; a drive cable, said drive cable being flexible and rotatable, and having fixedly mounted thereon; a bulbous head, said head having a neck and being mounted on said drive cable by said neck so as to be rotated thereby, said head including; a plurality of facets defined by said neck, the facets being disposed between said distal end of said sleeve and said head so as to create turbulence when said drive means is rotated, said catheter further comprising; fluid delivery ports located proximate the distal end of said sleeve, the fluid delivery ports comprising a coupled lumen and a fluid input port so that said fluid delivery port can be coupled to an external source of fluid; fluid and debris recovery ports located proximate the distal end of said sleeve the fluid recovery port comprising a coupled lumen and a vacuum output port so that said fluid recovery port can be coupled to an external source of vacuum; wherein said lumens, said drive cable, and said sleeve are all substantially coaxial through at least a substantial length of the catheter. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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19. A method for removing an obstruction in a body vessel comprising the steps of:
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identifying the site of the obstruction; providing a catheter comprising; a flexible, tubular sleeve having distal and proximal ends, said sleeve having extending substantially coaxially therethrough so as to project therefrom; drive means, said drive means being flexible and rotatable, having fixedly mounted on its projecting end; head means, said head means comprising a bulbous head, said head being mounted on said drive means so as to be rotated thereby, said head means further including; turbulence generating means, said turbulence generating means being disposed between said distal end of said sleeve and said head so as to create turbulence when said drive means is rotated, said catheter further comprising; means for delivering fluid proximate to the distal end of said sleeve, and means for recovering fluid and debris from proximate the proximal end of said sleeve; directing the head means through the body vessel to a location adjacent the obstruction; rapidly rotating the drive means to create turbulence proximate the obstruction while simultaneously delivering fluid proximate the obstruction site and removing fluid from proximate the obstruction site until the obstruction is removed. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method for removing an obstruction in a body vessel comprising the step of:
generating a zone of turbulence in the vicinity of the obstruction by rapid rotation of a turbulence generating means comprising a plurality of rotatable facets while delivering pressurized fluid to the zone of turbulence and recovering fluid and debris produced from the obstruction by the turbulence. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A catheter for removing an obstruction in a body vessel comprising:
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a flexible, tubular sleeve having distal and proximal ends, said sleeve having extending substantially coaxially therethrough so as to project therefrom; drive means, said drive means being flexible and rotatable, having fixedly mounted on its projecting end; head means, said head means comprising a bulbous head, said head being mounted on said drive means so as to be rotated thereby, said head means further including; turbulence generating means disposed between the distal end of said sleeve and said head, said catheter further comprising; means for delivering fluid proximate to the distal end of said sleeve, and means for recovering fluid and debris from proximate the proximal end of said sleeve. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34)
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Specification