Body passageway closure apparatus and method of use
DCFirst Claim
1. A device for closure of a body passageway of a patient, comprising:
- an expandable, substantially cylindrical frame;
expansion means for selectively applying force to diametrically expand said frame to embed portions of said frame into a wall of the passageway, for retention of said frame in the passageway;
a flexible sealing membrane permanently retained on said frame to occlude the passageway upon said expansion of said frame; and
delivery means for delivering said frame and said sealing membrane to a selected site in the passageway to be occluded, said delivery means being removable from the passageway after said delivery, leaving said frame and said sealing membrane in place.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for blocking a body passageway by inserting an expandable frame into the passageway and expanding the frame with an expandable balloon to partially embed the frame in the walls of the passageway. The frame can carry a separate sealing membrane, or the balloon can function as the sealing membrane. The sealing membrane, the frame or the balloon can also carry a clot promoting substance. The balloon can be removed along with the inflation tube after the expansion procedure, if it is not serving as the sealing membrane, or the balloon can be detached from the inflation tube and left in place, either as a sealing membrane or simply to lock the frame in place. The frame can be maintained in its expanded state by being plastically deformed during the expansion step, or the frame can be maintained in its expanded state by having the balloon locked in the expanded state and left in place.
370 Citations
40 Claims
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1. A device for closure of a body passageway of a patient, comprising:
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an expandable, substantially cylindrical frame; expansion means for selectively applying force to diametrically expand said frame to embed portions of said frame into a wall of the passageway, for retention of said frame in the passageway; a flexible sealing membrane permanently retained on said frame to occlude the passageway upon said expansion of said frame; and delivery means for delivering said frame and said sealing membrane to a selected site in the passageway to be occluded, said delivery means being removable from the passageway after said delivery, leaving said frame and said sealing membrane in place. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. An apparatus for closure of a body passageway, comprising:
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a source of fluid pressure; a flexible catheter connectable to said fluid pressure source, said catheter having a distal end insertable into the passageway to be closed; an inflatable balloon connected in fluid communication with said distal end of said catheter for the selective application of said fluid pressure to expand said balloon; an expandable, substantially cylindrical frame mountable on said balloon for diametrical expansion by said balloon to partially embed said frame into a wall of the passageway, for retention of said frame in the passageway, said frame being plastically deformable from a first stable diameter to a second stable diameter, said balloon being removable from said frame upon deflation of said balloon; a flexible sealing membrane permanently retained on a distal end of said frame to occlude the passageway upon said expansion of said frame; a flexible stabilizing membrane permanently retained on a proximal end of said frame to maintain said frame in a substantially cylindrical configuration during said expansion; and a passageway through said stabilizing membrane for said catheter. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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24. An apparatus for closure of a body passageway, comprising:
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a source of fluid pressure; a flexible tubular member connectable to said fluid pressure source, said tubular member having a distal end insertable into the passageway to be closed; an inflatable balloon connected in fluid communication with said distal end of said tubular member for the selective application of said fluid pressure to expand said balloon to occlude the passageway; an expandable, substantially cylindrical frame mounted on said balloon for diametrical expansion by said balloon to partially embed said frame into a wall of the passageway, for retention of said frame in the passageway; means for selectively releasing said balloon from said tubular member; means for maintaining said frame in said expanded state; and means for retaining said balloon to said frame in the passageway. - View Dependent Claims (25)
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26. A method for closing a body passageway, comprising the steps of:
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providing an expansion means; mounting an expandable, substantially cylindrical frame to said expansion means; permanently attaching a flexible sealing membrane to said frame, to occlude said passageway upon expansion of said frame; inserting said expansion means, said frame, and said sealing membrane into the body passageway until said sealing membrane and said frame are positioned at the point where the passageway is to be closed; expanding said frame to partially embed said frame in the walls of the passageway to retain said frame and said sealing membrane in the passageway; and removing said expansion means from the passageway. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A device for closure of a body passageway, comprising:
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an expandable, substantially cylindrical frame; expansion means for selectively applying force to diametrically expand said frame to embed portions of said frame into a wall of the passageway, for retention of said frame in the passageway; and a flexible sealing membrane retained on said frame to occlude the passageway upon said expansion of said frame; wherein said flexible sealing membrane comprises a blood clot promoting substance.
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37. An apparatus for closure of a body passageway, comprising:
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a source of fluid pressure; a flexible catheter connectable to said fluid pressure source, said catheter having a distal end insertable into the passageway to be closed; an inflatable balloon connected in fluid communication with said distal end of said catheter for the selective application of said fluid pressure to expand said balloon; an expandable, substantially cylindrical frame mountable on said balloon for diametrical expansion by said balloon to partially embed said frame into a wall of the passageway, for retention of said frame in the passageway, said frame being plastically deformable from a first stable diameter to a second stable diameter; a flexible sealing membrane retained on a distal end of said frame to occlude the passageway upon said expansion of said frame; a flexible stabilizing membrane retained on a proximal end of said frame to maintain said frame in a substantially cylindrical configuration during said expansion; and a passageway through said stabilizing membrane for said catheter; wherein said flexible sealing membrane comprises a blood clot promoting substance.
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38. An apparatus for closure of a body passageway, comprising:
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a source of fluid pressure; a flexible tubular member connectable to said fluid pressure source, said tubular member having a distal end insertable into the passageway to be closed; an inflatable balloon connected in fluid communication with said distal end of said tubular member for the selective application of said fluid pressure to expand said balloon to occlude the passageway; an expandable, substantially cylindrical frame mounted on said balloon for diametrical expansion by said balloon to partially embed said frame into a wall of the passageway, for retention of said frame in the passageway; means for selectively releasing said balloon from said tubular member; means for maintaining said frame in said expanded state; and means for retaining said balloon to said frame in the passageway; wherein said balloon comprises a blood clot promoting substance.
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39. A method for closing a body passageway, comprising the steps of:
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providing a tubular member; mounting a balloon on a distal end of said tubular member; mounting an expandable, substantially cylindrical frame to said balloon; inserting said distal end of said tubular member into the body passageway until said balloon and said frame are positioned at the point where the passageway is to be closed; applying fluid pressure through said tubular member to expand said balloon, thereby expanding said frame to partially embed said frame in the walls of the passageway to retain said frame in the passageway; and removing said tubular member from the passageway; wherein said balloon comprises a blood clot promoting substance.
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40. A method for closing a body passageway, comprising the steps of:
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providing a tubular member; mounting a balloon on a distal end of said tubular member; mounting an expandable, substantially cylindrical frame to said balloon; inserting said distal end of said tubular member into the body passageway until said balloon and said frame are positioned at the point where the passageway is to be closed; applying fluid pressure through said tubular member to expand said balloon, thereby expanding said frame to partially embed said frame in the walls of the passageway to retain said frame in the passageway; hardening said fluid in said balloon to lock said frame in said expanded state; removing said tubular member from the passageay.
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Specification