Apparatus for advancing a guide wire

• US 5,524,635 A
• Filed: 10/24/1994
• Issued: 06/11/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Scimed Life Systems Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Interventional Technologies Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Uflacker, Renan, Gomringer, Gary W.
• Primary Examiner(s): HINDENBURG, MAX F
• Application Number:
  US08/328,094
• Time in Patent Office: 596 Days
• Field of Search: 128/657, 128/658, 128/772, 128/32, 604/22
• US Class Current: 600/585
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/22012 in direct contact with, or very close to, the obstruction or concrement for removing obstructions in blood vessels by laser A61B18/245
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22038 with a guide wire
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22094 for crossing total occlusions, i.e. piercing
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/09041 Mechanisms for insertion of guide wires

Abstract

A hand held vibrating device which imparts a combination of transverse and longitudinal vibrations to a guide wire, to assist in advancing the guide wire through a blood vessel and through a stenosis in a blood vessel. The vibrating device contains a motor which drives a set of gears, rotating an eccentric pin. The rotation of the eccentric pin is translated to pivoting of an oscillating arm by the essentially longitudinal movement of a connector bar. The oscillating arm is attached to the guide wire by a releasable collet. Pivoting of the collet by the oscillating arm results in the introduction of a combination of transverse and longitudinal motion to the guide wire.

Claims

1. A guide wire vibrating apparatus, comprising:

a housing;

a motor mounted within said housing;

an eccentric pin drivably connected to said motor for orbital travel in a circular path;

a connector bar having a first end and a second end, said first end being attached to said eccentric pin for orbital travel with said eccentric pin;

an oscillating arm pivotably mounted to said housing, said oscillating arm having a first end and a second end, said first end being drivably connected to said second end of said connector bar, for pivotally oscillating said oscillating arm; and

a guide wire attachment means mounted on said oscillating arm for releasably attaching the guide wire to said second end of said oscillating arm, for introducing transverse and longitudinal vibrations into the guide wire.

2. A guide wire vibrating apparatus, as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of drive gears drivably connecting said motor to said eccentric pin;

a hole in said first end of said connector bar to receive said eccentric pin to drivably attach said first end of said connector bar to said eccentric pin;

a socket in said second end of said connector bar; and

a pawl on said first end of said oscillating arm, said pawl mating with said socket to drivably connect said second end of said connector bar to said first end of said oscillating arm.

3. A guide wire vibrating apparatus, as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a pivot pin mounted to said housing for pivotably connecting said oscillating arm to said housing, wherein said pivot pin establishes a pivot axis for said oscillating arm, said pivot axis being substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the guide wire.

4. A guide wire vibrating apparatus, as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a speed control mounted in said housing for selectively controlling the speed of said motor; and

a trigger button attached to said control for selectively operating said control to control the speed of said motor.

5. A guide wire vibrating apparatus, as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a releasable collet mounted on said second end of said oscillating arm for selectively gripping the guide wire.

6. A guide wire vibrating apparatus, comprising:

a pistol grip housing;

a variable speed motor mounted within said housing, said motor having a rotating drive shaft;

an adjustable control for selectively controlling the speed of said motor;

a first drive gear drivably connected to said drive shaft of said motor;

a second drive gear drivably connected to said first drive gear;

an eccentric pin mounted on said second drive gear for travel in an orbital path about the axis of rotation of said second drive gear, said eccentric pin having a longitudinal axis parallel to said axis of rotation of said second drive gear;

a connector bar having a first end and a second end, said first end being attached to said eccentric pin for orbital travel with said eccentric pin;

a socket formed in said second end of said connector bar;

a pivot pin mounted to said housing;

an oscillating arm pivotably mounted to said pivot pin, said oscillating arm having a first end and a second end;

a pawl mounted on said first end of said oscillating arm, said pawl mating with said socket for drivably connecting said first end of said oscillating arm to said second end of said connector bar, for pivotally oscillating said oscillating arm; and

a releasable collet mounted on said oscillating arm for releasably attaching the guide wire to said second end of said oscillating arm, for introducing transverse and longitudinal vibrations into the guide wire.

7. A method for introducing transverse and longitudinal vibrations into a guide wire, comprising the steps of:

providing a hand held vibratory device having an adjustable speed motor, a set of drive gears connected to said motor, an eccentric pin mounted on one of said gears, a connector bar attached to said eccentric pin, an oscillating arm connected to said connector bar, and a collet mounted on said oscillating arm;

attaching the guide wire to said oscillating arm by gripping the guide wire with said collet;

selectively regulating the speed of said air motor to cause the drive shaft of said motor to rotate at a desired speed;

translating said rotational motion of said motor drive shaft to orbital motion of said eccentric pin about an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of said eccentric pin, by rotation of said drive gears;

translating said orbital motion of said eccentric pin to oscillating pivotal motion of said oscillating arm by means of said connector bar; and

introducing transverse and longitudinal vibratory motion into the guide wire by oscillating movement of said collet.