Catheter for chemical contact dissolution of gallstones

• US 5,527,274 A
• Filed: 12/30/1992
• Issued: 06/18/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Development Collaborative Corporation
• Original Assignee: Development Collaborative Corporation
• Inventors: Zakko, Salem F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rosenbaum, Fred C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SMITH, CHALIN A
• Application Number:
  US07/998,424
• Time in Patent Office: 1,266 Days
• Field of Search: 604/27, 604/29, 604/30-31, 604/35, 604/43, 604/93, 604/95, 604/280, 604/281, 604/174-5
• US Class Current: 604/28
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/22 Implements for squeezing-off ulcers or the like on the inside of inner organs of the body; Implements for scraping-out cavities of body organs, e.g. bones; Calculus removers; Calculus smashing apparatus; Apparatus for removing obstructions in blood vessels, not otherwise provided for dilators A61M29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00119 alarm; indicating an abnormal situation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00123 and automatic shutdown
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22084 stone- or thrombus-dissolving
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/77 Suction-irrigation systems aspiration tips supplying fluids A61M1/85; specific for negative pressure wound therapy A61M1/92; combined with tracheal tubes A61M16/0463
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/772 operating alternately
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/85 with gas or fluid supply means, e.g. for supplying rinsing fluids or anticoagulants for negative pressure wound therapy A61M1/92, A61M1/94; combined with tracheal tubes A61M16/0463; dental instruments with combined rinsing and aspirating A61C17/0208
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0003 having an additional lumen transmitting fluid pressure to the outside for measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3344 Measuring or controlling pressure at the body treatment site
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3351 Controlling upstream pump pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3355 Controlling downstream pump pressure

Abstract

A fully automatic organ pressure sensitive apparatus for dislodging and removing obstructions in bodily cavities or organs by both delivering and removing fluid thereto, operable by high rate continuous or intermittent infusion of fluid solvent over a set pressure range to effect rapid dissolution and removal of the obstruction without complications to the patient. By continuous feedback monitoring of fluid pressure in the bodily organ or cavity of interest, the apparatus can constantly vary infusion and aspiration rates to maintain the set pressure range. If the pressure persists above or below the set range, the apparatus activates a safety feature leading to a period of maximal aspiration and cessation of infusion, followed by cessation of solvent transfer and triggering of an alarm to alert the operator.

Claims

1. A catheter for the contact dissolution of stones in a gallbladder comprising:

first and second lumens, each said lumen having distal and proximal portions, said first lumen for infusing solvent and said second lumen for aspirating spent solvent and dissolved gallstones, each of said lumens having at least one opening and all of said openings being in said distal portion for fluid communication between the gallbladder and said lumen, said solvent aspirating lumen having a greater flow crossection than said solvent infusing lumen; and

a tension string for holding the distal portion of the catheter in the gallbladder.

2. The catheter of claim 1 wherein the ratio of the cross-sectional area of said aspiration lumen to the cross-sectional area of said infusion lumen is at least 1.5.

3. The catheter of claim 1 wherein the area of each opening is less than the cross-sectional area of the lumen with which said opening is in communication.

4. The catheter of claim 1 further comprising an aspiration opening at the distal end of the catheter in communication with said aspiration lumen.

5. The catheter of claim 1 or 4 having at least one aspiration opening in the wall of the catheter in communication with said aspiration lumen is located proximal to all infusion openings.

6. The catheter of claim 5 wherein said proximally-located aspiration opening is located adjacent to the point of entry of the catheter into the gall bladder when the catheter is in position for operation.

7. The catheter of claim 4 wherein said aspiration lumen and aspiration opening at said distal end of said lumen are constructed and arranged to enable the catheter to pass over a guide wire.

8. The catheter of claim 1 wherein the catheter comprises a material which is resistent to the solvent to be infused into said gallbladder.

9. The catheter of claim 8 wherein the material is polyurethane.

10. The catheter of claim 1 including a third fluid pressure transmitting lumen extending side by side with said infusion and aspiration lumens and having a distal opening in said distal portion of said catheter, said lumen constructed to communicate intra-gallbladder pressure to a remotely located pressure transducer.

11. A catheter according to claim 10 including a fourth lumen and wherein said string is located in the fourth lumen.

12. The catheter of claim 1 including a pressure transducer located in said distal portion of said catheter.

13. The catheter of claim 12 wherein said transducer is piezoelectric.

14. The catheter of claim 12 wherein said transducer is fiberoptic.

15. The catheter of claim 12 wherein the transducer is removably inserted in a lumen of the catheter.