Catheter for obstructed stent
First Claim
1. A device for ablation of obstructive material within a stent, the device comprising:
- an elongate flexible tube having a distal end and a proximal end and an interior surface therebetween, the tube defining an axial direction along a length of the tube and a radial direction radially away from the tube;
a first ablation electrode positioned within said interior surface proximate the distal end;
an ablation power supply in electrical communication with said ablation electrode;
wherein said first ablation electrode is shielded from physical contact with the stent by said tube when the first ablation electrode is positioned within the stent; and
wherein said first ablation electrode is positioned so that it is electrically unobstructed in the radial direction by the tube while being shielded from physical contact with the stent, thereby being electrically operative in the radial direction with respect to its position along the axial direction.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Obstructive material is removed from a stent by modified electrosurgical ablation. A modified electrosurgical device having at least one electrode is positioned within the stent, and current is supplied to the electrode. The electrode is prevented from physically contacting the stent, such as by being situated within a groove on the device. The stent may, but need not be, grounded to the current source. The device may be properly positioned within the stent by using ultrasound transducers, fiber optics, or other means. Additionally, the device may be positioned by including at least two electrodes, and measuring the impedance therebetween, as the impedance will be relatively low when both electrodes are within a conductive stent. Therapeutic fluid may be supplied through the catheter, and energy may be supplied to increase the activity of the fluid.
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Citations
41 Claims
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1. A device for ablation of obstructive material within a stent, the device comprising:
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an elongate flexible tube having a distal end and a proximal end and an interior surface therebetween, the tube defining an axial direction along a length of the tube and a radial direction radially away from the tube; a first ablation electrode positioned within said interior surface proximate the distal end; an ablation power supply in electrical communication with said ablation electrode; wherein said first ablation electrode is shielded from physical contact with the stent by said tube when the first ablation electrode is positioned within the stent; and
wherein said first ablation electrode is positioned so that it is electrically unobstructed in the radial direction by the tube while being shielded from physical contact with the stent, thereby being electrically operative in the radial direction with respect to its position along the axial direction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. The device of 28, wherein the first plurality of electrodes and the second plurality of electrodes are arranged in a series of spaced rings.
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30. A method of removing obstructive material from the interior of an axially extending stent implanted in a subject, comprising:
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engaging said subject with an elongate electrosurgical device including a tube having a proximal end and a distal end and an interior surface therebetween, said device having an ablation electrode proximate said distal end, said ablation electrode being positioned within said interior surface such that it is prevented from contacting the stent by said tube and is electrically unobstructed in a radial direction in relation to an axial direction defined by said stent while being shielded from physical contact with the stent; positioning said device so that the ablation electrode is at least partially with the stent; and supplying current from a current source to said ablation electrode to ablate said obstructive material. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A therapeutic method to increase flow through an at least partially obstructed lumen, comprising the steps of:
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deploying a stent with the abstract lumen; inserting an ablation device within the stent, the device having (a) an elongate flexible tube having a distal end and a proximal end and an interior surface therebetween, the tube defining an axial direction along a length of the tube and a radial direction radially away from the tube; (b) a first ablation electrode positioned within said interior surface proximate the distal end; (c) an ablation power supply in electrical communication with said ablation electrode; (d) wherein said first ablation electrode is shielded from physical contact with the stent by said tube when the first ablation electrode is positioned within the stent; and
wherein said first ablation electrode is positioned so that it is electrically unobstructed in the radial direction by the tube while being shielded from physical contact with the stent, thereby being electrically operative in the radial direction with respect to its position along the axial direction; andusing said ablation device to ablate obstructions from the stent.
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Specification