Expandable intravascular occlusion material removal devices and methods of use
First Claim
1. A vascular occlusion material removal device for removing vascular occlusion material in a vascular lumen, the removal device comprising:
- an expandable removal element having a distal end and a proximal end insertable intravascularly into a patient;
the expandable removal element being more highly stressed when expanded and less stressed when not expanded;
a drive shaft extending to the proximal end of the removal element;
the shaft being fixedly attached to the proximal end of the removal element and conjointly rotatable therewith; and
an inner shaft disposed through the removal element and connected to the distal end of the expandable material removal element;
the inner shaft being shiftable within the material removal element and the drive shaft;
the material removal element being expandable responsive to shifting of the inner shaft with respect to the removal element and the drive shaft.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An improved expandable removal element (16) for an atherectomy device wherein the expandable removal element (16) is movable between an expanded position and a contracted position. In one embodiment of the present invention, a single drive shaft (92) is operatively connected to the distal end of the expandable material removal element (16) for rotating the removal element (16). A catheter (178) may surround a portion of the drive shaft (92). The catheter (178) is shiftable with respect to the drive shaft (92) for moving the material removal element between the expanded position and the contracted position. In another embodiment of the present invention, dual coaxial drive shafts are employed. The inner drive shaft (312) and the outer drive (314) are shiftable with respect to one another for moving the removal element (252) between the expanded position and the contracted position. The present invention also describes several embodiments for an improved removal element (252). One embodiment of the removal element of the present invention comprised a plurality of braided wires having an abrasive disposed thereon. Another embodiment of a removal element is to provide a plurality of individual wires within each "braid" to increase the abrasive surface area of the removal element. In this "multi-ended" configuration, a plurality of wires are bundled together to form a single multi-ended strand (330). These single multi-ended strands are then braided together and an abrasive is disposed thereon to form the removal element (252). In another embodiment or the present invention is to provide a braid pattern wherein each single primary braid wire within the braid pattern is individually radially wrapped with a second "wrapping" wire (342). The "wrapping" wire (342), which may be coated with an abrasive (344), primarily performs the removal function. Finally, a number of novel methods for removing vascular occlusion material are provided.
456 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A vascular occlusion material removal device for removing vascular occlusion material in a vascular lumen, the removal device comprising:
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an expandable removal element having a distal end and a proximal end insertable intravascularly into a patient;
the expandable removal element being more highly stressed when expanded and less stressed when not expanded;a drive shaft extending to the proximal end of the removal element;
the shaft being fixedly attached to the proximal end of the removal element and conjointly rotatable therewith; andan inner shaft disposed through the removal element and connected to the distal end of the expandable material removal element;
the inner shaft being shiftable within the material removal element and the drive shaft;
the material removal element being expandable responsive to shifting of the inner shaft with respect to the removal element and the drive shaft. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification