Tissue removing catheter and RF cutting method
First Claim
1. A device for removing unwanted tissue, including:
- an elongate catheter having a proximal end and a distal end, a catheter wall defining a compartment within the catheter, and a window through the catheter wall to allow entry into the compartment;
a cartridge within the compartment, said cartridge having a cartridge wall, a cartridge opening for receiving tissue, and a cutting edge along the cartridge opening;
a control means coupled to the cartridge and operable to selectively position and move the cartridge, for providing a controlled movement of the cutting edge along an adjacent window; and
a tissue heating means comprising a cutting element disposed along the cutting edge and an energy source operatively coupled to the cutting element to heat the cutting element and thereby heat tissue adjacent the cutting edge at least to a selected temperature above normal body temperature, and to maintain said tissue adjacent the cutting edge at least at the selected temperature during said controlled movement.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An atherectomy device includes a catheter with a window at its distal tip for admitting tissue into a catheter compartment. A cylindrical cartridge in the compartment has a cutting edge that supports an electrically conductive cutting element, e.g. a band or wire. The cutting element and adjacent tissue can be heated to a selected temperature by generating an electrical current through the cutting element. The catheter is maneuverable to position its distal end near a lesion in an artery. The catheter incorporates a dilatation balloon or other feature to urge the catheter against the lesion, so that at least part of the lesion enters the compartment through the window. Then, the cartridge is manipulated from the catheter'"'"'s proximal end to move the cutting edge across the window, severing the acquired tissue. According to alternative embodiments, the cartridge is either rotated or moved axially relative to the catheter, in either event closing the catheter window when the cut is complete. Further alternatives involve either placing an indifferent electrode on the patient and providing an RF signal via a single conductor to the cutting element for ohmic heating, or providing an RF (or a DC) current through the cutting element and two separate conductors for direct resistive heating of the cutting element.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A device for removing unwanted tissue, including:
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an elongate catheter having a proximal end and a distal end, a catheter wall defining a compartment within the catheter, and a window through the catheter wall to allow entry into the compartment; a cartridge within the compartment, said cartridge having a cartridge wall, a cartridge opening for receiving tissue, and a cutting edge along the cartridge opening; a control means coupled to the cartridge and operable to selectively position and move the cartridge, for providing a controlled movement of the cutting edge along an adjacent window; and a tissue heating means comprising a cutting element disposed along the cutting edge and an energy source operatively coupled to the cutting element to heat the cutting element and thereby heat tissue adjacent the cutting edge at least to a selected temperature above normal body temperature, and to maintain said tissue adjacent the cutting edge at least at the selected temperature during said controlled movement. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A process for removing body tissue, including:
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inserting a catheter into a body, and guiding the catheter to position a window of the catheter proximate selected tissue within the body; with the window so positioned, applying a force against the catheter in a direction to urge the window and wall portion of the catheter adjacent the window toward and against the selected tissue, to cause the selected tissue to enter the catheter through the window; and while the selected tissue is within the catheter, simultaneously using a cutting edge to cut tissue in a direction along the window and generating heat near the cutting edge to heat the selected tissue near the cutting edge during cutting, to sever the selected tissue for retention within the catheter. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A process for removing selected tissue from a body, including:
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inserting an elongate catheter into a body, and guiding the catheter to selectively locate a tissue cutting element, carried by the catheter, adjacent selected tissue; and with said cutting element so selectively located, and while heating the cutting element to maintain the cutting element at least at a selected temperature above normal body temperature, manipulating the catheter to cause the cutting element to traverse a cutting path through the selected tissue whereby the heated cutting element simultaneously heats and cuts the selected tissue along the cutting path, to severe the selected tissue. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A device for removing selected tissue from a body, including:
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an elongate catheter having a proximal end and a distal end; a cutting element supported by the catheter in the region of the distal end; a position controller operatively coupled to the cutting element for providing a controlled movement of the cutting element; an energy source operatively coupled to the cutting element and adapted to heat the cutting element at least to a selected temperature of above normal body temperature, and for maintaining the cutting element at least at said selected temperature during said controlled movement; and wherein the catheter is flexible and maneuverable to locate the distal end of the catheter to position the cutting element adjacent a tissue wall segment whereby the cutting element, when undergoing the controlled movement, severs the adjacent tissue and heats the adjacent tissue while severing. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification