Catheter-filter set having a compliant seal

• US 5,954,745 A
• Filed: 05/15/1998
• Issued: 09/21/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Jonathan Gertler, Roger Kamm
• Inventors: Kamm, Roger, Gertler, Jonathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Buiz, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEWIS, WILLIAM W
• Application Number:
  US09/079,816
• Time in Patent Office: 494 Days
• Field of Search: 606/1, 606/191, 606/194, 606/159, 606/198, 606/200, 604/96, 604/101, 128/898, 128/899
• US Class Current: 606/200
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/01 Filters implantable into blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/011 Instruments for their placement or removal
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/018 made from tubes or sheets of material, e.g. by etching or laser-cutting
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0006 circular
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0067 conical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/008 paraboloidal
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0003 having an inflatable pocket filled with fluid, e.g. liquid or gas
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/104 used for angioplasty

Abstract

A catheter-filter set in an embodiment may be used in a vas through which a biological fluid may flow. This embodiment includes a tubular member, having a lumen disposed along its length and an insertion end for insertion into the vas. The lumen defines a longitudinal axis and a radial direction perpendicular thereto. The embodiment also has a filter, coupled to the tubular member and having a circumference, for trapping undesired particles. Finally, the embodiment includes a resilient member, having compliance in the radial direction, disposed circumferentially about the filter and, when deployed in the vas, forms a seal against the interior wall of the vas. Other embodiments are also provided.

Claims

1. A catheter-filter set for use in a vas through which a biological fluid may flow, the vas having an interior wall, the fluid flow defining downstream and upstream directions, there being a risk of the presence of undesired particles in the fluid, the catheter-filter set comprising:

a. a tubular member, having a lumen disposed along its length and an insertion end for insertion into the vas, the lumen defining a longitudinal axis and a radial direction perpendicular thereto;

b. a filter, coupled to the tubular member and having a circumference, for trapping undesired particles; and

c. a resilient member, having compliance in the radial direction, disposed circumferentially about the filter and, when deployed in the vas, forming a seal against the interior wall,

wherein the resilient member is a non-inflatable O-ring.

2. A catheter-filter set for use in a vas through which a biological fluid may flow, the vas having an interior wall, the fluid flow defining downstream and upstream directions, there being a risk of the presence of undesired particles in the fluid, the catheter-filter set comprising:

a. a tubular member, having a lumen disposed along its length and an insertion end for insertion into the vas, the lumen defining a longitudinal axis and a radial direction perpendicular thereto;

b. a filter, coupled to the tubular member and having a circumference, for trapping undesired particles; and

c. a resilient member, having compliance in the radial direction, disposed circumferentially about the filter and, when deployed in the vas, forming a seal against the interior wall,

wherein the resilient member is a non-inflatable sleeve.

3. A catheter-filter set for use in a vas through which a biological fluid may flow, the vas having an interior wall, the fluid flow defining downstream and upstream directions, there being a risk of the presence of undesired particles in the fluid, the catheter-filter set comprising:

a. a tubular member, having a lumen disposed along its length and an insertion end for insertion into the vas, the lumen defining a longitudinal axis and a radial direction perpendicular thereto;

b. a filter, coupled to the tubular member and having a circumference, for trapping undesired particles;

c. a balloon having an interior for receiving an inflation fluid and a shape so that when the balloon is inflated there is provided a passageway permitting fluid flow through the filter; and

d. an elastic member coupled to the balloon and the tubular member for causing the balloon to be radially confined when not deployed.

4. A catheter-filter set for use in a vas through which a biological fluid may flow, the vas having an interior wall, the fluid flow defining downstream and upstream directions, there being a risk of the presence of undesired particles in the fluid, the catheter-filter set comprising:

a. a tubular member, having a lumen disposed along its length and an insertion end for insertion into the vas, the lumen defining a longitudinal axis and a radial direction perpendicular thereto;

b. a filter, coupled to the tubular member and having a circumference, for trapping undesired particles;

c. a toroidal-shaped balloon having an interior for receiving an inflation fluid, the interior having a cross-section,

so that when the balloon is inflated there is provided a passageway permitting fluid flow through the filter, and wherein the balloon has anisotropic elasticity so that during inflation its interior cross-section expands relatively less than its radial extent.

5. A catheter-filter set for use in a vas through which a biological fluid may flow, the vas having an interior wall, the fluid flow defining downstream and upstream directions, there being a risk of the presence of undesired particles in the fluid, the catheter-filter set comprising:

a. a tubular member, having a first lumen disposed along its length, an insertion end for insertion into and a retraction end for retraction out of the vas, the lumen defining a longitudinal axis and a radial direction perpendicular thereto;

b. a filter, coupled to the tubular member proximal to the insertion end, wherein the filter has a stowed position wherein the filter is radially confined so that the catheter-filter set may be inserted into and removed from the vas, and a deployed position, wherein the filter is radially expanded; and

c. a non-inflatable actuator, coupled to the filter, for causing the filter to move from the stowed position to the deployed position;

wherein, absent operation of the actuator, the filter is biased to be in the stowed position.

6. A catheter-filter set according to claim 5, further comprising:

d. a vas conditions-modifying element, associated with the tubular member and located upstream from the filter.

7. A catheter-filter set according to claim 5 wherein element (d) is an angioplasty balloon.

8. A catheter-filter set according to claim 5, wherein the tubular member has a second lumen, the second lumen having an inlet upstream from the vas conditions-modifying element and an outlet downstream from the filter, permitting unimpeded, downstream fluid flow to bypass the filter.

9. A catheter-filter set according to claim 8, wherein the second lumen has a diameter of from approximately 1 mm to approximately 2 mm.

10. A catheter-filter set according to claim 5, further comprising:

d. a plurality of resilient ribs, each rib having a first end coupled to the tubular member, each rib also coupled to the filter, the ribs having a stowed condition in which they are parallel to the longitudinal axis and having a deployed condition in which at least a portion of each rib is disposed radially outward from the tubular member.

11. A catheter-filter set according to claim 10, wherein the filter, in the deployed position, has a maximum radial extent and each rib, in the deployed condition, radially extends a distance less than the maximum radial extent of the filter.

12. A catheter-filter set according to claim 10, wherein each rib has a second end slidably mounted on the tubular member and coupled to the actuator.

13. A catheter-filter set according to claim 12, wherein each rib is coupled to a collar slidably mounted on the tubular member.

14. A catheter-filter set according to claim 10, further comprising:

e. a vas conditions-modifying element, associated with the tubular member and located upstream from the filter.

15. A catheter-filter set according to claim 14 wherein element (e) is an angioplasty balloon.

16. A catheter-filter set according to claim 14, wherein the tubular member has a second lumen, the second lumen having an inlet upstream from the vas conditions-modifying element and an outlet downstream from the filter, permitting unimpeded, downstream fluid flow to bypass the filter.

17. A catheter-filter set according to claim 16, wherein the second lumen has a diameter of from approximately 1 mm to approximately 2 mm.

18. A catheter-filter set according to claim 5, further comprising:

d. a resilient member, having compliance in the radial direction, disposed circumferentially about the filter and, when deployed in the vas, forming a seal against the interior wall.

19. A catheter-filter set according to claim 18, further comprising:

e. a plurality of resilient ribs, each rib having a first end coupled to the tubular member, each rib also coupled to the filter, the ribs having a stowed condition in which they are parallel to the longitudinal axis and having a deployed condition in which at least a portion of each rib is disposed radially outward from the tubular member.

20. A catheter-filter set according to claim 19, wherein the filter, in the deployed position, has a maximum radial extent and each rib, in the deployed condition, radially extends a distance less than the maximum radial extent of the filter.

21. A catheter-filter set according to claim 19, wherein each rib has a second end slidably mounted on the tubular member and coupled to the actuator.

22. A catheter-filter set according to claim 21, wherein each rib is coupled to a collar slidably mounted on the tubular member.

23. A catheter-filter set according to claim 19, further comprising:

f. a vas conditions-modifying element, associated with the tubular member and located upstream from the filter.

24. A catheter-filter set according to claim 23 wherein element (f) is an angioplasty balloon.

25. A catheter-filter set according to claim 19, wherein the tubular member has a second lumen, the second lumen having an inlet upstream from the vas conditions-modifying element and an outlet downstream from the filter, permitting unimpeded, downstream fluid flow to bypass the filter.

26. A catheter-filter set according to claim 25, wherein the second lumen has a diameter of from approximately 1 mm to approximately 2 mm.

27. A catheter-filter set according to claim 18, wherein the resilient member is an O-ring.

28. A catheter-filter set according to claim 18, wherein the resilient member is a sleeve.

29. A catheter-filter set according to claim 18, wherein the resilient member is a resilient balloon having an interior for receiving an inflation fluid and a shape so that when the resilient balloon is inflated there is provided a passageway permitting fluid flow through the filter.

30. A catheter-filter set according to claim 29, wherein the resilient balloon is toroidal and its interior has a cross-section.

31. A catheter-filter set according to claim 30, wherein the resilient balloon has anisotropic elasticity so that during inflation its interior cross-section expands relatively less than its radial extent.