Cutting stent with flexible tissue extractor
First Claim
1. A catheter comprising:
- a self-expanding cutting stent;
a retractable sheath for containing said self-expanding cutting stent, whereby when said retractable sheath is retracted relative to said self-expanding cutting stent, said self-expanding cutting stent expands to cut tissue; and
means for pushing against any tissue extending through said self-expanding stent, to thereby cut said tissue.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A catheter in accordance with my invention comprises a temporary self-expanding cutting stent and a retractable sheath for containing the self-expanding cutting stent. The catheter is positioned such that the self-expanding cutting stent is within a stenosis or other blockage within an artery. The retractable sheath is then retracted, and the self-expanding cutting stent expands, cutting through stenotic tissue, scar tissue, or other tissue blocking the artery. A second retractable structure, such as a coil, a ring, a screw or a second self-expanding cutting stent extends through the interior of the temporary self-expanding is cutting stent, and cuts any tissue extending through the struts of the temporary self-expanding cutting stent, and pulling that tissue to a location within the sheath. The sheath is then pushed back over the self-expanding cutting stent, and the catheter is then retracted.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A catheter comprising:
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a self-expanding cutting stent; a retractable sheath for containing said self-expanding cutting stent, whereby when said retractable sheath is retracted relative to said self-expanding cutting stent, said self-expanding cutting stent expands to cut tissue; and means for pushing against any tissue extending through said self-expanding stent, to thereby cut said tissue. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A catheter comprising:
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a self-expanding cutting stent; a retractable sheath for containing said self-expanding cutting stent, whereby when said retractable sheath is retracted relative to said self-expanding cutting stent, said self-expanding cutting stent expands to cut tissue; and a cutting tool which pushes against any tissue extending through said self-expanding cutting stent, to thereby cut said tissue.
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6. A method for removing material from a patient'"'"'s vascular system comprising the steps of:
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inserting a catheter into said patient, said catheter comprising an expandable stent at the distal end of said catheter covered by a retractable sheath; retracting said retractable sheath, thereby exposing said expandable stent and permitting said expandable stent to extend into said material; and withdrawing a member through the interior of said expandable stent to shear off any of said material extending through said expandable stent. - View Dependent Claims (7)
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8. A catheter comprising:
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a spring-action stent including a plurality of interconnected struts with open regions between adjacent struts, the struts having cutting edges; and a retractable sheath having a size and shape suitable for containing the springaction stent, the retractable sheath holding the spring-action stent in a coiled configuration when positioned over the spring-action stent, the retractable sheath being retractable from the spring-action stent to release the spring-action coil into an expanded recoil configuration. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of removing material from walls of a patient'"'"'s body lumen comprising:
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inserting a catheter into the body lumen, the catheter including a spring-action stent and a retractable sheath, the spring-action stent including a plurality of interconnected struts with open regions between adjacent struts, the struts having cutting edges, the retractable sheath having a size and shape suitable for containing the spring-action stent, the retractable sheath holding the spring-action stent in a coiled configuration when positioned over the spring-action stent; retracting the retractable sheath from the spring-action stent thereby releasing the spring-action coil into an expanded recoil configuration so that the struts press into the material, forcing material into the open regions; and moving the material relative to the spring-action coil, shearing material in the open regions. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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21. A catheter comprising:
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a spring-action cutting element including a plurality of interconnected struts with open regions between adjacent struts, the struts having cutting edges; and a retractable sheath having a size and shape suitable for containing the spring-action cutting element, the retractable sheath holding the spring-action cutting element in a coiled configuration when positioned over the spring-action cutting element, the retractable sheath being retractable from the spring-action cutting element to release the spring-action coil into an expanded recoil configuration. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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23. A method of removing material from walls of a patient'"'"'s body lumen comprising:
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inserting a catheter into the body lumen, the catheter including a spring-action cutting element and a retractable sheath, the spring-action cutting element including a plurality of interconnected struts with open regions between adjacent struts, the struts having cutting edges, the retractable sheath having a size and shape suitable for containing the spring-action cutting element, the retractable sheath holding the spring-action cutting element in a coiled configuration when positioned over the spring-action cutting element; retracting the retractable sheath from the spring-action cutting element thereby releasing the spring-action coil into an expanded recoil configuration so that the struts press into the material, forcing material into the open regions; and moving the material relative to the spring-action coil, shearing material in the open regions. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26)
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Specification