Transluminal methods and devices for closing, forming attachments to, and/or forming anastomotic junctions in, luminal anatomical structures

• US 6,071,292 A
• Filed: 06/28/1997
• Issued: 06/06/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Vascular, Inc. (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: TransVascular, Inc. (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Whitt, Jason Brian, Machold, Timothy R., Flaherty, J. Christopher, Makower, Joshua, Garibotto, John Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Jackson, Gary
• Application Number:
  US08/896,307
• Time in Patent Office: 1,074 Days
• Field of Search: 606/157, 606/158, 606/151, 606/213, 606/139, 606/141, 606/148, 606/215
• US Class Current: 606/158
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0401 Suture anchors, buttons or pledgets, i.e. means for attaching sutures to bone, cartilage or soft tissue; Instruments for applying or removing suture anchors A61B17/0642 takes precedence; fixation devices for tendons or ligaments A61F2/0811
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0469 Suturing instruments for use in minimally invasive surgery, e.g. endoscopic surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0482 Needle or suture guides guides for drills, pins or wire A61B17/17; for puncturing needles A61B17/3403
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/06 Needles ; Sutures; Needle-suture combinations; Holders or packages for needles or suture materials puncturing needles A61B17/34; hypodermic needles A61M5/32 ; sewing needles D05B85/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/064 Surgical staples, i.e. penetrating the tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/11 for performing anastomosis; Buttons for anastomosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12 for ligaturing or otherwise compressing tubular parts of the body, e.g. blood vessels, umbilical cord specially adapted for vas deferens or fallopian tubes A61F6/20; materials for ligaturing blood vessels A61L17/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12013 for use in minimally invasive surgery, e.g. endoscopic surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00292 mounted on or guided by flexible, e.g. catheter-like, means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00557 inflatable A61B2017/22051 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00946 malleable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0409 Instruments for applying suture anchors for applying suture clamps, clips or locks A61B2017/0488
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0419 H-fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0454 the anchor being crimped or clamped on the suture
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0458 Longitudinal through hole, e.g. suture blocked by a distal suture knot
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0464 for soft tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06047 located at the middle of the needle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/1107 for blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/1135 End-to-side connections, e.g. T- or Y-connections Y-shaped blood vessel prostheses A61F2002/065
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/1139 Side-to-side connections, e.g. shunt or X-connections

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for passing attachment apparatus (e.g., connector devices, staples, etc.) or connector material (e.g., suture thread, wire, cord, filament, monofilament, etc.) into or through the wall of a luminal anatomical structure (e.g., a blood vessel or other anatomical conduit) for the purpose of; i) closing the lumen of the anatomical structure, ii) forming an anastomotic junction between separate anatomical structures (or between approximated segments of the same anatomical structure), and/or iii) attaching an article (e.g., an endoluminal, extraluminal or transluminal graft) or other apparatus to the wall of the anatomical structure.

Claims

1. A device for fully or partially closing a blood vessel that has a wall, an outer surface and a lumen extending therethrough, said device comprising:

a catheter that is advanceable into the lumen of said blood vessel;

an elongate, resilient member having a distal end and at least one vessel engaging member formed thereon, said elongate member being biased to a coiled configuration;

said elongate member being initially disposed in said catheter and subsequently deployable out of said catheter after the catheter has been advanced into the lumen of said blood vessel such that a) the elongate member passes distal-end-first from the lumen of the blood vessel outwardly through the wall of the blood vessel, b) the elongate member advances at least part of the way around the outer surface of the blood vessel without re-penetrating the wall of the blood vessel, and c) said at least one vessel engaging members engages the outer surface of the blood vessel and d) the bias of the elongate member causes it to assume a coiled configuration thereby causing the lumen of the blood vessel to become at least partially closed.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said vessel engaging member comprises a barb.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said tissue engaging member comprises a hook.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein said vessel engaging member comprises a projection.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein said vessel engaging member comprises a cross member.

6. The device of claim 1 further comprising:

a penetration sleeve that has a distal end and a hollow bore extending th-therethrough, said penetration sleeve being initially advanceable from the catheter to penetrate outwardly through the wall of the blood vessel such that said elongate member is subsequently advanceable through the bore of the penetration sleeve about the outer surface of the blood vessel.