Flexible flow apparatus and method for the disruption of occlusions

• US 6,210,400 B1
• Filed: 10/02/1998
• Issued: 04/03/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: W. L. Gore & Associates (W.L. Gore & Associates)
• Original Assignee: Endovasix, Inc.
• Inventors: Esch, Victor C., Tran, Quang Q., Levine, Marc-Alan, Hebert, Stephen J., Sucgang, Eduardo U.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dvorak, Linda C. M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): FARAH, AHMED M
• Application Number:
  US09/165,435
• Time in Patent Office: 914 Days
• Field of Search: 606/7-9, 606/4, 606/6, 606/15, 128/303.1, 128/660, 623/1
• US Class Current: 606/7
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/245 for removing obstructions in blood vessels or calculi
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/26 for producing a shock wave, e.g. laser lithotripsy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00176 Two pulses, e.g. second pulse having an effect different from the first one
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/2211 Plurality of fibres

Abstract

Apparatus for pumping fluid from one location to another via generation of bubbles in fluid, and expansion and callapse thereof, are described. These apparatus deliver repetitive pulses of radiation to a fluid to form bubbles therein. The expansion and collapse of the bubbles cause fluid motion or pumping. This pumping can be used to facilitate removal of a total or partial occlusion in a body passage by a variety of mechanisms. The apparatus are flexible to facilitate use within a body passage.

Claims

1. An apparatus for generating fluid flow in a blood vessel, comprising:

a sheath having a distal end, at least one inlet port of a construction sufficient for allowing fluid to pass into the sheath, and a least one outlet port of a construction sufficient for allowing fluid to pass from the sheath into the vessel, said outlet port proximal of said inlet port; and

at least a first optical fiber for delivering radiation sufficient to generate fluid flow in a pathway within the sheath between said inlet port and said outlet port, said first optical fiber having a distal end disposed within said sheath such that, when said optical fiber delivers radiation, fluid in the pathway passes by said optical fiber distal end.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said apparatus comprises at least three outlet ports spaced circumferentially apart from one another.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the sheath comprises an inner and an outer wall.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein at least one of the inner and outer walls comprises a flexible polymeric material.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein both of said inner and outer walls of said sheath comprise PVC.

6. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein at least one of said inner and outer walls is relatively transparent.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said outlet port comprises a set of a plurality of openings in the sidewall of said sheath.

8. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein each of said outlet ports comprises a set of a plurality of openings in the sheath sidewall.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein each of said sets of outlet port openings is longitudinally arranged and said sets of openings are circumferentially spaced about 90 degrees apart.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein each of said sets of openings is longitudinally arranged and each said set is offset with respect to at least one other of said sets.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the openings in each of said sets is spaced in a nonlinear longitudinal configuration.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the nonlinear configuration is spiral.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the sheath comprises an inner and an outer wall.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein at least one of the inner and outer walls comprises a flexible polymeric material.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein both of said inner and outer walls of said sheath comprise PVC.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a distal-most portion of said outlet port is at least about 3 cm proximal from a distal-most portion of said apparatus.

17. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein a distal-most portion of each of said outlet ports is at least about 3 proximal from a distal-most portion of said apparatus.

18. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein a distal-most portion of each of said sets of said outlet port openings is at least about 3 cm proximal from a distal-most portion of said apparatus.

19. An apparatus for generating fluid flow in a blood vessel, comprising:

a sheath having a distal end, at least one inlet port of a construction sufficient for allowing fluid to pass into the sheath, and at least one outlet port of a construction sufficient for allowing fluid to pass from the sheath into the vessel, said outlet port proximal of said inlet port, said outlet port comprising a set of a plurality of openings in the sidewall of said sheath; and

at least a first optical fiber having a distal end, said optical fiber distal end positioned in the vicinity of said inlet port, wherein a distal-most portion of said outlet port is at least about 3 cm proximal from a distal-most portion of said apparatus.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said apparatus comprises at least three outlet ports spaced circumferentially apart from one another.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the sheath comprises an inner and outer wall.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein at least one of the inner and outer walls comprises a flexible polymeric material.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein both of said inner and outer walls of said sheath comprise PVC.

24. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein at least one of said inner and outer walls is relatively transparent.

25. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein each of said outlet ports comprises a set of a plurality of openings in the sheath sidewall, such that a distal-most portion of each of said sets of outlet port openings is at least about 3 cm proximal from a distal-most portion of said apparatus.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein each of said sets of outlet port openings is longitudinally arranged and said sets of openings are circumferentially spaced about 90 degrees apart.

27. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein each of said sets of opening'"'"'s is longitudinally arranged and each said set is offset with respect to at least one other of said sets.

28. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the openings in each of said sets is spaced in a nonlinear longitudinal configuration.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the nonlinear configuration is spiral.

30. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the sheath comprises an inner and outer wall.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein at least one of the inner and outer walls comprises a flexible polymeric material.

32. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein both of said inner and outer walls of said sheath comprise PVC.