Retrievable umbrella sieve and method of use

• US 6,245,088 B1
• Filed: 08/14/1999
• Issued: 06/12/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samuel R. Lowery
• Original Assignee: Samuel R. Lowery
• Inventors: Lowery, Samuel R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Buiz, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Trinh, Hoa B.
• Application Number:
  US09/374,833
• Time in Patent Office: 668 Days
• Field of Search: 606/200, 606/194, 606/198, 606/192, 606/108, 604/96, 604/104-108
• US Class Current: 606/200
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12022 Occluding by internal devices, e.g. balloons or releasable wires plugging an opening in the wall of an organ A61B17/0057; occluders for the cervical canal A61F6/146; vas deferens occluders A61F6/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12045 double occlusion, e.g. during anastomosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12109 in a blood vessel
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12131 characterised by the type of occluding device
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12136 Balloons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/221 Gripping devices in the form of loops or baskets for gripping calculi or similar types of obstructions surgical snare instruments A61B17/32056
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/0105 Open ended, i.e. legs gathered only at one side
• 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 2230/008 paraboloidal
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0093 Umbrella-shaped, e.g. mushroom-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0003 having an inflatable pocket filled with fluid, e.g. liquid or gas

Abstract

The present invention is a retrievable umbrella sieve for removing blood clots and other debris in blood vessels. The umbrella sieve also functions to prevent blood clots and other derbies from reaching the heart of a human or animal. One of the main uses of the umbrella sieve is for the insertion of the Inferior Vena Cava to prevent and remove blot clots before the clots reach the heart. There are two embodiments of the umbrella sieve. The umbrella sieve provides a method and apparatus for used during the medical surgical treatment phase of thrombophlebitis and venous thrombosos in the precautionary prevention of pulmonary emboli. The umbrella sieve provides a method and apparatus for routinely placing a preventive device in lower extremity fractures, especially that of the hip, in anticipation of preventing pulmonary emboli. The umbrella sieve provides a method and apparatus that is retrievable.

Claims

1. An umbrella sieve for capturing objects in a blood vessel comprising:

an inserter tube being a hollow tube and having a top and inflation line opening;

an umbrella cap having a lower peripheral circumference edge and an ability to fold like a rain umbrella;

said umbrella cap having a perforated surface to allow the passage of fluids of the blood vessel;

said umbrella cap attached to said top of said inserter tube; and

an inflatable circumfrential balloon attached to said lower peripheral circumference edge for extending said umbrella cap when inflated;

a first inflation line connected to said circumfrential balloon for inflating said circumfrential balloon, said first inflation line running along an inside of said hollow tube and exiting out said inflation line opening.

2. The umbrella sieve of claim 1, wherein said inserter tube is flexible.

3. An umbrella sieve for capturing objects in a blood vessel comprising:

an inserter tube having a top;

an umbrella cap having a lower peripheral circumference edge and an ability to fold like a rain umbrella;

said umbrella cap having a perforated surface to allow the passage of fluids of the blood vessel;

said umbrella cap attached to said top of said inserter tube;

an inflatable circumfrential balloon attached to said lower peripheral circumference edge for extending said umbrella cap when inflated;

a first inflation line connected to said circumfrential balloon for inflating said circumfrential balloon; and

an occlusive membrane attached to said inserter tube and below said umbrella cap; and

wherein said membrane is extendible from around said inserter tube toward an inside wall of the blood vessel in order to form a treatment compartment.

4. The umbrella sieve of claim 3, further including an inflatable occlusive balloon attached to said occlusive membrane for extending said occlusive membrane and further including a second inflation line for inflating said occlusive balloon.

5. The umbrella sieve of claim 4, wherein said inserter tube is hollow and includes an inflation line opening for the exiting of said second inflation line which runs along an inside of said hollow tube and exits out said inflation line opening.

6. The umbrella sieve of claim 4, wherein said inserter tube is a solid flexible tube and said first and second inflation lines are mounted to an outside surface of said inserter tube.

7. An umbrella sieve for capturing objects in a blood vessel comprising:

an inserter tube having a top;

an umbrella cap having a lower peripheral circumference edge, said umbrella cap being foldable like a rain umbrella and also being foldable in a reverse direction of normal for a rain umbrella to allow retrieval of said umbrella sieve;

said umbrella cap having a perforated surface to allow the passage of fluids of the blood vessel;

said umbrella cap attached to said top of said inserter tube;

an inflatable circumfrential balloon attached to said lower peripheral circumference edge for extending said umbrella cap when inflated; and

a first inflation line connected to said circumfrential balloon for inflating said circumfrential balloon.

8. An umbrella sieve for capturing objects in a blood vessel comprising:

an inserter tube having a top;

an umbrella cap having a lower peripheral circumference edge and an ability to fold like a rain umbrella;

said umbrella cap having a perforated surface to allow the passage of fluids of the blood vessel;

said umbrella cap attached to said top of said inserter tube;

an inflatable circumfrential balloon attached to said lower peripheral circumference edge for extending said umbrella cap when inflated;

a first inflation line connected to said circumfrential balloon for inflating said circumfrential balloon; and

an inflation reservoir attached to said first inflation line, said inflation reservoir being flexible and capable of containing a sterilized fluid used to inflate said circumfrential balloon.

9. The umbrella sieve of claim 8, wherein said inserter tube is a hollow tube.

10. The umbrella sieve of claim 9, wherein said first inflation line runs along inside said hollow tube and exits out an inflation line opening.

11. The umbrella sieve of claim 8, wherein said inserter tube is a solid tube.

12. The umbrella sieve of claim 11, wherein said first inflation line is attached to an outside surface of said inserter tube.

13. The umbrella sieve of claim 8, future including an occlusive membrane attached to said inserter tube and below said umbrella cap;

and wherein said membrane is extendible outward from around said inserter tube to an inside wall of the blood vessel in order to form a treatment compartment.

14. The umbrella sieve of claim 13, further including an inflatable occlusive balloon attached to said occlusive membrane for extending said occlusive membrane and further including a second inflation line for inflating said occlusive balloon.

15. The umbrella sieve of claim 14, wherein said inserter tube is hollow and includes an inflation line opening for the exiting of said second inflation line which runs along inside said hollow tube and exits out said inflation line opening.

16. The umbrella sieve of claim 14, wherein said inserter tube is a solid flexible tube and said second inflation line is mounted to an outside surface of said inserter tube.

17. The umbrella sieve of claim 8, wherein said umbrella cap folds in a reverse direction for retrieval of said umbrella sieve.

18. A method of capturing and removing objects in a blood vessel using an umbrella sieve that includes an inserter tube having a top;

an umbrella cap having a lower peripheral circumference edge and ability to fold like a rain umbrella;

the umbrella cap having a perforated surface to allow the passage of fluids;

the umbrella cap attached to the top of the inserter tube;

an inflatable circumfrential balloon attached to the lower peripheral circumference edge for extending the umbrella cap when inflated;

a first inflation line connected to the circumfrential balloon for inflating the circumfrential balloon; and

an occlusive membrane attached to the inserter tube and below the umbrella cap, wherein the occlusive membrane is extendible outward from around the inserter tube toward an inside wall of the blood vessel in order to form a treatment compartment;

comprising;

inserting the umbrella sieve into the blood vessel;

inflating the circumfrential balloon to extend the umbrella cap;

capturing objects in flow of the blood vessel;

removing the objects captured;

extending said occlusive membrane when desired to form said treatment compartment;

deflating the circumfrential balloon when desired to allow the objects to enter the treatment compartment; and

deflating the circumfrential balloon and the retracting the occlusive membrane when desired to removing the umbrella sieve.

19. The method of claim 18, further including an occlusive balloon attached to said occlusive membrane;

further including a second inflation line connected to said occlusive balloon; and

wherein the occlusive membrane is extendible outward from the inserter tube to form said treatment compartment by inflating the occlusive balloon; and

further including before removal of the umbrella sieve, the deflation of the occlusive balloon to retract the occlusive membrane.

20. A method of capturing and removing objects in a blood vessel using an umbrella sieve that includes an inserter tube having a top;

an umbrella cap having a lower peripheral circumference edge and ability to fold like a rain umbrella;

the umbrella cap having a perforated surface to allow the passage of fluids;

the umbrella cap attached to the top of the inserter tube;

an inflatable circumfrential balloon attached to the lower peripheral circumference edge for extending the umbrella cap when inflated;

a first inflation line connected to the circumfrential balloon for inflating the circumfrential balloon; and

a first inflation reservoir attached to the first inflation line, the inflation reservoir being flexible and capable of containing a sterilized fluid used to inflate said circumfrential balloon;

comprising;

inserting the umbrella sieve into the blood vessel;

inflating the circumfrential balloon to extend the umbrella cap by applying pressure to the first inflation reservoir attached to the first inflation line;

capturing objects in flow of the blood vessel;

removing the objects captured;

deflating the circumfrential balloon when desired by removing the pressure to the first inflation reservoir attached to the first inflation line; and

removing the umbrella sieve.

21. The method of claim 20, further including an occlusive membrane attached to said inserter tube and below said umbrella cap, wherein said membrane is extendible outward from around said inserter tube to an inside wall of the blood vessel in order to form a treatment compartment.

22. The method of claim 21, further including an occlusive balloon attached to the occlusive membrane;

further including a second inflation line attached to the occlusive balloon;

further including a second inflation reservoir attached to said second inflation line, said second inflation reservoir being flexible and capable of containing a sterilized fluid used to inflate said occlusive balloon;

wherein said membrane is extendible outward from around said inserter tube by applying pressure to the second inflation reservoir attached to the first inflation line; and

wherein the occlusive balloon is deflated by removing the pressure to the second inflation reservoir attached to the second inflation line.