Device for the electrolytic dissolution of urinary stones and related method of treatment of urinary calculosis

• US 6,248,113 B1
• Filed: 03/03/1999
• Issued: 06/19/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ernesto Fina
• Original Assignee: Ernesto Fina
• Inventors: Fina, Ernesto
• Primary Examiner(s): Mancene, Gene
• Assistant Examiner(s): Priddy, Michael B.
• Application Number:
  US09/261,189
• Time in Patent Office: 839 Days
• Field of Search: 606/127, 606/2.5, 606/49, 606/128
• US Class Current: 606/127
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/22 Implements for squeezing-off ulcers or the like on the inside of inner organs of the body; Implements for scraping-out cavities of body organs, e.g. bones; Calculus removers; Calculus smashing apparatus; Apparatus for removing obstructions in blood vessels, not otherwise provided for dilators A61M29/00
• 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: A61B 2017/22084 stone- or thrombus-dissolving
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2212 having a closed distal end, e.g. a loop
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2215 having an open distal end
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2217 single wire changing shape to a gripping configuration

Abstract

A device for the electrolytic dissolution of urinary calculi in patients affected by urinary calculosis, the particularity whereof consists of the fact that it has: a tubular sleeve which is meant to be inserted in the urinary cavities of a patient, a cathode electrode accommodated in the sleeve, and at least one anode electrode which can slide within the sleeve so as to protrude, in an active position, from the sleeve in order to make contact with a calculus and dissolve it electrolytically in association with the cathode electrode.

Claims

1. A device for the dissolution of urinary calculi in patients affected by urinary calculosis, comprising:

a tubular sleeve adapted for insertion in a urinary cavity of a patient; and

two or more electrodes connectable to a source of electricity so as to form an electrolytic circuit for electrolytic calculus dissolution;

said two or more electrodes comprising at least one slideable electrode which is slidably accommodated inside said tubular sleeve between;

a first position in which said at least one slideable electrode is substantially completely accommodated inside said tubular sleeve for facilitating the insertion of the tubular sleeve inside the urinary cavity of the patient; and

a second position in which said at least one slideable electrode protrudes outside of said tubular sleeve once said tubular sleeve has been inserted inside the urinary cavity of the patient for making contact with a calculus located in the urinary cavity of the patient for electrolytic dissolution of the calculus upon formation of said electrolytic circuit of said two or more electrodes.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said at least one slideable electrode slidably accommodated inside said tubular sleeve between said first and second positions comprises a probe and a filament of electrically conducting material internally accommodated within said probe, said probe being slidably accommodated inside said tubular sleeve between said first and second positions, and said filament having an end portion for protruding from said probe for making contact with the calculus located in the urinary cavity of the patient.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein said filament is slidably accommodated inside said probe between an inactive position in which said end portion of said filament is substantially completely accommodated within said probe and an active position in which said end portion of said filament protrudes from said tubular sleeve for making contact with the calculus located in the urinary cavity of the patient.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein said end portion of said filament is expanded in said active position with respect to said inactive position.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein said end portion of said filament is shaped in said active position for trapping the calculus between said filament and the end of said tubular sleeve from which said end portion of said filament protrudes.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein a fixed electrode of said two or more electrodes other than said at least one slideable electrode slidably accommodated inside said tubular sleeve is fixed in position inside said tubular sleeve.

7. The device of claim 6 comprising a first slideable electrode and a second slideable electrode each slidably accommodated inside said tubular sleeve between respective said first and second positions and each comprising a respective probe and a respective filament of electrically conducting material internally slidably accommodated within said respective probe which is slidably accommodated inside said tubular sleeve between said respective first and second positions, and said filament of said second slideable electrode having a respective expandable end portion for protruding from said probe of said second slideable electrode in an active position in which said expandable end portion of said filament of said second slideble electrode protrudes from said probe for making contact with the calculus located in the urinary cavity of the patient while in an inactive position said expandable end portion of said filament of said second slideable electrode is substantially completely accommodated within said probe of said second slideable electrode.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein for said first slideable electrode slidably accommodated inside said tubular sleeve, said end portion of said filament is shaped in said active position for trapping the calculus between said filament and the end of said tubular sleeve from which said end portion of said filament protrudes, and wherein for said second slideable electrode said expandable end portion has a plurality of expanded points for making contact with the calculus in said active position of said second slideable electrode.

9. The device of claim 8 wherein said second slideable electrode is pushed continuously against the calculus by an elastic means.

10. The device of claim 1 comprising two slideable electrodes each of which is slidably accommodated inside said tubular sleeve.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein a first one of said two slideable electrodes is a linear electrode, and a second one of said two slideable electrodes is a spiral shaped electrode which extends about said linear electrode and which is slidably accommodated inside said tubular sleeve between said first and second positions.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein said linear electrode is slidably accommodated inside said tubular sleeve between a first position, in which said linear electrode is substantially completely accommodated inside said tubular sleeve for facilitating the insertion of said electrode inside the urinary cavity of the patient, and a second position, in which said linear electrode protrudes outside of said tubular sleeve for facilitating the formation of said electrolytic circuit between said linear electrode arranged in its respective second position and said spiral shaped electrode arranged in its respective second position.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein said spiral-shaped electrode comprises a lower conical spiral portion arranged adjacent the end of said tubular sleeve when said spiral-shaped electrode is arranged in its respective second position, an upper peripheral ring portion arranged distally from said lower conical spiral portion, and a connecting portion interconnecting said lower conical spiral portion and said upper ring portion, said lower conical spiral portion having an exposed electrically conducting portion for contact with the patient'"'"'s calculus.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein said lower conical spiral portion and said upper peripheral ring portion of said spiral-shaped electrode form an expanded basket-shaped container for containing a patient'"'"'s calculus when said spiral-shaped electrode is arranged in its respective second position.

15. The device of claim 13, wherein said upper ring portion is electrically insulated.

16. A method for treating urinary calculoses by intracavitary electrolitholysis, comprising the steps of:

inserting a tubular sleeve in a urinary cavity of a patient so as to position a tip of said tubular sleeve proximate to a urinary calculus of the patient;

positioning two or more electrodes inside said tubular sleeve;

sliding said electrodes along said sleeve so as to cause the protrusion of an electrically conducting tip of said electrodes from said tubular sleeve in an active position in which said electrodes are in contact with the urinary calculus of the patient;

electrically connecting said electrodes to an external power source;

applying a potential difference across said electrodes in order to create a flow of electric current which is suitable to produce electrolitholysis of the urinary calculus.

17. A method according to claim 16, including:

sliding at least one of said electrodes formed by a filament made of electrically conducting material and having said electrically conducting tip which is slidably accommodated within a probe; and

sliding said filament inside said probe such that said electrically conducting tip expands outside of said probe and makes contact with the urinary calculus of the patient.

18. A method according to claim 17, including retaining the urinary calculus by means of the electrically conducting tip of said filament which has expanded.

19. A method according to claim 16, further comprising the steps of:

slidably inserting in said sleeve a further electrode comprising a probe which accommodates a filament made of electrically conducting material which has an extractable tip;

placing said extractable tip of said further electrode in contact with the urinary calculus and keeping it in contact with said calculus substantially throughout the treatment; and

applying an electric current in order to increase electrolitholysis of the calculus.

20. A method according to claim 16, further including the withdrawal of said tubular sleeve after positioning said electrodes in active position in contact with urinary calculation of the patient.

21. A method according to claim 16, including inserting said tubular sleeve in the urinary cavity percutaneously.

22. A method according to claim 16, including inserting said tubular sleeve in the urinary cavity through the urinary tract.