Catheter with lumen

• US 6,253,770 B1
• Filed: 01/11/1999
• Issued: 07/03/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Biosense, Inc. (Cardinal Health, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Biosense, Inc. (Cardinal Health, Inc.)
• Inventors: Fenster, Maier, Acker, David E., Millet, Marcus J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gilbert, Samuel G.
• Application Number:
  US09/117,782
• Time in Patent Office: 904 Days
• Field of Search: 600/28, 600/424, 128/897-899
• US Class Current: 128/899
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/31 for the rectum, e.g. proctoscopes, sigmoidoscopes , colonoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/02 Instruments for taking cell samples or for biopsy A61B10/0038 and A61B10/0045 take precedence; needle locating or guiding means A61B17/3403; samplers for enzymology or microbiology C12M1/26; sampling or preparing biological specimens G01N33/48
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/04 Endoscopic instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/22012 in direct contact with, or very close to, the obstruction or concrement for removing obstructions in blood vessels by laser A61B18/245
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3403 Needle locating or guiding means guides for suture needles A61B17/0482; guiding or tracking by nuclear magnetic resonance G01R33/285
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3415 for introducing tubes or catheters, e.g. gastrostomy tubes, drain catheters A61B17/3417 takes precedence; body piercing catheter guide needles A61M25/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00482 with a code
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00725 Calibration or performance testing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22008 used or promoted
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2051 Electromagnetic tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/363 Use of fiducial points
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3929 Active markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3958 emitting a signal
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0276 Determining malfunction
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/20 Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/06 Devices, other than using radiation, for detecting or locating foreign bodies for removing same A61B17/50 ; determining position of probes within or on the body of the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/065 Determining position of the probe employing exclusively positioning means located on or in the probe, e.g. using position sensors arranged on the probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0833 involving detecting or locating foreign bodies or organic structures
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0841 for locating instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/36 Image-producing devices or illumination devices not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/39 : Markers, e.g. radio-opaque or breast lesions markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0025 : having a collapsible lumen
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0166 : Sensors, electrodes or the like for guiding the catheter to a target zone, e.g. image guided or magnetically guided
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/1052 : for temporarily occluding a vessel for isolating a sector
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0023 : by the form of the lumen, e.g. cross-section, variable diameter
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0127 : Magnetic means; Magnetic markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/10 : Balloon catheters A61M25/0125 takes precedence; embolectomy A61B17/22032; retractors A61B17/02; inflatable balloons for placing stents or stent-grafts A61F2/958 ; stomach balloons for treatment of obesity A61F5/0003; oesophagal tubes A61J15/00

Abstract

The invention is a catheter (20) with a lumen (24) wherein the lumen is obstructed by a portion of the catheter (50). The catheter (20) includes a position detector (22) at the tip of the catheter (20).

Claims

1. A medical probe comprising:

(a) a probe body adapted for insertion into a living subject, said probe body defining a lumen therein; and

(b) a blocking portion within the probe body comprising a sensor which obstructs the lumen in a first configuration of the probe and does not obstruct the lumen in a second configuration of the probe.

2. A probe as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sensor includes a position detector.

3. A probe according to claim 2, wherein the position detector comprises a sensor which senses the rotation of the probe.

4. A probe as claimed in claim 3 wherein said body is elongated and defines proximal and distal ends, said lumen extends proximally and distally within said body and wherein said sensor is mounted to said body at a sensor location adjacent said distal end.

5. A probe according to claim 4, wherein, in the first configuration, the probe has a first diameter at said sensor location and wherein, in said second configuration the probe has a second diameter at said sensor location larger than said first diameter.

6. A probe as claimed in claim 5 wherein said first diameter is substantially equal to the diameter of said probe at a location remote from said sensor location.

7. A probe according to claim 1, further comprising an inflatable portion for changing the probe from the first configuration to the second configuration.

8. A probe according to claim 1, further comprising a stylet, which is operative to change the probe between the two configurations.

9. A probe according to claim 8, wherein the stylet is a hollow stylet adapted for insertion into said lumen.

10. A probe according to claim 1, wherein the probe is biased to the second configuration, the probe further comprising a substantially rigid sheath movably mounted to said probe body and surrounding at least a portion of the probe, said sheath being movable between a first position in which said sheath maintains the probe the first configuration and a second position in which said sheath does not maintain said probe in said first position.

11. A medical probe comprising:

(a) a body adapted for insertion into a living subject, said body having a lumen formed therein; and

(b) a tip at the distal end of the probe which selectably obstructs the lumen,

wherein, the probe has a first configuration in which the tip obstructs the lumen, and a second configuration in which the tip is moved aside so that the lumen is substantially unblocked; and

wherein the probe is biased to the second configuration, the probe further comprising a substantially rigid sheath movably mounted to said probe body and surrounding at least a portion of the probe, said sheath being movable between a first position in which said sheath maintains the probe the first configuration and a second position in which said sheath does not maintain said probe in said first position.

12. A probe according to claim 11, wherein the tip is moved aside to a known position in the second configuration.

13. A probe according to claim 12, comprising a stylet which engages the tip and moves it from one configuration to the other.

14. A probe according to claim 13, wherein the tip comprises a position sensor.

15. A method of using a probe having a lumen therein and a sensor, comprising the steps of:

(a) navigating the probe into the body of a living subject to a location while said probe is in a first configuration in which said sensor obstructs said lumen of the probe;

(b) changing the configuration of the probe to a second configuration in which said sensor does not obstruct said lumen of the probe; and

(c) performing a medical procedure at the location.

16. A method as claimed in claim 15 further comprising the steps of:

(d) changing the configuration of the probe from said second configuration back to said first configuration after said step of performing a medical procedure and then; and

then

(e) removing the probe from the body.

17. A method according to claim 15 wherein said navigating step comprises navigating the probe using a position sensor mounted on the probe.

18. A method according to claim 17, wherein said navigating step comprises the step of advancing the probe to a location in an intra-body space.

19. A method according to claim 15, wherein the probe comprises a catheter.