Apparatus for deployment of micro-coil using a catheter

• US 6,500,149 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2001
• Issued: 12/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Micrus Corporation (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Micrus Corporation (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Ferrera, David A., Ramzipoor, Kamal, Gandhi, Deepak
• Primary Examiner(s): Hayes, Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US09/790,983
• Publication Number:
  US 20010029352A1
• Time in Patent Office: 678 Days
• Field of Search: 604/93.01, 604/95.05, 604/113, 604/164.03, 604/531, 606/108, 606/151, 606/191, 606/193, 606/194, 623/1.11, 623/1.23
• US Class Current: 604/113
• 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 17/1214 Coils or wires
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00867 shape memory effect for prostheses A61F2210/0014
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/12077 Joint changing shape upon application of heat, e.g. bi-metal or reversible thermal memory
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00005 Cooling or heating of the probe or tissue immediately surrounding the probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/95 Instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/9505 having retaining means other than an outer sleeve, e.g. male-female connector between stent and instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/9511 the retaining means being filaments or wires

Abstract

The apparatus for deployment of a therapeutic device such as a micro-coil provides for a pusher member and a connector fiber for securing the therapeutic device to the pusher member. The connector fiber passes adjacent to a distal heating end of an elongated, flexible heat pipe member within the distal portion of the pusher member, for heating and breaking the connector fiber to release the therapeutic device when a desired placement of the therapeutic device within the vasculature is achieved.

Claims

1. An apparatus for release and deployment of a therapeutic device within the vasculature of a patient, comprising:

an elongated, flexible pusher member having an interior lumen and a distal portion;

a connector fiber capable of detachably mounting the therapeutic device to the pusher member for placement of the therapeutic device within the vasculature, the connector fiber being capable of being broken by heat;

an elongated, flexible heat pipe member disposed within the interior lumen of the elongated, flexible pusher member, said elongated, flexible heat pipe member having a distal heating end disposed adjacent to the connector fiber for heating the connector fiber to cause the connector fiber to break and release the therapeutic device for detaching and deploying the therapeutic device from the flexible pusher member when a desired placement of the therapeutic device within the vasculature is achieved.

2. The intravascular delivery system of claim 1, wherein said elongated, flexible heat pipe member comprises a flexible heat pipe having a hollow interior chamber containing a working fluid, said flexible heat pipe having a metal evaporator end portion for conducting heat to the working fluid in the interior chamber of the heat pipe, a flexible insulated mid-portion, and a metal condenser end portion for conducting heat from the working fluid to the connector fiber.

3. The intravascular delivery system of claim 2, wherein said insulated mid-portion comprises an outer covering of resinous material so that the mid-portion does not radiate heat.

4. The intravascular delivery system of claim 2, wherein said flexible heat pipe comprises a metal hollow tube.

5. The intravascular delivery system of claim 4, wherein said metal hollow tube is formed from a beryllium copper alloy.

6. The intravascular delivery system of claim 2, wherein said evaporator end portion comprises a stainless steel portion for conducting heat to the working fluid in the interior chamber of the heat pipe.

7. The intravascular delivery system of claim 2, wherein said condenser end portion is partially covered with polytetrafluoroethylene, leaving a distal end portion of the condenser end portion exposed to transfer heat to the connector fiber.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said connector fiber is formed from a thermoplastic material.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said connector fiber is formed from polyethylene.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said pusher member includes at least one entry port communicating with said interior lumen of said pusher member, and said elongated, flexible heat pipe member is disposed in the interior lumen of the pusher member adjacent to said at least one entry port.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said therapeutic device to be placed within the vasculature of a patient is connected to an annular connector ring, and the connector fiber mounting the therapeutic device to the pusher member passes through the connector ring to secure the therapeutic device to the pusher member.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said pusher member includes at least one entry port communicating with said interior lumen of said pusher member, and wherein said connector fiber extends from a proximal portion of the pusher member to form a loop through the connector ring, and back through said at least one port through the pusher member to the proximal portion of the pusher member.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said therapeutic device comprises a vasoocclusive device.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said therapeutic device comprises a microcoil.

15. A method for release and deployment of a therapeutic device within the vasculature of a patient, the steps of the methods comprising:

providing a therapeutic device to be placed within the vasculature of a patient;

providing an elongated, flexible pusher member having an interior lumen and a distal portion;

providing a connector fiber capable of detachably mounting the therapeutic device to the pusher member for placement of the therapeutic device within the vasculature, the connector fiber being capable of being broken by heating;

providing an elongated, flexible heat pipe member within the interior lumen of the elongated, flexible pusher member, said elongated, flexible heat pipe member having a distal heating end disposed adjacent to the connector fiber for heating the connector fiber;

positioning the therapeutic device at a desired placement within a patient'"'"'s vasculature; and

supplying heat to the elongated, flexible heat pipe member to heat a portion of said connector fiber to cause the connector fiber to break and release the therapeutic device for detaching and deploying the therapeutic device from the flexible pusher member when a desired placement of the therapeutic device within the vasculature is achieved.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said therapeutic device comprises a vasoocclusive device.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein said therapeutic device comprises a microcoil.