In-stent ablative tool

• US 6,500,186 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2001
• Issued: 12/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Scimed Life Systems Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Lafontaine, Daniel M., Laundroche, Kurt M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dvorak, Linda C. M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): JOHNSON III, HENRY M
• Application Number:
  US09/836,957
• Publication Number:
  US 20020151918A1
• Time in Patent Office: 623 Days
• Field of Search: 606/1, 606/108, 606/159, 606/170, 606/171, 606/180, 606/167, 604/22
• US Class Current: 606/159
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3207 Atherectomy devices working by cutting or abrading; Similar devices specially adapted for non-vascular obstructions A61B17/32037 takes precedence; endoscopic cutting instruments A61B17/320016
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/320725 with radially expandable cutting or abrading elements A61B17/32075 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/320758 with a rotating cutting instrument, e.g. motor driven A61B17/320725, A61B17/32075 and A61B17/320783 take precedence; for removing intra-ocular material A61F9/00763; endoscopic rotatable cutting instruments A61B17/32002
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22061 for spreading elements apart
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320004 abrasive
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320716 comprising means for preventing embolism by dislodged material
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320733 with a flexible cutting or scraping element, e.g. with a whip-like distal filament member
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/82 Devices providing patency to, or preventing collapsing of, tubular structures of the body, e.g. stents stent-grafts for tubular structures of the body other than blood vessels A61F2/04; stent-grafts for blood vessels A61F2/07; instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts A61F2/95; for closing wounds, or holding wounds closed A61B17/04 - A61B17/115; dilators A61M29/00

Abstract

A system for removing matter from a partially or totally occluded stent includes a cutter that is urged radially outward toward the inner surface of the stent. Preferably, the cutter has a hardness that is less than or equal to the hardness of the material used to make the stent. Aspiration may be provided to remove portions of the occluding material from the vessel.

Claims

1. A system for removing deposits from a partially or totally occluded stent, comprising:

an expandable cutter disposed over a guide wire, the cutter including a coiled member; and

a balloon disposed within the coiled member that expands to urge the cutter radially outward, wherein the balloon is inflated when the cutter is within the occluded stent to urge the cutter toward an inner wall of the occluded stent, the expandable cutter being rotatable in the occluded stent to remove occluding matter.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the coiled member is a diamond coated helical wire.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the coiled member is a flat spring having a sharpened outer edge.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the coiled member is a semi-cylindrical wire having a sharpened edge.

5. A method for removing restenotic tissue from within a stent, comprising:

advancing a cutter into the stent, the cutter being secured to a drive shaft and including an expandable coil having a cutting surface, wherein the cutting surface is positioned on the coil such that the cutting surface does not contact the stent when removing restenotic tissue from within the stent;

rotating the cutter; and

aspirating ablated particles of the restenotic tissue.