Non-clogging catheter for lithotrity

• US 6,582,440 B1
• Filed: 12/26/1996
• Issued: 06/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Misonix Incorporated (Smith & Nephew PLC)
• Original Assignee: Misonix Incorporated (Smith & Nephew PLC)
• Inventors: Brumbach, Joseph F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dawson, Glenn K.
• Application Number:
  US08/772,878
• Time in Patent Office: 2,371 Days
• Field of Search: 606/1, 606/127, 606/107, 606/128, 606/167, 606/169, 606/171, 606/185, 604/19, 604/22, 604/35, 604/118, 604/187, 604/537, 604/319, 604/902, 604/128, 604/540, 604/542, 601/12, 601/6
• US Class Current: 606/128
• 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 2017/32008 preventing clogging of suction channel

Abstract

An improved rigid catheter is provided for lithotripsy. The catheter includes a rigid tube adapted to engage a lithotripsy transducer and power supply, with a restriction in an internal diameter of the rigid tube proximate a power delivery end of the rigid tube. The catheter may also include an enlargement on an external diameter of the tip. The tip may also be fabricated of a material considered to be very hard. The probe may also be solid with an enlarged tip.

Claims

1. A power delivery tip for a non-clogging catheter for engaging and pulverizing a calculi during lithotrity, such tip being disposed on a distal end of a tube forming a body of the catheter, such tube having a relatively constant inner and outer diameter defining a tube wall along a longitudinal axis of the tube, such tip comprising:

an enlarged annular flat surface transverse to the longitudinal axis of the tube for engaging the calculi on a power delivery end of the tip, such enlarged annular flat surface having an inner diameter of a smaller relative size than the inner diameter of the tube and an outer diameter of a larger relative size than the outer diameter of the tube; and

a side wall of the tip coupling the tube wall and the annular flat surface and having a diverging wall thickness from the tube to the annular flat surface, said diverging wall thickness forming a relatively smooth transition in cross-section between a thickness of the tube wall and a thickness of the annulate of the annular flat surface of the power delivery end of the tip.

2. The power delivery tip for a non-clogging catheter as in claim 1 wherein the tip further comprises a swaged end on the rigid tube.

3. The power delivery tip for a non-clogging catheter as in claim 2 wherein the rigid tube and swaged end forming the tip further comprises stainless steel.

4. The power delivery tip for a non-clogging catheter as in claim 2 wherein the rigid tube and swaged end forming the tip further comprises a nickel-chromium alloy strengthened by additions of titanium and aluminum.

5. The power delivery tip for a non-clogging catheter as in claim 1 wherein the external diameter of the annular flat surface is approximately seventeen percent larger than the outer diameter of the rigid tube.

6. The power delivery tip for a non-clogging catheter as in claim 1 wherein the inner diameter of the annular flat surface is approximately three percent smaller than the inner diameter of the rigid tube.

7. The power delivery tip for a non-clogging catheter as in claim 1 wherein the tip further comprises an insert within the rigid tube.

8. The power delivery tip for a non-clogging catheter as in claim 7 wherein the insert forming the tip further comprises carbide.