Temporary dilating tip for gastro-intestinal tubes

• US 6,673,058 B2
• Filed: 06/20/2001
• Issued: 01/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Scimed Life Systems Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Snow, Todd
• Primary Examiner(s): Casler; Brian L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DeSanto; Matthew F
• Application Number:
  US09/885,492
• Publication Number:
  US 20020198440A1
• Time in Patent Office: 930 Days
• Field of Search: 604/910,92,238,93.01,257,261,270,105,175,164.05,174 600/129,115,114,121,127 128/898
• US Class Current: 604/506
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 15/0007 inserted by using a guide-wire guide wires A61M25/09
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 15/0023 inserted by using a sheath
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 15/0026 Parts, details or accessories for feeding-tubes external tubes from medical containers to a connector outside of the body A61M39/08
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 15/0038 expandable, e.g. umbrella type
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 15/0042 inflatable
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 15/0061 fixing at an intermediate position on the tube, i.e. tube protruding the fixing means
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 15/0073 Multi-lumen tubes
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2200/60 biodegradable
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/1054 having detachable or disposable balloons
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0069 Tip not integral with tube

Abstract

A percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy device comprises a removable, dilating tip. The tip is located at the distal end of the device and provides for tissue dilation upon entry of the device into the body of a patient. The tip is lubricious and biodegradable. The tip is removable by dislodging it from the end of the device following placement of the device in the patient. The tip is usually dislodged by action of a physician to dislodge the tip, however it may be dissolved by application of a biocompatible solvent or through digestion. Following removal of the tip from the device, the tip is dissolved naturally by digestion.

Claims

1. A method for placing a medical device comprising the steps of:

accessing a percutaneous fistula in the abdomen of a patient;

aligning a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy device with the fistula, the device having a proximal end, a distal end, and at least one internal lumen extending between the proximal end and the distal end, a tapered and dilating tip, the tip being disposed on the distal end of the device;

the tip further having an at least partially dissolvable attachment portion for removably attaching the tip to the device;

advancing the device forward and into the body of the patient and at least partially dissolving the at least partially dissolvable portion of the tip by use of a solvent once the device is in position internal to the body of the patient.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of removing a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube from the body of a patient just prior to the step of accessing the percutaneous fistula.