Vessel and lumen expander attachment for use with an electromechanical driver device

• US 6,716,230 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2001
• Issued: 04/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Power Medical Interventions, Inc. (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Whitman, Michael P.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRUONG, KEVIN THAO
• Application Number:
  US09/990,067
• Publication Number:
  US 20020052623A1
• Time in Patent Office: 867 Days
• Field of Search: 606/198, 606/191, 606/159, 606/108, 604/105, 604/106, 604/107, 604/108, 604/109
• US Class Current: 606/198
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 29/02 Dilators made of swellable material balloon catheters for angioplasty A61M25/104

Abstract

A selectively coupleable and remotely actuateable surgical attachment for use with an electromechanical driver device for use in expanding occluded vessels and lumens. The attachment includes an axial rod which is coupleable to the electromechanical driver device, and which is selectively rotateable in accordance with the action of the electromechanical driver device. The rod is also threaded in opposing orientations at either end thereof. A pair of nuts are mounted to the rod, and specifically on the opposing threads. The rod and nuts are disposed within an axial track which permits the rod to turn, but constrains the rotational motion of the nuts, thereby permitting the nuts to move axially along the threadings of the rod when the rod turns. Attached to the nuts are a series of jointed spokes which are coupled to a flexible tubular shroud which surrounds the entire assembly. The jointed spokes are radially extended and retracted in accordance with the motion of the nuts in an umbrella-like fashion in accordance with the actuation of the electromechanical driver device. The radial expansion of the flexible tubular shroud provides the necessary force to expand an occluded vessel or lumen.

Claims

1. A vessel and lumen expanding attachment for use with an electromechanical driver having a drive shaft including a torque transferring tip, comprising:

a rotatable rod having a first axial portion and a second axial portion, the rod mateable with the torque transferring tip and including a first threading disposed on the first portion and a second threading disposed on the second portion, the first threading oriented in opposition with the second threading;

a first nut and a second nut respectively engaged with the first threading and the second threading;

an arrangement configured to constrain the first nut and the second nut from rotating relative to the rod, rotation of the rod configured to cause the first nut and second nut to travel axially toward each other when the rod is rotated in a first direction and to travel axially away from each other when the rod is rotated in a second direction opposite to the first direction;

a plurality of jointed radially expandable and retractable spokes coupled to the first nut and the second nut, the spokes configured to expand and retract in accordance with the relative axial travel of the first nut and the second nut; and

a radially flexible tubular shroud mounted about the rod, the first nut, the second nut and the spokes, the shroud coupled on an interior surface to the spokes and configured to radially expand and contract in accordance with the rotation of the rod.

2. The vessel and lumen expanding attachment according to claim 1, wherein the arrangement includes a pair of washers and at least one pin, the washers mounted at opposing axial ends of the rod and mounted so that rotation of the rod does not cause rotation of the washers, the washers coupled to one another by the pin, the pin extending in parallel with the rod and extending through the first nut and the second nut, the pin configured to form a track along which the first nut and the second nut travel and configured to constrain the first nut and the second nut against rotational.

3. The vessel and lumen expanding attachment according to claim 1, wherein the shroud includes axially rigid ribs configured to support the shroud in an axially constant diameter disposition.

4. The vessel and lumen expanding attachment according to claim 1, wherein each spoke includes:

a pair of elongate members including a distal end and a proximal end, the proximal end pivotably coupled at a position on an outer lateral surface of a respective one of the first nut and the second nut to permit the corresponding elongate member to pivot, the corresponding elongate member swingable through a range of positions including a position parallel to the rod and radially outwardly to a position perpendicular to the rod; and

the distal ends of the elongate members coupled to form a pivot joint so that the pair of elongate members are swingable together from a position parallel to the rod and a position perpendicular to the rod as the first nut and the second nut move toward one another in accordance with actuation of the electromechanical driver, the pivot joint configured to move radially outwardly from the rod.

5. The vessel and lumen expanding attachment according to claim 4, wherein a length of the elongate members is selected so that the pivot joint does not move axially relative to the rod.

6. The vessel and lumen expanding attachment according to claim 4, wherein the pivot joint is coupled to the shroud at an inner surface thereof.

7. The vessel and lumen expanding attachment according to claim 1, wherein each spoke includes:

a first elongate member and a second elongate member, each having a distal end and a proximal end, each proximal end pivotably coupled at a position on an outer lateral surface of a respective one of the first nut and the second nut to permit the corresponding elongate member to pivot, the corresponding elongate member swingable through a range of positions including a position parallel to the rod and radially outwardly to a position perpendicular to the rod;

a third elongate member oriented in parallel to the rod; and

a distal end of each of the first elongate member and the second elongate member coupled to opposing ends of the third elongate member to form a pair of pivot joints, each of the first elongate member and the second elongate member swingable from an orientation parallel to the rod and an orientation perpendicular to the rod as the first nut and the second nut move toward each other in accordance with actuation of the electromechanical driver, the pivot joints configured to cause the third elongate member to move radially outwardly from the rod.

8. The vessel and lumen expanding attachment according to claim 7, wherein a length of the first elongate member, a length of the second elongate member and a length of the third elongate member are selected so that the third elongate member does not move axially relative to the rod.

9. The vessel and lumen expanding attachment according to claim 7, wherein the third elongate member is coupled to the shroud at an inner surface thereof.

10. A vessel and lumen expanding attachment configured to couple to an electromechanical driver device, the electromechanical driver device including a rotatable drive shaft, comprising:

a rotatable rod configured to couple to the rotatable drive shaft and rotate in accordance with a rotation of the rotatable drive shaft, the rod including a first threading and a second threading in opposed orientation;

a first nut threadingly engaged with the first threading and nonrotatably and axially displaceably engaged with the rod;

a second nut threadingly engaged with the second threading and nonrotatably and axially displaceably engaged with the rod, rotation of the rod configured to effect axial displacement of the first nut and the second nut toward and away from each other in accordance with a direction of rotation of the rod;

a plurality of radially expandable and retractable spokes coupled to the first nut and the second nut, the spokes configured to expand and contract in accordance with the axial displacement of the first nut and the second nut; and

a tubular shroud having an interior surface coupled to the spokes, the shroud configured to radially expand and contract in accordance with the rotation of the rod.

11. The vessel and lumen expanding attachment according to claim 10, further comprising a first washer mounted at a first end of the rod, a second washer mounted at a second end of the rod opposite to the first end and at least one pin coupled to the first washer and the second washer, the pin arranged parallel to the rod and extending through the first nut and the second nut, the pin configured to constrain the first nut and the second nut against rotation.

12. The vessel and lumen expanding attachment according to claim 10, further comprising at least one rib configured to support the shroud.

13. The vessel and lumen expanding attachment according to claim 10, wherein each spoke includes a first member having a distal end and a proximal end and a second member having a distal end and a proximal end, the proximal end of the first member pivotably coupled to the first nut, the proximal and of the second member pivotably coupled to the second nut, the distal end of the first member pivotably coupled to the distal end of the second member.

14. The vessel and lumen expanding attachment according to claim 13, wherein a length of each of the first member and the second member is selected so that a location of the pivotable coupling between the distal ends of the first member and the second member is axially fixed relative to the rod.

15. The vessel and lumen expanding attachment according to claim 13, wherein the distal end of the first member and the distal end of the second member are pivotably coupled to an inner surface of the shroud.

16. The vessel and lumen expanding attachment according to claim 10, wherein each spoke includes a first member having a distal end and a proximal end, a second member having a distal end and a proximal end and a third member arranged parallel to the rod and having a first end and a second end, the proximal end of the first member pivotably coupled to the first nut, the distal end of the first member pivotably coupled to the first end of the third member, the proximal end of the second member pivotably coupled to the second nut, the distal end of the second member pivotably coupled to the second end of the third member;

and

wherein the first member, the second member and the third member are arranged so that rotation of the rod causes the third rod to move radially outwardly from and radially inwardly toward the rod in accordance with the direction of rotation of the rod.

17. The vessel and lumen expanding attachment according to claim 16, wherein the third member is configured to maintain parallel correspondence with the rod during radial movement thereof.

18. The vessel and lumen expanding attachment according to claim 16, wherein a length of each of the first member, the second member and the third member is selected so that the third member does not move axially relative to the rod.

19. The vessel and lumen expanding attachment according to claim 16, wherein the third member is coupled to an inner surface of the shroud.

20. A surgical device, comprising:

an electromechanical driver;

a drive shaft coupled to the electromechanical driver;

a vessel and lumen expanding attachment coupled to the drive shaft, the vessel and lumen expanding attachment including;

a rotatable rod configured to be coupled to the rotatable drive shaft and rotated in accordance with a rotation thereof, the rod including a first threading and a second threading, the first threading and the second threading in opposed orientation;

a first nut configured to threadingly engage the first threading and to nonrotatably and axially displaceably engage the rod;

a second nut configured to threadingly engage the second threading and to nonrotatably and axially displaceably engage the rod, rotation of the rod configured to effect axial displacement of the first nut and the second nut toward and away from each other in accordance with a direction of rotation of the rod;

a plurality of radially expandable and retractable spokes coupled to the first nut and the second nut, the spokes configured to expand and contract in accordance with the axial displacement of the first nut and the second nut; and

a tubular shroud having an interior surface coupled to the spokes, the shroud configured to radially expand and contract in accordance with the rotation of the rod.

21. The surgical device according to claim 20, wherein the vessel and lumen expanding attachment further includes a first washer mounted at a first end of the rod, a second washer mounted at a second end of the rod opposite to the first end and at least one pin coupled to the first washer and the second washer, the pin arranged parallel to the rod and extending through the first nut and the second nut, the pin configured to constrain the first nut and the second nut against rotation.

22. The surgical device according to claim 20, wherein the vessel and lumen expanding attachment further includes at least one rib configured to support the shroud.

23. The surgical device according to claim 20, wherein each spoke includes a first member having a distal end and a proximal end and a second member having a distal end and a proximal end, the proximal end of the first member pivotably coupled to the first nut, the proximal and of the second member pivotably coupled to the second nut, the distal end of the first member pivotably coupled to the distal end of the second member.

24. The surgical device according to claim 23, wherein a length of each of the first member and the second member is selected so that a location of the pivotable coupling between the distal ends of the first member and the second member is axially fixed relative to the rod.

25. The surgical device according to claim 23, wherein the distal end of the first member and the distal end of the second member are pivotably coupled to an inner surface of the shroud.

26. The surgical device according to claim 20, wherein each spoke includes a first member having a distal end and a proximal end, a second member having a distal end and a proximal end and a third member arranged parallel to the rod and having a first end and a second end, the proximal end of the first member pivotably coupled to the first nut, the distal end of the first member pivotably coupled to the first end of the third member, the proximal end of the second member pivotably coupled to the second nut, the distal end of the second member pivotably coupled to the second end of the third member;

and

wherein the first member, the second member and the third member are arranged so that rotation of the rod causes the third rod to move radially outwardly from and radially inwardly toward the rod in accordance with the direction of rotation of the rod.

27. The surgical device according to claim 26, wherein the third member is configured to maintain parallel correspondence with the rod during radial movement thereof.

28. The surgical device according to claim 26, wherein a length of each of the first member, the second member and the third member is selected so that the third member does not move axially relative to the rod.

29. The surgical device according to claim 26, wherein the third member is coupled to an inner surface of the shroud.