Medical instrument with slotted memory metal tube

• US 6,780,175 B1
• Filed: 09/17/1998
• Issued: 08/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: EVM Systems LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Memory Medical Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Sachdeva, Rohit C. L., Besselink, Petrus A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thanh, Loan H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): RODRIGUEZ, CRIS LOIREN
• Application Number:
  US09/156,276
• Time in Patent Office: 2,168 Days
• Field of Search: 604/22, 604/95, 604/104-107, 604/523, 604/530, 604/264, 604/95.04, 604/95.05, 606/198, 606/200, 606/108-114, 606/106, 606/46, 606/180, 606/171, 606/128, 606/159, 606/205, 606/209, 606/37, 606/39, 606/45, 606/127, 600/139, 600/141, 600/143, 600/146, 600/151, 600/152
• US Class Current: 604/531
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00082 Balloons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0058 using shape-memory elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/015 Control of fluid supply or evacuation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/018 for receiving instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/307 for the urinary organs, e.g. urethroscopes, cystoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/3137 for examination of the interior of blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/122 Clamps or clips , e.g. for the umbilical cord for the vas deferens A61F6/206
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1285 for minimally invasive surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/221 Gripping devices in the form of loops or baskets for gripping calculi or similar types of obstructions surgical snare instruments A61B17/32056
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/32056 Surgical snare instruments for removing or smashing calculi A61B2017/2212; tonsillotomes A61B17/26
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00349 Needle-like instruments having hook or barb-like gripping means, e.g. for grasping suture or tissue A61B17/06066 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00867 shape memory effect for prostheses A61F2210/0014
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00986 Malecots, e.g. slotted tubes, of which the distal end is pulled to deflect side struts
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2212 having a closed distal end, e.g. a loop
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2215 having an open distal end
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/061 for measuring dimensions, e.g. length
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/063 for measuring volume
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0084 for introduction into the body, e.g. by catheters A61B5/1459 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1076 for measuring dimensions inside body cavities, e.g. using catheters A61B3/1005 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6853 with a balloon
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30092 : using shape memory or superelastic materials, e.g. nitinol
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0023 : operated at different temperatures whilst inside or touching the human body, heated or cooled by external energy source or cold supply
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0057 : Catheters delivering medicament other than through a conventional lumen, e.g. porous walls or hydrogel coatings
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0013 : Weakening parts of a catheter tubing, e.g. by making cuts in the tube or reducing thickness of a layer at one point to adjust the flexibility
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0138 : having flexible regions as a result of weakened outer material, e.g. slots, slits, cuts, joints or coils
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0158 : with magnetic or electrical means, e.g. by using piezo materials, electroactive polymers, magnetic materials or by heating of shape memory materials
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/04 : in the body, e.g. expansible A61M25/10, A61M16/0488 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/09 : Guide wires
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 29/02 : Dilators made of swellable material balloon catheters for angioplasty A61M25/104

Abstract

A series of medical instruments can be made with the use of shape memory tube with a transformation temperature that is above or below the ambient temperature. In the first case, the material behaves with the shape memory effect and in the second case the behavior is superelastic. The wall of the tube has been provided with a plurality of slots in specific places, often near or at the distal end of the instrument, and in specific arrangements which allow local variations in diameter, shape, and/or length. These variations can either be caused by the memory effect during temperature change or by superelastic behavior during change of the mechanical influences on the memory metal by the surrounding material.

Claims

1. A medical instrument comprising at least one memory metal tube programmed for an effect selected from the group of effects consisting of memory effect and superelasticity and having in at least one section thereof a plurality of slots such that the slotted section is capable of expansion and contraction;

further comprising a delivery tube that surrounds at least the slotted section of the memory metal tube during delivery and which is partially removed from surrounding the slotted section of the memory metal tube by a relative longitudinal movement between the respective tubes;

wherein said memory metal tube has a distal end and wherein the slots in the memory metal tube extend to the distal end of the tube and have been programmed to change into inwardly extending bending hooks to define an internal gripper upon delivery from the delivery tube.

2. A medical instrument comprising at least one monolithic memory metal tube of single piece wall construction programmed for an effect selected from the group of effects consisting of memory effect and superelasticity and consisting of a monolithic side-wall having two non-slotted, solid sections and a slotted section therebetween and monolithic therewith having a plurality of slots formed therein defining a retrieval basket wherein the slotted retrieval basket section is capable of expansion and contraction to surrounding contact, capture and retrieve at least one particle, and

wherein the two non-slotted, solid sections and slotted retrieval basket section therebetween form an open passage that has no structure connected to the tube and extending through the open passage to thereby enable the slotted retrieval basket section to surroundingly contact, capture and retrieve the at least one particle.