Apparatus and methods for coronary sinus access
First Claim
1. An apparatus for locating morphological features within a body cavity, comprising:
- a flexible tubular member comprising a proximal end, a distal end having a size for introduction into a body cavity, and defining a longitudinal axis extending between the proximal and distal ends;
an optical imaging assembly carried by the distal end of the tubular member for imaging beyond the distal end;
a substantially transparent displacement member carried by the distal end of the tubular member and at least partially surrounding the optical imaging assembly; and
a localization member slidably received in a cannulation lumen of the tubular member, the localization member being movable beyond the distal end of the tubular member for temporarily localizing the distal end of the tubular member at a morphologic feature within a body cavity,wherein the displacement member comprises an expandable membrane, and wherein the localization member is coupled to distal end of the membrane, andwherein the localization member is movable for changing a shape of the membrane when the membrane is expanded to an enlarged condition.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for locating morphological features within a body cavity includes a catheter including proximal and distal ends, a transparent balloon carried on the distal end, and an optical imaging assembly carried on the distal end for imaging through the balloon. The balloon includes a channel extending therethrough to a lumen extending through the catheter. A guidewire or other localization member is received in the lumen that is extendabe through the channel. During use, the catheter is inserted into a right atrium of a heart, and the balloon is expanded and placed against the wall of the heart to locate the coronary sinus. Sufficient force is applied to clear blood between the surface and the wall and clear the field of view of the imaging assembly. The catheter is manipulated to locate the coronary sinus, whereupon the localization member is advanced into the coronary sinus.
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Citations
57 Claims
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1. An apparatus for locating morphological features within a body cavity, comprising:
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a flexible tubular member comprising a proximal end, a distal end having a size for introduction into a body cavity, and defining a longitudinal axis extending between the proximal and distal ends; an optical imaging assembly carried by the distal end of the tubular member for imaging beyond the distal end; a substantially transparent displacement member carried by the distal end of the tubular member and at least partially surrounding the optical imaging assembly; and a localization member slidably received in a cannulation lumen of the tubular member, the localization member being movable beyond the distal end of the tubular member for temporarily localizing the distal end of the tubular member at a morphologic feature within a body cavity, wherein the displacement member comprises an expandable membrane, and wherein the localization member is coupled to distal end of the membrane, and wherein the localization member is movable for changing a shape of the membrane when the membrane is expanded to an enlarged condition. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 13)
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7. An apparatus for locating morphological features within a body cavity, comprising:
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a flexible tubular member comprising a proximal end, a distal end having a size for introduction into a body cavity, and defining longitudinal axis extending between the proximal and distal ends; an optical imaging assembly carried by the distal end of the tubular member for imaging beyond the distal end; a substantially transparent displacement member carried by the distal end of the tubular member and at least partially surrounding the optical imaging assembly; and a localization member slidably received in a cannulation lumen of the tubular member, the localization member being movable beyond the distal end of the tubular member for temporarily localizing the distal end of the tubular member at a morphologic feature within a body cavity, wherein the displacement member comprises an expandable member comprising an interior communicating with the cannulation lumen, and wherein the localization member comprises a distal tip that is advanceable into the interior of the expandable member to puncture through the expandable member.
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10. An apparatus for locating morphological features within a body cavity, comprising:
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a flexible tubular member comprising a proximal end, a distal end having a size for introduction into a body cavity, and defining a longitudinal axis extending between the proximal and distal ends; an optical imaging assembly carried by the distal end of the tubular member for imaging beyond the distal end; a substantially transparent displacement member carried by the distal end of the tubular member and at least partially surrounding the optical imaging assembly; and a localization member slidably received in a cannulation lumen of the tubular member, the localization member being movable beyond the distal end of the tubular member for temporarily localizing the distal end of the tubular member at a morphologic feature within a body cavity, wherein the displacement member comprises an expandable membrane, and wherein the localization member is coupled to a distal end of the membrane, and wherein the localization member is movable between a retracted position wherein the distal end of the membrane at least partially everts into an interior of the membrane, and an extended position wherein the distal end of the membrane extends distally to create a nipple.
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11. An apparatus for locating morphologic features within a body cavity, comprising:
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a flexible tubular member comprising a proximal end, a distal end having a size for introduction into a body cavity, and defining a longitudinal axes extending between the proximal and distal ends; an optical imaging assembly carried by the distal end of the tubular member for imaging beyond the distal end; a substantially transparent displacement member carried by the distal end of the tubular member and at least partially surrounding the optical imaging assembly; a localization member slidably received in a cannulation lumen of the tubular member, the localization member being movable beyond the distal end to the tubular member for temporarily localizing the distal end of the tubular member at a morphologic feature within a body cavity; and an occlusion member carried on the distal end of the tubular member proximal to the displacement member. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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14. An apparatus for imaging within a body lumen, comprising:
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a flexible tubular member comprising proximal and distal ends defining a longitudinal axis therebetween; a substantially transparent expandable member on the distal end of the tubular member, the expandable member being expandable from a contracted condition to an enlarged condition when fluid is introduced through the tubular member into an interior of the expandable member; and an optical imaging element disposed within the interior of the expandable member, the imaging element extending from the distal end of the tubular member in a direction at least partially transversely relative to the longitudinal axis. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. An apparatus for accessing a body lumen communicating with a body cavity, comprising:
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a flexible tubular member comprising a proximal end, a distal end having a size for introduction into a body cavity, and defining a longitudinal axis extending between the proximal and distal ends; an inner member slidably coupled to the tubular member; a substantially transparent expandable member comprising a proximal end attached to the distal end of the tubular member and a distal end attached to a distal end of the inner member, the expandable member being expandable from a contracted condition to an enlarged condition when fluid is introduced through the tubular member into an interior of the expandable member, the inner member being slidable from a retracted position wherein the distal end of the expandable member at least partially everts into the interior of the expandable member and an extended position wherein the expandable member defines a stabilizing element insertable into a body lumen extending from a body cavity for stabilizing the tubular member relative to the body lumen; and an optical imaging element carried by the distal end of the tubular member for imaging through the expandable member. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A method for cannulating a body lumen communicating with a body cavity of a patient, the method comprising:
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inserting a distal end of a tubular member into the body cavity, the tubular member comprising a substantially transparent expandable member thereon in a contracted condition; expanding the expandable member within the body cavity; placing a surface of the expanded expandable member in contact with a wall of the body cavity in order to image the wall through the expandable member; manipulating the tubular member to move the expandable member along the wall, while imaging the wall through the expandable member, until the body lumen is identified; and advancing an instrument from the tubular member into the body lumen. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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46. A apparatus for accession a body lumen communicating with a body cavity, comprising:
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a flexible tubular member comprising a proximal end, a distal end sized for introduction into a body cavity, and a central longitudinal axis extending between the proximal and distal ends; a tubular extension attached eccentrically to the distal end and extending distally from the distal end substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis; a substantially transparent expandable member comprising a proximal end attached to the distal end of the tubular member and a distal end attached to the tubular extension, the expandable member being expandable from a contracted condition to an enlarged condition when fluid is introduced through the tubular member into an interior of the expandable member; and an optical imaging element carried by the distal end of the tubular member for imaging through the expandable member. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57)
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Specification