Coupling system useful in placement of implants

• US 7,344,553 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2003
• Issued: 03/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WL Gore and Associates Incorporated (W.L. Gore and Associates)
• Original Assignee: NMT Medical Incorporated
• Inventors: Peavey, Todd A., Opolski, Steven W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hayes; Michael J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mendoza; Michael G.
• Application Number:
  US10/389,471
• Publication Number:
  US 20030181945A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,831 Days
• Field of Search: 606205-207, 606/142, 606/147, 606/106, 606/564, 606/104, 606/198, 600/564, 600/567, 245/985, 623/1.11
• US Class Current: 606/207
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/06 Biopsy forceps , e.g. with cup-shaped jaws
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0057 Implements for plugging an opening in the wall of a hollow or tubular organ, e.g. for sealing a vessel puncture or closing a cardiac septal defect sutures A61B17/04; closing rectum or urethra near body surface A61F2/0009
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/22031 Gripping instruments, e.g. forceps, for removing or smashing calculi A61B17/221 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00004 (bio)absorbable, (bio)resorbable or resorptive
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00243 cardiac
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00477 Coupling A61B2017/0046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00575 for closure at remote site, e.g. closing atrial septum defects
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00606 Implements H-shaped in cross-section, i.e. with occluders on both sides of the opening
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00623 Introducing or retrieving devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/1205 Introduction devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2937 with flexible part
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/71 Manipulators operated by drive cable mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/72 Micromanipulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/011 Instruments for their placement or removal
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/95 Instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30062 (bio)absorbable, biodegradable, bioerodable, (bio)resorbable, resorptive
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30079 magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0004 bioabsorbable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/009 magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0067 Means for introducing or releasing pharmaceutical products into the body

Abstract

A coupling system is disposed at the distal end of an interventional delivery system for coupling to an implant. The coupling device has a first and second prong connected at one end. The other end of the prongs open or close to release or trap an object, e.g., a bead tethered from an implant. A slot at the distal end of the coupling device allows extra degrees of flexibility for the coupling device.

Claims

1. A device for coupling an implant, the device comprising:

a distal end;

a pivot;

a first prong and a second prong each comprising a first end and a second end, the first prong and second prong being connected by the pivot at their first ends and free at their second ends, each of said first and second prongs having an outer surface and an inner surface, the inner surface of at least one of the prongs comprising a recess, the inner surface of the second end of each prong comprising a cavity, the proximal end of the cavity terminating distal to the pivot, at least one of the first prong and the second prong being reversibly movable between an open position and a closed position; and

the at least one recess forming a slot comprising a proximal end, a distal end, and an arc shape extending from the distal end of the device, the proximal end of the slot terminating distal to the pivot, the slot being defined by the second end of at least one of the prongs when the first prong and the second prong are in the closed position.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein at least one of the prongs is spring biased.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the second end of only one prong is moveable.

4. The device of claim 1 further comprising a sleeve slideably moveable relative to the first and second prongs, the sleeve forcing the second end of at least one of the prongs toward the closed position when the sleeve slides over at least a portion of the prongs.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein the arc-shaped slot spans substantially 180 degrees.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the cavity is shaped to conform to the shape of the implant wherein the implant is capable of rotating within the cavity.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the cavity comprises at least a portion of a spherical concavity.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein an outer diameter of the second ends of the two prongs combined in the closed position is larger than an outer diameter of the first ends of the two prongs combined.

9. The device of claim 1 further comprising a sleeve slideably moveable relative to the prongs, the sleeve defining a lumen, wherein the prongs are in the closed position when the first ends of the prongs are enclosed in the lumen of the sleeve and the prongs are in the open position when the first ends of the prongs extend out of the lumen of the sleeve.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein the prongs further comprise a float range comprising substantially the entire length of the first ends of the prongs.

11. The device of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of at least one of the prongs is magnetic.

12. The device of claim 1 wherein the arc-shaped slot spans from about 90 to about 270 degrees.

13. The device of claim 1 further comprising a sleeve comprising an outer diameter, wherein the outer diameter of the sleeve is smaller than the outer diameter of the second end of the first prong and the second end of the second prong when the first prong and the second prong are together in the closed position.

14. The device of claim 1 wherein the pivot comprises a pin.

15. The device of claim 1 wherein the second end of the first prong and the second end of the second prong are maximally apart in the open position and the second end of the first prong and the second end of the second prong are maximally closer to each other in the closed position than in the open position.

16. The device of claim 1 wherein the recess is located at the second end of at least one of the first prong and the second prong.

17. An interventional delivery system for delivering an implant into a patient, comprising:

a tubular portion defining a lumen;

a core wire comprising a distal end and having a longitudinal axis, the core wire slideably moveable in the lumen of the tubular portion; and

a coupling device at the distal end of the core wire, the coupling device comprising a distal end, a pivot, a first prong and a second prong each comprising a first end and a second end, the first prong and second prong being connected by the pivot at their first ends and free at their second ends, each of said first and second prongs having an outer surface and an inner surface, the inner surface of at least one of the prongs comprising a recess, the inner surface of the second end of each prong comprising a cavity, the proximal end of the cavity terminating distal to the pivot, and at least one of the first prong and the second prong being reversibly movable between an open position and a closed position, and the at least one recess forming a slot comprising a proximal end, a distal end, and an arc shape extending from the distal end of the device, the proximal end of the slot terminating distal to the pivot, the slot being defined by the second end of at least one of the prongs when the first prong and the second prong are in the closed position.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the cavity comprises at least a portion of a spherical concavity.

19. The system of claim 17 further comprising a handle connected to the tubular portion, the handle comprising an actuator for actuating the core wire.

20. The system of claim 17 wherein at least one of the prongs is spring biased.

21. The system of claim 17 wherein the second end of only one prong is moveable.

22. The system of claim 17 further comprising a sleeve slideably moveable relative to the first and second prongs, the sleeve forcing the second end of at least one of the prongs toward the closed position when the sleeve slides over at least a portion of the prong.

23. The system of claim 17 wherein the arc-shaped slot spans substantially 180 degrees.

24. The system of claim 17 further comprising an implant.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein the implant comprises a tip and the cavity in each prong is shaped to conform to the shape of the implant tip wherein the implant tip is capable of rotating within the cavity.

26. The system of claim 24 wherein the implant comprises a spherical tip.

27. The system of claim 24 wherein the implant comprises a septal occluder.

28. The system of claim 24 wherein the implant comprises an atrial appendage occlusion device.

29. The system of claim 24 wherein at least a portion of the implant is magnetic.

30. The system of claim 17 wherein one of the prongs is fixedly connected to the distal end of the core wire.

31. The system of claim 17 wherein at least one prong is rotatably connected to the distal end of the core wire.

32. The system of claim 17 wherein at least a portion of at least one of the prongs is magnetic.

33. The system of claim 17 wherein the arc-shaped slot spans from about 90 to about 270 degrees.

34. The system of claim 17 further comprising a sleeve comprising an outer diameter, wherein the outer diameter of the sleeve is smaller than the outer diameter of the second end of the first prong and the second end of the second prong when the first prong and the second prong are together in the closed position.

35. The system of claim 17 wherein the pivot comprises a pin.

36. The system of claim 17 wherein the second end of the first prong and the second end of the second prong are maximally apart in the open position and the second end of the first prong and the second end of the second prong are maximally closer to each other in the closed position than in the open position.

37. The system of claim 17 wherein the recess is located at the second end of at least one of the first prong and the second prong.

38. A method for coupling an implant, the method comprising:

providing a coupling device comprising a distal end, a pivot, a first prong and a second prong each comprising a first end and a second end, the first prong and second prong being connected by the pivot at their first ends and free at their second ends, each of said first and second prongs having an outer surface and an inner surface, the inner surface of at least one of the prongs comprising a recess, the inner surface of the second end of each prong comprising a cavity, the proximal end of the cavity terminating distal to the pivot, at least one of the first prong and the second prong being reversibly movable between an open position and a closed position, and a slot comprising a proximal end, a distal end, and an arc shape extending from the distal end of the device, the proximal end of the slot terminating distal to the pivot, the slot being defined by the second end of at least one of the prongs when the first prong and the second prong are in the closed position; and

trapping at least a tip of an implant in the cavity in at least one of the prongs.