Apparatus and methods for treating hardened vascular lesions

• US 7,955,350 B2
• Filed: 03/25/2004
• Issued: 06/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Angioscore Incorporated (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Angioscore Incorporated (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Feld, Tanhum, Tzori, Nimrod, Konstantino, Eitan
• Primary Examiner(s): Milano; Michael J
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, VI X
• Application Number:
  US10/810,330
• Publication Number:
  US 20040243158A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,630 Days
• Field of Search: 606/159, 606/191, 606/192, 606/194, 606/108, 606/198, 604/96, 604/104, 604/108, 604/500, 623/1.22
• US Class Current: 606/194
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/320725 with radially expandable cutting or abrading elements A61B17/32075 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22061 for spreading elements apart
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/1086 having a special balloon surface topography, e.g. pores, protuberances, spikes or grooves
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/104 used for angioplasty

Abstract

An angioplasty catheter comprises a catheter body having a balloon or other radially expansible shell at its distal end. A non-axial external structure is carried over the shell and scores a stenosed region in a blood vessel when the balloon is inflated therein. The catheter has an attachment structure disposed between the catheter body and the balloon to accommodate foreshortening and rotation of the external structure as the balloon is expanded. The external structure may be part of a helical cage structure which floats over the balloon.

Claims

1. A method for delivering a drug to a blood vessel lesion, said method comprising:

introducing a catheter carrying a balloon into the blood vessel, wherein the drug is carried by the balloon as a platform;

inflating the balloon to radially expand a scoring cage comprising metal scoring elements slidably carried by said balloon, wherein the balloon inflation engages the scoring elements against stenotic material in the lesion to radially penetrate the stenotic material;

releasing a drug into the scored lesion to enhance delivery into the vessel wall;

deflating the balloon, wherein the metal scoring elements of the cage elastically close over the balloon as the balloon deflates; and

removing the catheter, the deflated balloon and the scoring cage from the blood vessel.

2. A method as in claim 1, wherein releasing comprises embedding the drug through the stenotic material into the vessel wall.

3. A method as in claim 2, wherein the drug is present in capsules.

4. A method as in claim 2, wherein the drug is present in a drug-containing polymer.

5. A method as in claim 1, wherein the scoring elements in the scoring cage are arranged helically over the expansible balloon.