Medical device with slotted memory metal tube
DCFirst Claim
1. A medical device for use within a tubular structure of a human body, the device comprising:
- at least one monolithic memory metal tube configured and sized to be inserted within the tubular structure of the human body, the metal tube including at least one of a memory effect and superelasticity and having at least one expandable section with a plurality of metal members separated by openings and capable of contraction and expansion to an expanded shape to form a retrieval basket for retrieving particles to be removed from the human body, the metal members being sufficiently rigid to substantially maintain the expanded shape of the expandable section when placed within and in contact with the tubular structure of the human body, the expandable section being free of interior structure that is axially movable within the expandable section to expand and/or contract the expandable section, the metal tube having only a single lumen, the metal tube having a central longitudinal axis and a distal end, the expandable section being configured to catch a solid particle having a maximum cross-sectional dimension greater than a maximum cross-sectional dimension of the distal end of the metal tube transverse to the central longitudinal axis of the metal tube.
4 Assignments
Litigations
0 Petitions
Accused Products
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.
-
Citations
64 Claims
-
1. A medical device for use within a tubular structure of a human body, the device comprising:
at least one monolithic memory metal tube configured and sized to be inserted within the tubular structure of the human body, the metal tube including at least one of a memory effect and superelasticity and having at least one expandable section with a plurality of metal members separated by openings and capable of contraction and expansion to an expanded shape to form a retrieval basket for retrieving particles to be removed from the human body, the metal members being sufficiently rigid to substantially maintain the expanded shape of the expandable section when placed within and in contact with the tubular structure of the human body, the expandable section being free of interior structure that is axially movable within the expandable section to expand and/or contract the expandable section, the metal tube having only a single lumen, the metal tube having a central longitudinal axis and a distal end, the expandable section being configured to catch a solid particle having a maximum cross-sectional dimension greater than a maximum cross-sectional dimension of the distal end of the metal tube transverse to the central longitudinal axis of the metal tube. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
-
24. A medical device for use within a tubular structure of a human body, the device comprising:
a single-piece memory metal tube configured and sized to be inserted and remain entirely within the tubular structure of the human body, said metal tube having an outer diameter and an interior diameter, said metal tube having a proximal end, a distal end opposite said proximal end, and at least one expandable section with a plurality of metal members separated by openings, said metal members being sufficiently rigid to substantially maintain an expanded shape of the expandable section when placed within and in contact with the tubular structure of the human body, said metal tube having a longitudinal passage coaxial to a central longitudinal axis of said metal tube, said plurality of metal members being moveable from a contracted shape to the expanded shape to form a retrieval basket as a result of at least one of memory effect and superelasticity, said basket configured to capture particles therein and having concave interior surfaces facing said passage, said passage being free of any internal structure axially moveable within said basket to expand and/or contract said metal members, said metal members being configured to catch a solid particle having a maximum cross-sectional dimension greater than a maximum interior diameter at said distal end of said metal tube transverse to the central longitudinal axis of said metal tube. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
-
50. A medical device for use within a tubular structure of a human body, the device comprising:
at least one monolithic memory metal tube configured and sized to be inserted within the tubular structure of the human body, the metal tube including at least one of a memory effect and superelasticity and having at least one expandable section with a plurality of metal members separated by openings and capable of contraction and expansion to an expanded shape to form a retrieval basket for retrieving particles to be removed from the human body, the metal members being sufficiently rigid to substantially maintain the expanded shape of the expandable section when placed within and in contact with the tubular structure of the human body, the expandable section being free of interior structure that is axially movable within the expandable section to expand and/or contract the expandable section, the metal tube having a central longitudinal axis and a distal end, at least the distal end of the metal tube being unobstructed, the expandable section being configured to catch a solid particle having a maximum cross-sectional dimension greater than a maximum cross-sectional dimension of the distal end of the metal tube transverse to the central longitudinal axis of the metal tube. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64)
Specification