Flexible tissue removal devices and methods
First Claim
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1. A method for removing target tissue from a patient, the method comprising:
- advancing a guidewire into the body and around the target tissue so that the proximal end of the guidewire extends from a first position outside of the patient'"'"'s body and the distal end of the guidewire extends from a second position outside of the patient;
coupling the proximal end of the guidewire to a tissue modification device outside of the body after advancing the guidewire into the body, wherein the tissue modification device is for removing tissue and comprises an elongate flexible body having a plurality of blades extending therefrom;
pulling the tissue modification device behind the guidewire to position it along a path between the target tissue and non-target tissue, wherein the proximal end of the guidewire remains within the body; and
advancing the blades into the target tissue by manually reciprocating the elongate body axially along the path while a portion of the guidewire remains within the body.
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Abstract
A device for modifying tissue in a patient may include: an elongate body having a rigid proximal portion and a flexible distal portion having first and second major surfaces; a proximal handle coupled with the proximal portion of the body; one or more tissue modifying members disposed along the first major surface of the distal portion of the body; a guidewire coupled with and extending from the distal portion of the body; and a distal handle removably couplable with the guidewire outside the patient.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method for removing target tissue from a patient, the method comprising:
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advancing a guidewire into the body and around the target tissue so that the proximal end of the guidewire extends from a first position outside of the patient'"'"'s body and the distal end of the guidewire extends from a second position outside of the patient; coupling the proximal end of the guidewire to a tissue modification device outside of the body after advancing the guidewire into the body, wherein the tissue modification device is for removing tissue and comprises an elongate flexible body having a plurality of blades extending therefrom; pulling the tissue modification device behind the guidewire to position it along a path between the target tissue and non-target tissue, wherein the proximal end of the guidewire remains within the body; and advancing the blades into the target tissue by manually reciprocating the elongate body axially along the path while a portion of the guidewire remains within the body. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 25, 26)
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10. A method for removing ligamentum flavum tissue in a spine of a patient to treat spinal stenosis, the method comprising:
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pulling a flexible elongate body of a tissue modification device for removing tissue along a curved path through an intervertebral foramen in the spine, between ligamentum flavum and neural tissue, wherein the tissue modification device comprises a plurality of blades coupled with a first major surface of the elongate body; reciprocating the elongate body to remove ligamentum flavum tissue while the plurality of blades remain within the patient'"'"'s body by alternately applying a manual pulling force to a handle at a distal end of the tissue modification device and applying a manual pulling force to a handle a proximal end of the tissue modification device such that the distal handle and the proximal handle of the tissue modification device move in opposite directions with respect to the outside of the patient'"'"'s body; and inhibiting damage to the neural tissue with an atraumatic second major surface of the elongate body opposite the first major surface. - View Dependent Claims (19, 22)
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11. A method for removing target tissue from a patient, the method comprising:
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advancing a guidewire into the body and around the target tissue so that the proximal end of the guidewire extends from a first position outside of the patient'"'"'s body and the distal end of the guidewire extends from a second position outside of the patient; coupling the proximal end of the guidewire to a tissue modification device outside of the body after advancing the guidewire into the body, wherein the tissue modification device comprises an elongate flexible body having a plurality of blades separated by openings through the elongate flexible body; pulling the tissue modification device behind the guidewire to position it along a path between the target tissue and non-target tissue, wherein the proximal end of the guidewire remains within the body; and manually reciprocating the blades into the target tissue while a portion of the guidewire remains within the body by pulling the elongate body axially proximally and distally along the path so as to cut the target tissue. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 23, 24, 27, 28)
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Specification