Catheter system and method for boring through blocked vascular passages
First Claim
1. A catheter for delivering a guidewire across an occlusion, the catheter comprising:
- a catheter tube;
a rotatable cutting head comprising a helical protrusion;
a protective sheath at the distal end of the catheter tube comprising one or more helical slots extending laterally through the sidewall of the sheath, wherein the rotatable cutting head is configured to extend distally from the protective sheath by rotating the helical protrusion out of the slot, wherein the entire distal end of the outer edge of the helical protrusion extends to the outer surface of protective sheath when the helical protrusion is retracted into the helical sheath;
a torque communicating connector configured to apply a torque to the rotatable cutting head from the proximal end of the catheter to rotate and extend the cutting head distally forward at least partially outside of said protective sheath; and
a guidewire passageway extending proximally to distally through the catheter tube.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A rotating cutting head catheter for passage through chronic total occlusions or other refractory atherosclerotic plaque from diseased arteries is disclosed. The catheter'"'"'s rotating cutting head is designed to reside safely within an outer protective sheath when not in use. The outer protective sheath contains one or more helical grooves or slots, and the cutting head contains protruding blades or projections that fit into these helical grooves or slots. Application of torque to an inner catheter or wire attached to the cutting head applies spin to the cutting head, and the force of the sheath'"'"'s helical grooves or slots against the cutting head'"'"'s protruding blades or projections advances the cutting head outward from the protective sheath. Once extended, the cutting head may now rotate freely. The device may use a guidewire to direct the cutting head to the desired position.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A catheter for delivering a guidewire across an occlusion, the catheter comprising:
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a catheter tube; a rotatable cutting head comprising a helical protrusion; a protective sheath at the distal end of the catheter tube comprising one or more helical slots extending laterally through the sidewall of the sheath, wherein the rotatable cutting head is configured to extend distally from the protective sheath by rotating the helical protrusion out of the slot, wherein the entire distal end of the outer edge of the helical protrusion extends to the outer surface of protective sheath when the helical protrusion is retracted into the helical sheath; a torque communicating connector configured to apply a torque to the rotatable cutting head from the proximal end of the catheter to rotate and extend the cutting head distally forward at least partially outside of said protective sheath; and a guidewire passageway extending proximally to distally through the catheter tube. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 26)
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13. A catheter for delivering a guidewire across an occlusion, the catheter comprising:
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a catheter tube having a lateral sidewall perpendicular to the long axis of the tube; a hollow sheath at the distal portion of said catheter tube comprising one or more helical slots extending laterally through the sidewall of the sheath; a rotatable cutting head positioned at least partially inside said hollow sheath, wherein the rotatable cutting head is configured to extend distally from the hollow sheath and retract into the hollow sheath by rotating out of the slots of the hollow sheath, further wherein a lateral portion of the cutting head extending into the helical slots has at least one helical protrusion which is configured to engage with said helical slots so that mechanical interaction between at least one protrusion on said rotatable cutting head and the one or more helical slots advances said cutting head in or out said hollow sheath head and wherein the distal end of the cutting head extends to the outer surface of the protective sheath when the cutting head is retracted within the sheath; a torque communicating connector configured to apply torque to rotate the rotatable cutting head from the distal end of the catheter; and a guidewire passageway extending through the catheter tube and out of the distal end of the hollow sheath. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A catheter for delivering a guidewire across an occlusion, the catheter comprising:
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a hollow catheter tube; a hollow sheath head affixed at the distal portion of said catheter tube;
said hollow sheath head containing an opening and one or more helical slots or grooves;a rotatable cutting head positioned at least partially inside said hollow sheath head;
said rotatable cutting head containing at least one protrusion which is capable of engaging with said helical slots or grooves, wherein the entire distal end of the outer edge of the helical protrusion extends to the outer surface of the sheath when the helical protrusion is retracted in the helical sheath, so that the outer diameter of the cutting head is approximately the same as the outer diameter of the sheath; anda torque communicating connector, wherein application of torque to said torque communicating connector causes said rotatable cutting head to rotate; and a guidewire passageway extending through the catheter tube and through the rotatable cutting head. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification