Blood vessel sensing catheter having working lumen for medical appliances

• US 8,235,908 B2
• Filed: 03/17/2009
• Issued: 08/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Broncus Medical Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Broncus Medical Incorporated
• Inventors: Roschak, Edmund J., Keast, Thomas M., Gwerder, Eric J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Casler, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): LAURITZEN, AMANDA L
• Application Number:
  US12/406,018
• Publication Number:
  US 20090275840A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,239 Days
• Field of Search: 600/407, 600/453, 600/466, 600/465, 600/104, 600/529, 600/471, 600/438
• US Class Current: 600/453
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/04 Endoscopic instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3478 Endoscopic needles, e.g. for infusion biopsy needles A61B10/0233; catheters with injection needles A61M25/0067
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2010/0216 Sampling brushes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2010/045 Needles pointed biopsy devices with vacuum aspiration A61B10/0283
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00809 Lung operations
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3445 used as instrument channel for multiple instruments catheters A61B2017/22072
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3784 both receiver and transmitter being in the instrument or receiver being also transmitter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0084 for introduction into the body, e.g. by catheters A61B5/1459 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/489 Blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/12 in body cavities or body tracts, e.g. by using catheters catheters per se A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/445 Details of catheter construction

Abstract

Devices and methods are disclosed for providing a sensing element to scan tissue and detect the presence of structures within the tissue to avoid the structures when performing a procedure on the tissue. A catheter includes a blood vessel sensing assembly and a working lumen adapted to receive a medical appliance or instrument for performing various medical procedures.

Claims

1. A method for performing a tissue biopsy on a tumor in a lung comprising:

advancing a far end of a catheter into an airway within the lung and in the vicinity of the tumor where the catheter has a working channel and a Doppler ultrasound assembly that is affixed to the catheter and is offset from an axis of the working channel;

sensing for the absence of blood vessels along the airway using a Doppler ultrasound assembly associated with the far end of said catheter;

extending a working tip of a medical appliance from the working channel at said far end of said catheter, through a wall of said airway, and into said tumor such that catheter does not obscure the Doppler ultrasound assembly; and

removing a tissue sample from said tumor with said appliance.

2. The method of claim 1 where said medical appliance is a biopsy coring device.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of advancing a bronchoscope into the airway, and advancing said catheter through a lumen in said bronchoscope.

4. The method of claim 1 where the far end of the catheter comprises a distal opening for said working tip of said medical appliance to exit, and wherein said opening is beveled.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said Doppler ultrasound assembly is positioned distal to said distal opening.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising identifying a location that is free of a blood vessel during sensing and holding the Doppler ultrasound assembly against the location while simultaneously extending the working tip into said tumor.