Cleaning device and methods

• US 8,646,460 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2007
• Issued: 02/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Utley, David S., Garabedian, Robert, Wallace, Michael, Gerberding, Brent
• Primary Examiner(s): ROANE, AARON F
• Application Number:
  US11/830,291
• Publication Number:
  US 20090036886A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,388 Days
• Field of Search: 600/104, 600/562, 606/1, 606/41
• US Class Current: 128/898
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/320708 Curettes, e.g. hollow scraping instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/320725 with radially expandable cutting or abrading elements A61B17/32075 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/02 by cooling, e.g. cryogenic techniques devices for cooling specific reflex points of the body within cell-life limits A61H39/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/08 by means of electrically-heated probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1492 having a flexible, catheter-like structure, e.g. for heart ablation A61B18/1477 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/18 by applying electromagnetic radiation, e.g. microwaves radiation therapy A61N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/20 using laser
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/242 for bronchial passages
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320008 Scrapers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320012 Brushes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00214 Expandable means emitting energy, e.g. by elements carried thereon
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00482 Digestive system
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00898 Alarms or notifications created in response to an abnormal condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1497 Electrodes covering only part of the probe circumference

Abstract

A method for providing therapy to tissue at a treatment site is performed by ablating tissue at the treatment site with an ablation device. Next, a cleaning device is attached to an instrument. The cleaning device attached to the instrument is used to remove ablated tissue at the treatment site. The cleaning device may also be used to remove debris from the treatment site prior to ablation or other therapeutic or diagnostic procedure.

Claims

1. A method for providing therapy to tissue at a treatment site, comprising:

ablating tissue at the treatment site with an ablation device;

attaching a cleaning device to an instrument after ablating the tissue at the treatment site with the ablation device; and

removing ablated tissue from the treatment site utilizing the cleaning device attached to the instrument.

2. The method for providing therapy according to claim 1 wherein the instrument is an endoscope.

3. The method for providing therapy according to claim 1 wherein the instrument is an ablation device.

4. The method for providing therapy according to claim 1 wherein the removal of the ablated tissue is achieved through physical contact between the cleaning device and ablated tissue.

5. The method for providing therapy according to claim 1 wherein removing ablated tissue is achieved through abrasion or rubbing of ablated tissue.

6. The method for providing therapy according to claim 1 wherein removing ablated tissue is achieved through scraping ablated tissue.

7. The method for providing therapy according to claim 1 wherein removing ablated tissue is achieved through a combination of scraping, abrasion or rubbing of ablated tissue.

8. The method for providing therapy according to claim 1 further comprising:

moving the cleaning device from a stowed condition to a deployed condition before the removing ablated tissue step.

9. The method for providing therapy according to claim 1 further comprising:

expanding the cleaning device before the removing ablated tissue step.

10. The method for providing therapy according to claim 1 further comprising:

removing material at the treatment site with a cleaning device supported by an instrument prior to the ablating tissue step.

11. The method for providing therapy according to claim 10 wherein the removed material comprises:

blood, mucus, bile or alimentary canal by-products.

12. The method for providing therapy according to claim 1 further comprising:

expanding the cleaning device to contact the treatment site before performing the removing ablated tissue step.

13. The method for providing therapy according to claim 1 further comprising:

advancing the cleaning device from a position within the instrument before performing the removing ablated tissue step.

14. The method for providing therapy according to claim 1 further comprising:

removing material from the cleaning device by withdrawing the cleaning device into the instrument after the removing ablated tissue step.

15. The method for providing therapy according to claim 1 further comprising:

furthering homeostasis at the treatment site with the cleaning device.

16. The method for providing therapy according to claim 1 further comprising:

constricting and expanding a portion of the cleaning device before the removing ablated tissue step.

17. The method for providing therapy according to claim 1 further comprising:

storing a portion of the tissue removed during the removing ablated tissue step in the cleaning device.

18. The method for providing therapy according to claim 1 further comprising:

storing a portion of the tissue removed during the removing ablated tissue step in the pores of the cleaning device.