Fetal shunt

• US 8,734,379 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2010
• Issued: 05/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ruben A. Quintero
• Original Assignee: Ruben A. Quintero
• Inventors: Quintero, Ruben A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Su, Susan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Townsend, Guy K
• Application Number:
  US13/510,433
• Publication Number:
  US 20130006162A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,286 Days
• Field of Search: 604/8
• US Class Current: 604/8
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0233 specifically adapted for attaching to a body wall by means which are on both sides of the wall, e.g. for attaching to an abdominal wall
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0293 Catheter, guide wire or the like with means for holding, centering, anchoring or frictionally engaging the device within an artificial lumen, e.g. tube natural lumen, e.g. vessels A61M25/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2027/004 with at least a part of the circuit outside the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/0496 Urine
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/145 Embryo, fetus
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/02 Holding devices, e.g. on the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/04 in the body, e.g. expansible A61M25/10, A61M16/0488 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 27/002 Implant devices for drainage of body fluids from one part of the body to another intraocular A61F9/00781; middle ear A61F11/202

Abstract

A medical device, system, and method are described for treating in utero a fetus with a lower urinary tract obstruction. An implantable medical device may have a flexible catheter and an anchor. The catheter may define a proximal port, a distal port, a longitudinal axis, and a lumen providing fluid communication between the ports. The anchor may be affixed to the catheter at a position between the ports, and may have a resilient proximal member and a resilient distal member spaced a longitudinal distance apart, the proximal member and distal member each extending radially outward with respect to the longitudinal axis. An elongate delivery member may be releasably affixed to the medical device, and the medical device may be delivered through a tubular sheath defining a sheath lumen.

Claims

1. A medical shunt system, comprising:

a tubular sheath designed for partial insertion into a fetal bladder, the sheath including a lumen; and

a flexible implantable device for insertion into the sheath, the implantable device comprising;

a flexible anchor comprising a proximal disk-shaped member, a distal disk-shaped member parallel to the proximal member, a trunk connecting the proximal and distal members, and a passage that extends through the trunk;

an elongate flexible catheter extending through the trunk, the catheter defining a plurality of proximal ports, a plurality of distal ports, a longitudinal axis, and a catheter lumen providing fluid communication between the proximal ports and the distal ports, a proximal portion and a distal portion of the catheter each having a curved pig-tail shape when not under force from another member;

a rigid guidewire for insertion into the catheter lumen and for maintaining the catheter in an elongate disposition when located within the lumen of the sheath;

a rigid and elongate delivery member releasably fixed to the anchor, wherein the delivery member is designed to both push and pull the implantable device through the lumen of the sheath, and wherein the delivery member is designed to be released from the anchor after placement of the implantable device; and

wherein the implantable device is designed to be compressed into the lumen of the sheath so as to be deployed into a fetal bladder.