Methods and devices for cutting tissue

• US 9,445,834 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2014
• Issued: 09/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Lee, Kee, Yuen, Phyllis, Doud, Darren
• Primary Examiner(s): ALEMAN, SARAH WEBB
• Application Number:
  US14/280,713
• Publication Number:
  US 20150018858A1
• Time in Patent Office: 855 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/320725 with radially expandable cutting or abrading elements A61B17/32075 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/32075 Pullback cutting; combined forward and pullback cutting, e.g. with cutters at both sides of the plaque
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/320758 with a rotating cutting instrument, e.g. motor driven A61B17/320725, A61B17/32075 and A61B17/320783 take precedence; for removing intra-ocular material A61F9/00763; endoscopic rotatable cutting instruments A61B17/32002
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/320783 through side-hole, e.g. sliding or rotating cutter inside catheter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320791 with cutter extending outside the cutting window

Abstract

A catheter is provided, which includes a cutting element having one or more raised elements. The cutting element has a cup-shaped surface at the distal end that may be smooth and continuous except for the raised elements.

Claims

1. An atherectomy catheter, comprising:

a body having opposite proximal and distal ends;

a rotatable shaft coupled to the body;

a cutting element adjacent the distal end of the body and coupled to the rotatable shaft, such that the rotatable shaft is able to rotate the cutting element through a complete rotation about a longitudinal axis of the cutting element, the cutting element having opposite first and second longitudinal ends, a cutting edge extending circumferentially at the first longitudinal end of the cutting element, and an interior surface recessed longitudinally from the cutting edge; and

a raised element extending longitudinally outward from the interior surface of the cutting element toward the first longitudinal end of the cutting element, the raised element having a first side wall extending inward from the interior surface generally toward the longitudinal axis of the cutting element, and a longitudinal end wall defining a longitudinal end surface of the raised element which intersects the first side wall to form a first raised edge of the raised element, the first raised edge having inner and outer ends relative to the longitudinal axis of the cutting element,

wherein the outer end of the first raised edge does not intersect the cutting edge and is spaced radially inward from the cutting edge relative to the longitudinal axis of the cutting element.

2. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the outer end of the first raised edge is spaced radially inward from the cutting edge a distance of 0.0010 to 0.0020 in.

3. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the outer end of the first raised edge is recessed longitudinally from the cutting edge.

4. The catheter of claim 3, wherein the outer end of the first raised edge is recessed from the cutting edge by a longitudinal distance of 0.0010 to 0.0020 inch.

5. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the rotatable shaft is configured to rotate the cutting element so that the first raised edge is the leading edge.

6. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the raised element further has a second side wall extending inward from the interior surface generally toward the longitudinal axis of the cutting element, wherein the longitudinal end surface of the raised element intersects the second side wall to form a second raised edge of the raised element.

7. The catheter of claim 6, wherein the rotatable shaft is configured to rotate the cutting element so that the first raised edge is the leading edge and the second raised edge is the trailing edge.

8. The catheter of claim 6, wherein the raised element further has an inner wall extending between and intersecting the first and second side walls and the longitudinal end wall and the interior surface of the cutting element, respectively.

9. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the longitudinal end surface of the raised element forms an acute angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the cutting element.

10. The catheter of claim 9, wherein the longitudinal end surface of the raised element forms an angle of about 30 degrees to 90 degrees with respect to the longitudinal axis of the cutting element.

11. An atherectomy catheter, comprising:

a body having opposite proximal and distal ends;

a rotatable shaft coupled to the body;

a cutting element adjacent the distal end of the body and coupled to the rotatable shaft, such that the rotatable shaft is able to rotate the cutting element through a complete rotation about a longitudinal axis of the cutting element, the cutting element having opposite first and second longitudinal ends, a cutting edge extending circumferentially at the first longitudinal end of the cutting element, and an interior surface recessed longitudinally from the cutting edge; and

a raised element extending longitudinally outward from the interior surface of the cutting element toward the first longitudinal end of the cutting element, the raised element having a first side wall extending inward from the interior surface generally toward the longitudinal axis of the cutting element, and a longitudinal end wall defining a longitudinal end surface of the raised element which intersects the first side wall to form a first raised edge of the raised element, the first raised edge having inner and outer ends relative to the longitudinal axis of the cutting element,

wherein the outer end of the first raised edge does not intersect the cutting edge,

wherein the longitudinal end surface of the raised element forms an acute angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the cutting element.

12. The catheter of claim 11, wherein the longitudinal end surface of the raised element forms an acute angle that is greater than or equal to 30 degrees with respect to the longitudinal axis of the cutting element.

13. The catheter of claim 11, wherein the outer end of the first raised edge is spaced radially inward from the cutting edge a distance of 0.0010 to 0.0020 in.

14. The catheter of claim 11, wherein the outer end of the first raised edge is recessed longitudinally from the cutting edge.

15. The catheter of claim 11, wherein the outer end of the first raised edge is recessed from the cutting edge by a longitudinal distance of 0.0010 to 0.0020 inch.

16. The catheter of claim 11, wherein the raised element further has a second side wall extending inward from the interior surface generally toward the longitudinal axis of the cutting element, wherein the longitudinal end surface of the raised element intersects the second side wall to form a second raised edge of the raised element.

17. The catheter of claim 16, wherein the second raised edge is recessed longitudinally relative to the first raised edge.

18. The catheter of claim 17, wherein the longitudinal end surface of the raised element forms an acute angle that is greater than or equal to 30 degrees with respect to the longitudinal axis of the cutting element.

19. The catheter of claim 16, wherein the rotatable shaft is configured to rotate the cutting element so that the first raised edge is the leading edge and the second raised edge is the trailing edge.

20. The catheter of claim 16, wherein the raised element further has an inner wall extending between and intersecting the first and second side walls and the longitudinal end wall and the interior surface of the cutting element, respectively.