Devices and methods for controlling and indicating the length of an interventional element

• US 9,566,179 B2
• Filed: 11/11/2013
• Issued: 02/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: JW Medical Systems Ltd
• Original Assignee: JW Medical Systems Ltd
• Inventors: Andreas, Bernard, Karratt, Joseph, Flom, James R., Blackwood, Bradley
• Primary Examiner(s): Eastwood, David C
• Application Number:
  US14/077,080
• Publication Number:
  US 20140188205A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,191 Days
• Field of Search: 604/96.01, 604/97.01, 604/103.07, 604/103.08, 604/103.11, 604/916, 606190-195, 606/198, 606/108, 623/1.11, 623/1.12, 623/1.23, 623/2.11
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/95 Instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/9517 handle assemblies therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/966 with relative longitudinal movement between outer sleeve and prosthesis, e.g. using a push rod
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0097 Visible markings, e.g. indicia
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0008 having visible markings on its surface, i.e. visible to the naked eye, for any purpose, e.g. insertion depth markers, rotational markers or identification of type
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/1068 having means for varying the length or diameter of the deployed balloon, this variations could be caused by excess pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0136 Handles therefor

Abstract

Devices and methods are provided for controlling and indicating the deployed length of an interventional element on an interventional catheter. The interventional element may be a stent or series of stents, a balloon, or any other interventional element for which length control is necessary or desirable. Devices for controlling the length of the interventional element include gear driven actuators, motors, and other mechanisms. Devices for indicating length of an interventional element to the user include sensors, detents, visual displays and other mechanisms providing visual, audible, and tangible indications of length to the user. The control and indication devices preferably work in tandem to enable highly precise adjustment of interventional element length.

Claims

1. A stent delivery catheter, comprising:

an elongate flexible shaft comprising;

an outer sheath;

a pusher enclosed by the outer sheath, the pusher comprising an indicator;

a deployment member coupled to a distal end of the elongate flexible shaft, the deployment member configured to deploy at least one stent segment;

a post coupled to a proximal end of the outer sheath, the post comprising visible indicia on a surface of the post; and

a handle coupled to and surrounding an end of the post, the handle comprising;

an actuator, wherein the actuator couples to the post to control by fixed incremental displacement a position of the outer sheath relative to the pusher to expose the at least one stent segment over a length of the deployment member, and wherein movement of the post relative to the pusher changes the position of the indicia relative to the indicator providing a visual indication of a number of stent segments positioned over the length of the deployment member or the number of stent segments positioned within the sheath.

2. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the indicia provides an indication of the number of stent segments positioned over the length of the deployment member based upon a length of the post exposed from the handle.

3. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the indicia provides an indication of the number of stent segments positioned within the sheath based upon a length of the post exposed from the handle.

4. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the indicia provides an indication to the number of stent segments positioned over the length and that provides an indication to the number of stent segments positioned within the sheath.

5. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the indicia provides an indication to a length of the number of stent segments positioned over the length and that provides an indication to the number of stent segments positioned within the sheath.

6. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the actuator is a rotary knob movable in clockwise and counterclockwise directions.

7. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the fixed incremental displacement corresponds to one of a fractional length of a stent segment and a non-fractional length of a stent segment.

8. The catheter of claim 1, further comprising a lever pivotably coupled to the handle, wherein the lever operably couples and decouples the post to and from the actuator to move or block movement of the sheath relative to the pusher.

10. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the indicia are numbers.

9. A method, comprising:

providing a stent delivery catheter comprising;

an elongate flexible shaft comprising;

an outer sheath;

a pusher enclosed by the outer sheath, the pusher comprising an indicator;

a deployment member coupled to a distal end of the elongate flexible shaft;

a post coupled to a proximal end of the outer sheath, the post comprising visible indicia on a surface of the post; and

a handle coupled to and surrounding an end of the post, the handle comprising;

an actuator, wherein the actuator couples to the post to control by fixed incremental displacement a position of the outer sheath relative to the pusher to expose at least one stent segment over a length of the deployment member, and wherein movement of the post relative to the pusher changes the position of the indicia relative to the indicator providing a visual indication of a number of stent segments positioned over the length of the deployment member or the number of stent segments positioned within the sheath; and

manipulating the actuator to expose from the sheath at least one stent segment for deployment within a lumen.