Electrosurgical catheter aned method for vascular applications
First Claim
1. An electrosurgical plaque-resolving or tissue-eroding device having a distal end which is insertable within and along the lumen of a blood vessel and .[.manipulated.]. .Iadd.manipulatable .Iaddend.therethrough to a desired position without causing undue trauma where the device is operated to thermally resolve atherosclerotic plaque buildup or erode tissue in the blood vessel to re-establish desired blood flow through the blood vessel or to remove tissue therefrom, said device comprising:
- an elongate flexible hollow tubular body having a distal end, a proximal end, and a diameter smaller than the diameter of the vessel into which said device is inserted;
first passage means within said tubular body for supplying a flushing fluid to the site where plaque or tissue is resolved or eroded;
second passage means within said tubular body for evacuating, such as by suction, debris at the site of resolving plaque or eroding tissue from the site;
a hollow tip member mounted at said distal end of said flexible hollow tubular body;
an electrode adjacent to and in operative association with said hollow tip member for resolving plaque or eroding tissue, said tip member being beveled or rounded at the distal end of said device;
means for supplying a high-frequency electrical current to said electrode for cutting tissue or coagulating body fluid; and
means for sensing, from time to time, the amount of plaque or tissue at the site in the blood vessel.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The method for resolving atherosclerotic plaque buildup and/or eroding unwanted tissue in a blood vessel includes the steps of: inserting an electrode in and along the lumen of a blood vessel; manually manipulating said electrode through the blood vessel; positioning said electrode proximate to atherosclerotic plaque buildup site or unwanted tissue site in the blood vessel; supplying a predetermined high-frequency, high-voltage electrical current to said electrode; maintaining said predetermined current for a predetermined time period; and sensing from time to time, the amount of plaque or unwanted tissue at the site.
The electrosurgical plaque-resolving or tissue-eroding device is adapted to be inserted within and along the lumen of a blood vessel and manipulated therethrough to a desired position where the device is operated to resolve atherosclerotic plaque buildup or erode tissue in the blood vessel according to the method to re-establish desired blood flow through the blood vessel or to remove tissue therefrom. The device comprises an elongate flexible hollow tubular body having a distal end and a proximal end. A hollow tip member is mounted at the distal end of the flexible hollow tubular body and an electrode is associated with the hollow tip member for resolving plaque or eroding tissue. A power supply circuit for supplying a high-frequency, high-voltage electrical current to the electrode is coupled to the electrode. A mechanism for sensing, from time to time, the amount of plaque or tissue at the site in the blood vessel is also provided with the device.
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Citations
45 Claims
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1. An electrosurgical plaque-resolving or tissue-eroding device having a distal end which is insertable within and along the lumen of a blood vessel and .[.manipulated.]. .Iadd.manipulatable .Iaddend.therethrough to a desired position without causing undue trauma where the device is operated to thermally resolve atherosclerotic plaque buildup or erode tissue in the blood vessel to re-establish desired blood flow through the blood vessel or to remove tissue therefrom, said device comprising:
- an elongate flexible hollow tubular body having a distal end, a proximal end, and a diameter smaller than the diameter of the vessel into which said device is inserted;
first passage means within said tubular body for supplying a flushing fluid to the site where plaque or tissue is resolved or eroded;
second passage means within said tubular body for evacuating, such as by suction, debris at the site of resolving plaque or eroding tissue from the site;
a hollow tip member mounted at said distal end of said flexible hollow tubular body;
an electrode adjacent to and in operative association with said hollow tip member for resolving plaque or eroding tissue, said tip member being beveled or rounded at the distal end of said device;
means for supplying a high-frequency electrical current to said electrode for cutting tissue or coagulating body fluid; and
means for sensing, from time to time, the amount of plaque or tissue at the site in the blood vessel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
- an elongate flexible hollow tubular body having a distal end, a proximal end, and a diameter smaller than the diameter of the vessel into which said device is inserted;
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39. A cardiovascular thermal ablation device having a distal portion which is insertable into and along a lumen of a blood vessel to a desired position against an area of atherosclerotic plaque buildup or like obstruction within the lumen of the vessel without undue trauma, said device having means for thermally resolving the area of obstruction within the vessel and having means for removing resolved tissue from the area of thermal ablation, said device further comprising an elongate flexible hollow tubular body having a distal end and a proximal end;
- a hollow tip member mounted at said distal end of said flexible hollow tubular body;
at least one electrode adjacent to and in operative association with said hollow tip member for resolving plaque or eroding tissue;
said tip member being beveled or rounded at said distal end of said device;
means for supplying electrical current to said electrode;
means for sensing, between periods of application of electrical current to said electrode, the amount of plaque or tissue remaining to obstruct the site in the blood vessel by measuring the impedance of the plaque .[.of.]. .Iadd.or .Iaddend.tissue;
means for supplying fluid to, or for supplying suction from, the site including at least one channel extending through said flexible hollow tubular body and tip member, and said device having at least one further channel, at least one wire conductor in said further channel extending proximally from said at least one electrode to said proximal end of said device and means for connecting said conductor to a source of .Iadd.high frequency .Iaddend.electrical current. .Iadd.40. An electrosurgical plaque-eroding device having a distal end which is insertable within and along the lumen of a blood vessel and manipulatable therethrough without causing undue trauma to a desired position where the device is operated to thermally erode atherosclerotic plaque buildup in the blood vessel to reestablish desired blood flow through the blood vessel, said device comprising;
an elongate flexible hollow tubular body having an inner lumen, a distal end, a proximal end, and an outer diameter smaller than the diameter of the vessel into which said device is inserted;
a hollow tip member mounted at said distal end of said flexible hollow tubular body, having a distal end and a proximal end, and having an axial passageway therethrough communicating said tip member distal end with said lumen of said hollow tubular body;
means for withdrawing material which collects at said tip member distal end;
means for supplying flushing fluid to said tip member distal end;
an electrode assembly adjacent to and in operative association with said hollow tip member and including first and second electrodes for thermally eroding plaque, said tip member being beveled or rounded at the distal end of said device to facilitate insertion thereof into a blood vessel, and means for supplying a high-frequency electrical current to said electrodes for cutting plaque,
- a hollow tip member mounted at said distal end of said flexible hollow tubular body;
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40. which high frequency can extend up to 20 megahertz. .Iaddend. .Iadd.41. The electrosurgical plaque-eroding device of claim 40 wherein said means for withdrawing material which collects at said tip member distal end and said means for supplying flushing fluid to said tip member distal end are both defined by the inner lumen of the tubular body and the axial passageway through the hollow tip member which provide passage means for withdrawing material which collects at said tip member distal end and for supplying flushing fluid to said tip member distal end. .Iaddend.
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41. Iadd. A cardiovascular thermal ablation device having a distal portion which is insertable into and along a lumen of a blood vessel without causing undue trauma to a desired position against an area of atherosclerotic plaque buildup or like obstruction within the lumen of the vessel, said device having means for thermally resolving the area of obstruction within the vessel, said device further comprising an elongate flexible hollow tubular body having an inner lumen, a distal end and a proximal end;
- a hollow tip member mounted to said distal end of said flexible hollow tubular body having a distal end and a proximal end, and having an axial passageway therethrough communicating said tip member distal end with said lumen of said hollow tubular body;
means for withdrawing material which collects at said tip member distal end;
means for supplying flushing fluid to said tip member distal end;
said means for thermally eroding plaque including an electrode assembly adjacent to and in operative association with said hollow tip member and including two electrodes for eroding plaque;
said tip member being beveled or rounded at said distal end of said device;
means for supplying high frequency electrical current to said electrodes, which high frequency can extend up to 20 megahertz; and
means for sensing, between periods of application of electrical current to said electrodes, the amount of plaque remaining at said position by measuring the impedance through the plaque between said
- a hollow tip member mounted to said distal end of said flexible hollow tubular body having a distal end and a proximal end, and having an axial passageway therethrough communicating said tip member distal end with said lumen of said hollow tubular body;
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42. two electrodes. .Iaddend. .Iadd.43. The electrosurgical plaque-eroding device of claim 42 wherein said means for withdrawing material which collects at said tip member distal end and said means for supplying flushing fluid to said tip member distal end are both defined by the inner lumen of the tubular body and the axial passageway through the hollow tip member which provide passage means for withdrawing material which collects at said tip member distal end and for supplying flushing fluid to said tip
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43. member distal end. .Iaddend. .Iadd.44. An elongate electrosurgical plaque-eroding device having a distal end which is insertable within, through and long the lumen of a blood vessel without causing undue trauma to the blood vessel to a desired position where the device is operated to thermally erode atherosclerotic plaque buildup in the blood vessel to re-establish desired blood flow through the blood vessel, said device comprising:
- an elongate flexible body having an inner lumen, a distal end, a proximal end, and an outer diameter smaller than the diameter of the vessel into which said device is inserted;
a tip section at said distal end of said elongate flexible body having a distal end and a proximal end, and having an axial passageway therethrough communicating said tip section distal end with said lumen of said hollow tubular body;
means for withdrawing material which collects at said tip section distal end;
means for supplying flushing fluid to said tip section distal end;
an electrode assembly adjacent to and in operative association with said tip section and including first and second electrodes for thermally eroding plaque, said tip section being rounded at the distal end of said device to facilitate insertion thereof into a blood vessel, and means coupled to said electrodes for supplying a high-frequency electrical current to said electrodes for cutting through said plaque, which high frequency can
- an elongate flexible body having an inner lumen, a distal end, a proximal end, and an outer diameter smaller than the diameter of the vessel into which said device is inserted;
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44. extend up to 20 megahertz. .Iaddend. .Iadd.45. The electrosurgical plaque-eroding device of claim 44 wherein said means for withdrawing material which collects at said tip section distal end and said means for supplying flushing fluid to said tip section distal end are both defined by the inner lumen of the tubular body and the axial passageway through the hollow tip section which provide passage means for withdrawing material which collects at said tip section distal end and for supplying
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45. flushing fluid to said tip section distal end. .Iaddend. .Iadd.46. A cardiovascular thermal ablation device having a distal portion which is insertable into and along a lumen of a blood vessel without causing undue trauma to a desired position against an area of atherosclerotic plaque buildup or like obstruction within the lumen of the vessel, said device having means for thermally resolving the area of obstruction within the vessel, said device further comprising an elongate flexible body having an inner lumen, a distal end and a proximal end;
- a tip section at said distal end of said elongate flexible body having a distal end and a proximal end, and having an axial passageway therethrough communicating said tip section distal end with said lumen of said hollow tubular body;
means for withdrawing material which collects at said tip section distal end;
means for supplying flushing fluid to said tip section distal end;
said means for thermally eroding plaque including an electrode assembly adjacent to and in operative association with said distal end of said device;
means coupled to said electrodes for supplying high frequency electrical current to said electrodes, which high frequency can be up to 20 megahertz; and
means for sensing, between periods of application of electrical current to said electrodes, the amount of plaque remaining at said position by measuring the impedance through the plaque between said two electrodes. .Iaddend. .Iadd.47. The electrosurgical plaque-eroding device of claim 46 wherein said means for withdrawing material which collects at said tip section distal end and said means for supplying flushing fluid to said tip section distal end are both defined by the inner lumen of the tubular body and the axial passageway through the hollow tip section which provide passage means for withdrawing material which collects at said tip section distal end and for supplying flushing fluid to said tip section distal end. .Iaddend.
- a tip section at said distal end of said elongate flexible body having a distal end and a proximal end, and having an axial passageway therethrough communicating said tip section distal end with said lumen of said hollow tubular body;
Specification