Atherectomy devices, systems, and methods

• US 20090018566A1
• Filed: 06/30/2008
• Published: 01/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Atheromed, Inc. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Artheromed Incorporated
• Inventors: Chee, Uriel Hiram, To, John T., Danek, Christopher James, Hann, Brenda, Escudero, Paul Quentin, Pombo, August Christopher, Smith, Torrey
• Application Number:
  US12/215,752
• Publication Number:
  US 20090018566A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/159
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3207 Atherectomy devices working by cutting or abrading; Similar devices specially adapted for non-vascular obstructions A61B17/32037 takes precedence; endoscopic cutting instruments A61B17/320016
• 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 2017/003 Steerable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00309 Cut-outs or slits
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00685 Archimedes screw
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22039 eccentric
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22044 with a pointed tip
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22068 Centering
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22094 for crossing total occlusions, i.e. piercing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2929 with a head rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320032 Details of the rotating or oscillating shaft, e.g. using a flexible shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320775 Morcellators, impeller or propeller like means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0138 having flexible regions as a result of weakened outer material, e.g. slots, slits, cuts, joints or coils

Abstract

The devices and methods generally relate to treatment of occluded body lumens. In particular, the present devices and method relate to removal of the occluding material from the blood vessels as well as other body lumens.

Claims

1. A method of treating a blood vessel, the method comprising:

providing a catheter sized and configured to be introduced into the blood vessel, the catheter including a tissue cutting assembly at or near a distal end of the catheter, the tissue cutting assembly including a rotatable cutter for debulking the tissue from the blood vessel,

providing a control handle coupled to the catheter assembly, the control handle including steering means for steering the tissue cutting assembly,

introducing the catheter into a vascular access artery,

advancing the catheter into a femoral artery, a profunda femoris artery, an artery in the hunter'"'"'s canal, a popliteal artery, a tibial artery, a peroneal artery, a dorsalis pedis artery, a medial plantar artery, a lateral plantar artery, or a digital artery,

positioning the tissue cutting assembly at or near a target site in the femoral artery, the profunda femoris artery, the artery in the hunter'"'"'s canal, the popliteal artery, the tibial artery, the peroneal artery, the dorsalis pedis artery, the medial plantar artery, the lateral plantar artery, or the digital artery,

operating the steering means by applying a first force to the steering means, the first force causing the distal portion of the catheter to deflect in a radial direction,

operating the steering means by applying a second force to the steering means, the second force causing the distal portion of the catheter to rotate in an arcuate path while the distal portion is deflected in the radial direction,

advancing the catheter distally to sweep the target site thereby allowing the rotatable cutter to debulk tissue from the target site in the arcuate path, and

removing the debulked tissue from the target site, thereby treating the blood vessel.

2. A method according to claim 1:

further including introducing the catheter into the iliac artery using an 8Fr or smaller introducer.

3. A method according to claim 2:

wherein the catheter is sized and configured to allow contrast injection while residing in the 8Fr or smaller introducer.

4. A method according to claim 1:

wherein introducing the catheter into the iliac artery includes no more than one introducing the catheter into the iliac artery.

5. A method according to claim 1:

wherein the catheter is sized and configured for thrombectomy and/or atherectomy.

6. A method according to claim 1:

wherein the tissue cutting assembly is sized and configured for removing tissue including acute thrombus, organized thrombus, atheroma, fibrous plaque, and calcified plaque.

7. A method according to claim 1:

wherein the vascular access artery comprises an iliac artery, a femoral artery, or a popliteal artery.

8. A method of treating a blood vessel, the method comprising:

providing a catheter sized and configured to be introduced into the blood vessel, the catheter including a tissue cutting assembly at or near a distal end of the catheter, the tissue cutting assembly including a rotatable cutter for debulking the tissue from the blood vessel,

providing a control handle coupled to the catheter assembly, the control handle including steering means for steering the tissue cutting assembly,

introducing the catheter into a vascular access artery,

advancing the catheter into a femoral artery, a profunda femoris artery, an artery in the hunter'"'"'s canal, a popliteal artery, a tibial artery, a peroneal artery, a dorsalis pedis artery, a medial plantar artery, a lateral plantar artery, or a digital artery,

positioning the tissue cutting assembly at or near a target site in the femoral artery, the profunda femoris artery, the artery in the hunter'"'"'s canal, the popliteal artery, the tibial artery, the peroneal artery, the dorsalis pedis artery, the medial plantar artery, the lateral plantar artery, or the digital artery,

operating the steering means by applying a first force to the steering means, the first force causing the distal portion of the catheter to deflect in a radial direction,

moving the catheter axially thereby allowing the rotatable cutter to debulk tissue from the target site, and

removing the debulked tissue from the target site, thereby treating the blood vessel.

9. A method of treating a blood vessel, the method comprising:

providing a catheter sized and configured to be introduced into the blood vessel, the catheter including a tissue cutting assembly at or near a distal end of the catheter, the tissue cutting assembly including a rotatable cutter for debulking the tissue from the blood vessel,

providing a control handle coupled to the catheter assembly, the control handle including steering means for steering the tissue cutting assembly,

introducing the catheter into a brachial artery,

advancing the catheter into a profunda brachii artery, a superior ulnar collateral artery, an inferior ulnar collateral artery, a radial artery, an ulnar artery, or the humeral branches,

positioning the tissue cutting assembly at or near a target site in the profunda brachii artery, the superior ulnar collateral artery, the inferior ulnar collateral artery, the radial artery, the ulnar artery, or the humeral branches,

operating the steering means by applying a first force to the steering means, the first force causing the distal portion of the catheter to deflect in a radial direction,

moving the catheter axially thereby allowing the rotatable cutter to debulk tissue from the target site, and

removing the debulked tissue from the target site, thereby treating the blood vessel.