THROMBUS REMOVAL SYSTEM AND PROCESS

• US 20110230909A1
• Filed: 06/02/2011
• Published: 09/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nexgen Medical Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nexgen Medical Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Finitsis, Stephanos, Kucharczyk, John
• Granted Patent: US 8,480,697 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/200
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12022 Occluding by internal devices, e.g. balloons or releasable wires plugging an opening in the wall of an organ A61B17/0057; occluders for the cervical canal A61F6/146; vas deferens occluders A61F6/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1214 Coils or wires
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12145 having a pre-set deployed three-dimensional shape methods of manufacturing A61B2017/00526
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1215 comprising additional materials, e.g. thrombogenic, having filaments, having fibers, being coated
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1219 expandable in contact with liquids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/221 Gripping devices in the form of loops or baskets for gripping calculi or similar types of obstructions surgical snare instruments A61B17/32056
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/32056 Surgical snare instruments for removing or smashing calculi A61B2017/2212; tonsillotomes A61B17/26
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22034 for gripping the obstruction or the tissue part from inside
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2212 having a closed distal end, e.g. a loop
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/016 made from wire-like elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0078 hyperboloidal
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0091 helically-coiled or spirally-coiled, i.e. having a 2-D spiral cross-section

Abstract

A device capable of capturing and facilitating the removal of a thrombus in blood vessels (or stones in biliary or urinary ducts, or foreign bodies) uses a soft coil mesh with the aid of a pull wire or string to engage the surface of a thrombus, and remove the captured thrombus. The soft coil mesh is formed by an elongated microcoil element that forms the helical elements of a macrocoil element. The microcoil element provides a relatively elastic effect to the helical elements forming the macrocoil and allows for control of gripping forces on the thrombus while reducing non-rigid contact of the device with arterial walls. The use of multiple coil mesh elements, delivered through a single lumen or multiple lumens, preferably with separate control of at least one end of each coil, provides a firm grasp on a distal side of a thrombus, assisting in non-disruptive or minimally disrupted removal of the thrombus upon withdrawal of the device.

Claims

1. A medical device for removing a thrombus from a blood vessel, comprising a microcatheter lumen containing:

a macrocoil thrombus engaging component having a length with a proximal end and a distal end, the length of the macrocoil comprised of microcoils that allow the length of the macrocoil to be extendable and flexible;

a first wire capable of providing force on the distal end of the macrocoil;

a second wire capable of providing force on the proximal end of the macrocoil;

wherein upon removal from the microcatheter lumen by tension on at least one of the first wire or second wire, the macrocoil expands and retains microcoils along a length of the macrocoil.

2. The medical device of claim 1 removed from, but adjacent to the microcatheter lumen with the macrocoils in a natural expanded condition.

3. The medical device of claim 1 wherein force applied through the first wire on the distal end of the macrocoil thrombus engaging component adjacent to the microcatheter lumen causes microcoils to bend towards the proximal end of the macrocoil thrombus engaging component and form loops.

4. The medical device of claim 2 wherein the medical device is present within a liquid transporting vessel of a mammalian body having a solid thrombus therein, and the distal end of the macrocoil thrombus engaging component extends past the thrombus.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein the liquid transporting vessel is a blood vessel.

6. The device of claim 4 wherein the liquid transporting vessel is a blood vessel in a human being.

7. The device of claim 3 wherein force applied through the first wire on the distal end of the macrocoil thrombus engaging component adjacent to the microcatheter lumen causes microcoils to bend towards the proximal end of the macrocoil thrombus engaging component and form loops.

8. The medical device of claim 7 wherein the medical device is present within a liquid transporting vessel of a mammalian body having a solid thrombus therein, and the distal end of the macrocoil thrombus engaging component extends past the thrombus.

9. The device of claim 8 wherein the liquid transporting vessel is a blood vessel.

10. The device of claim 8 wherein the liquid transporting vessel is a blood vessel in a human being.

11. The device of claim 7 wherein a mesh of coil loops has formed around the thrombus and securely entraps the thrombus.

12. The device of claim 8 wherein a mesh of coil loops has formed around the thrombus and securely entraps the thrombus.

13. The device of claim 9 wherein a mesh of coil loops has formed around the thrombus and securely entraps the thrombus.

14. The device of claim 10 wherein a mesh of coil loops has formed around the thrombus and securely entraps the thrombus.