DRIVE ASSEMBLY FOR FACILITATING DEPLOYMENT OF AN IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICE

• US 20120209175A1
• Filed: 02/09/2012
• Published: 08/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cook Medical Incorporated (Cook Group Incorporated), William Cook Europe ApS (Cook Group Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Cook Medical Incorporated (Cook Group Incorporated)
• Inventors: Mølgaard-Nielsen, Arne
• Granted Patent: US 8,579,913 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/95.01
• 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 2250/0073 Force-limiting means

Abstract

A driver assembly (50) for an introducer assembly (10) for the deployment of an implantable medical device (16) includes a sprung element (52) coupled to a yoke (56). The yoke (56) is coupled to a gripper element (58). The yoke (56) is coupled to a first handle unit (30) of the introducer (10). The sprung element (52) is coupled to a proximal handle unit (32). A brake element (66) acts to prevent operation of the sprung element (52) when no manual force is being applied to attract a sheath (24) and the assembly (10). When manual retraction force is applied to the assembly (50) the gripper element (58) the brake element (66) releases a sprung element (52) so that the lighter can apply a force assistance to assist in the retraction of the sheath (24) and thereby to assist in the deployment of a medical device.

Claims

1. An introducer assembly including a carrier element for carrying an implantable medical device, the carrier element including a distal end at which an implantable medical device is carried and a proximal end;

a sheath overlying the carrier element and being retractable so as to expose the distal end of the carrier element, the sheath including a distal end and a proximal end;

a handle assembly at the proximal end of the carrier element and sheath, the handle assembly including first and second handle portions, attached respectively to the proximal ends of the sheath and the carrier element, the handle assembly being manually operable to retract the sheath by pulling the handle portions towards one another; and

a drive assembly coupled between the first and second handle portions and operable to provide a retraction assistance force pulling these handle portions together;

wherein the drive assembly includes a brake element configured to prevent the drive assembly from providing the retraction assistance force if a manual force pulling the first and second handle portions towards one another does not exceed a threshold force.

2. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the drive assembly includes a sprung element coupled between the handle portions.

3. An assembly according to claim 2, wherein the sprung element is a spiral spring.

4. An assembly according to claim 3, wherein the spring is fitted to a spool element, the brake element being configured to act upon the spool element to prevent the spring from pulling the sheath in a retraction direction.

5. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the brake element is operable to prevent retraction of the sheath until the sheath is manually pulled back by the user.

6. An assembly according to claim 5, wherein the brake element adopts a braking condition when there is no manual actuation of the handle assembly and a released condition when there is manual operation of the handle assembly.

7. An assembly according to claim 5, wherein the brake element acts to prevent operation of the sprung element.

8. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the drive assembly includes a brake release mechanism operable to release the brake upon manual pulling of the handle portions together.

9. An assembly according to claim 8, wherein the brake release mechanism operates on the basis of the speed of manual retraction.

10. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the drive assembly provides mechanical assistance up to a threshold retraction rate.

11. An assembly according to claim 10, wherein the drive assembly includes a sprung element which has a limited return speed.

12. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the drive assembly includes a servo mechanism.

13. An assembly according to claim 1, including a speed control mechanism.

14. An assembly according to claim 13, wherein the speed control mechanism includes a friction element for applying friction to the drive assembly thereby to control its speed of movement.

15. A drive assembly and an introducer assembly including a carrier element for carrying an implantable medical device, the carrier element including a distal end at which an implantable medical device is carried and a proximal end;

a sheath overlying the carrier element and being retractable so as to expose the distal end of the carrier element, the sheath including a distal end and a proximal end;

a handle assembly at the proximal end of the carrier element and sheath and including first and second handle portions, attached respectively to the proximal ends of the sheath and the carrier element, the handle assembly being manually operable to retract the sheath by pulling the first and second handle portions towards one another;

wherein the drive assembly is able to be coupled between the carrier element and the sheath and operable to provide a retraction assistance force in response to manual retraction of the sheath;

the drive assembly including;

first and second fittings, designed to be coupled respectively to the first and second handle portions and operable to provide a force pulling the handle portions together;

a sprung element coupled between the first and second fittings, the sprung element operable to provide a pulling force to pull the sheath in a retraction direction;

a brake element operable to prevent retraction of the sheath until the sheath is manually pulled back by the user and to prevent the sprung element from providing the pulling force if a manual force pulling the first and second handle portions towards one another does not exceed a threshold force; and

a brake release mechanism operable to release the brake upon manual pulling of the handle portions together.