METHODS AND DEVICES FOR PROTECTING CATHETER TIPS AND STEREOTACTIC FIXTURES FOR MICROCATHETERS

• US 20140371711A1
• Filed: 06/17/2014
• Published: 12/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alcyone Therapeutics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Alcyone Lifesciences, Inc.
• Inventors: Singh, Deep Arjun, Anand, PJ
• Granted Patent: US 10,456,533 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/506
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3496 Protecting sleeves or inner probes; Retractable tips for protecting body piercing guide needles A61M25/0612
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/034 abutting on parts of the device itself
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/11 with guides for needles or instruments, e.g. arcuate slides or ball joints
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/46 having means for controlling depth of insertion

Abstract

Methods and devices are disclosed herein that generally provide protection for devices (e.g., microcatheters) having small tips. Methods and devices are also disclosed herein that generally facilitate use of commercially-available stereotactic systems with devices (e.g., microcatheters) having small tips.

Claims

1. A tip protection device, comprising:

an elongate body having a central lumen extending longitudinally therethrough, the lumen being sized and configured to slidably receive a catheter; and

a locking mechanism configured to selectively maintain the elongate body in a fixed longitudinal position relative to a catheter inserted through the central lumen.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the locking mechanism comprises a screw.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the elongate body includes an increased-diameter portion configured to act as a depth stop when the elongate body is inserted through a lumen of a stereotactic system.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the elongate body is formed from at least one of silastic, poly-urethane, poly-ester, PTFE, E-PTFE, stainless steel, polycarbonate, PVC, Delrin, aluminum, PEEK, plastic, metal, and titanium.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the elongate body is fabricated using at least one of extrusion, molding, and machining.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the elongate body comprises a sharpened distal tip.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the distal tip is separable from the elongate body along a perforated snap portion.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the elongate body comprises a distal cylindrical portion having a first diameter and a proximal cylindrical portion having a second diameter that is greater than the first diameter.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the central lumen has a diameter of about 0.5 mm to about 4.0 mm.

10. A system comprising:

the tip protection device of claim 1; and

a depth stop comprising a cylindrical body portion having a central lumen extending longitudinally therethrough and a locking mechanism configured to selectively engage a catheter inserted through the cylindrical body portion.

11. A system comprising:

the tip protection device of claim 1; and

a guide tube comprising;

an elongate body having a central lumen extending longitudinally therethrough, the central lumen including a proximal portion having a first diameter and a distal portion having a second diameter that is less than the first diameter, the proximal portion being sized to receive a reduced diameter distal portion of the tip protection device and the distal portion being sized to receive at least a portion of a catheter inserted through the tip protection device.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the elongate body of the guide tube includes a proximal portion having an outside diameter which is greater than an outside diameter of a distal portion of the elongate body of the guide tube.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein a distal end of the guide tube is tapered.

14. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

a guide stop adapter comprising a cylindrical disc having an inside diameter sized to receive the distal portion of the guide tube therethrough and an outside diameter sized to fit within a guide stop of a stereotactic system; and

a guide block adapter comprising a cylindrical sleeve having an inside diameter sized to receive the distal portion of the guide tube therethrough and an outside diameter sized to fit within a guide block of a stereotactic system;

wherein the guide tube has a length sufficient to span a distance between the guide block of the stereotactic system and a skull of a patient to which the stereotactic system is registered.

15. A method of inserting a catheter into a patient, comprising:

registering a stereotactic system to the patient;

inserting a catheter having a tip protection device disposed over a distal tip thereof into a working channel of the stereotactic system until a depth stop on the tip protection device prevents further insertion;

releasing a locking mechanism of the tip protection device and advancing the catheter distally into the patient; and

engaging a locking mechanism of the stereotactic system with the tip protection device, thereby engaging the tip protection device with the catheter to maintain a fixed longitudinal position between the catheter and the stereotactic device.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising delivering a therapeutic agent through the catheter using convection-enhanced delivery.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising, before said releasing and engaging, piercing the dura of the patient with a sharpened distal tip of the tip protection device, removing the tip protection device from the stereotactic frame, snapping off the sharpened distal tip of the tip protection device, and reinserting the tip protection device through the stereotactic frame.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising inserting the tip protection device through a central lumen of a guide tube mounted in the stereotactic system such that a distal end of the tip protection device is received within a proximal portion of the central lumen of the guide tube.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein advancing the catheter comprises advancing a distal tip of the catheter through a distal portion of the central lumen of the guide tube, the distal portion of the central lumen of the guide tube having a diameter that is less than a diameter of the proximal portion of the central lumen of the guide tube, such that at least a portion of the catheter is disposed within the distal portion of the central lumen of the guide tube.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising inserting the guide tube through a guide stop adapter and a guide block adapter mounted in the stereotactic system.