CALCULUS/CALCULI RETRIEVING DEVICE AND METHOD

• US 20160278795A1
• Filed: 03/27/2015
• Published: 09/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Terumo Kabushiki Kaisha (Terumo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Terumo Kabushiki Kaisha (Terumo Corporation)
• Inventors: HONDA, Kei, JINNO, Makoto
• Granted Patent: US 10,485,563 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/22 Implements for squeezing-off ulcers or the like on the inside of inner organs of the body; Implements for scraping-out cavities of body organs, e.g. bones; Calculus removers; Calculus smashing apparatus; Apparatus for removing obstructions in blood vessels, not otherwise provided for dilators A61M29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00296 mounted on an endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00331 with preformed bends
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0034 adapted to be inserted through a working channel of an endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00553 using a turbine
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00738 part of the tool being offset with respect to a main axis, e.g. for better view for the surgeon
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22035 for retrieving or repositioning foreign objects
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22079 with suction of debris
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2217/005 with suction drainage system

Abstract

A method of retrieving calculus in a living body and relocating the calculus to a different location in the living body involves positioning an elongated member in the living body in which the calculus is located, drawing the calculus in the living body toward the elongated member while the elongated member is positioned in the living body so that the calculus is retained by the elongated member; moving the elongated member so that the elongated member is located at a position in the living body that is different from the position of the elongated member in the living body during the drawing of the calculus toward the elongated member; and releasing the calculus from the elongated member so that the calculus is at a position in the living body different from a location of the calculus in the living body while the calculus is being drawn toward the elongated member.

Claims

1. A method of retrieving calculus in a living body and relocating the calculus to a different location in the living body, the method comprising:

positioning an elongated member, which includes a suction head disposed on a distal side of the elongated member, in the living body in which the calculus is located;

drawing the calculus in the living body toward the suction head while the suction head is positioned in the living body so that the calculus is retained by the suction head;

moving the suction head so that the suction head is located at a position in the living body that is different from the position of the suction head in the living body during the drawing of the calculus toward the suction head; and

releasing the calculus from the suction head so that the calculus is at a position in the living body different from a location of the calculus in the living body while the calculus is being drawn toward the suction head.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the drawing of the calculus toward the suction head while the suction head is positioned in the living body so that the calculus is retained by the suction head comprises creating a suction that draws the calculus into a hollow retrieval space in the suction head and retaining the calculus in the hollow retrieval space during the moving of the suction head.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the drawing of the calculus toward the suction head comprises rotating an impeller positioned inside the suction head in a first rotational direction, and the releasing of the calculus from the suction head comprises rotating the impeller positioned inside the suction head in a second rotational direction which is opposite the first rotational direction.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the drawing of the calculus toward the suction head comprises rotating an impeller positioned inside the suction head at a first speed and in a first rotational direction, wherein the impeller continues to rotate in the first rotational direction during the moving of the suction head, and wherein the releasing of the calculus from the suction head comprises rotating the impeller at a second rotational speed less than the first rotational speed.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the suction head possesses a distal end at which is located a compressible material, the distal end opening into an interior of the suction head, and wherein the calculus is retained by the suction head at a position at least partially outside the interior of the suction head by being held against the compressible material.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the positioning of the suction head in the living body comprises positioning the suction head in a kidney, wherein the drawing of the calculus toward the suction head comprises drawing calculus located in a lower calix of the kidney toward the suction head so that the calculus is retained by the suction head, and wherein the releasing of the calculus from the suction head comprises releasing the calculus retained by the suction head at either an upper calix or a middle calix of the kidney.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the suction head passes through an instrument channel in a ureteroscope and extends distally beyond a distal end portion of the ureteroscope, the distal end portion of the ureteroscope possessing a central axis and the suction head possessing a central axis, and further comprising operating the suction head so that the central axis of the suction head is at an angle other than 0°

and other than 180°

relative to the central axis of the distal end portion of the ureteroscope.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the suction head passes through an instrument channel in a ureteroscope and extends distally beyond a distal end portion of the ureteroscope, the distal end portion of the ureteroscope possessing a central axis and the suction head possessing a central axis, and further comprising operating the suction head so that the central axis of the suction head is at an angle of at least 25°

relative to the central axis of the distal end portion of the ureteroscope.

9. A device for retrieving calculus in a lumen of a living body comprising:

an elongated member sized to be positioned in the lumen of the living body, the elongated member including a suction head housing disposed on a distal side of the elongated member;

a rotatable member positioned inside the elongated member;

a shaft connected to the rotatable member so that the shaft and the rotatable member move together as a unit, the shaft being connectable to a drive source to rotate the shaft and the rotatable member, with rotation of the rotatable member creating suction that draws calculus toward the elongated member;

a shaft cover possessing a distal end portion having a central axis and a proximal end portion having a central axis, the shaft cover covering the shaft and being connected to the elongated member so that the elongated member and the shaft cover axially move and rotate together; and

the central axis of the distal end portion of the shaft cover is offset from the central axis of the proximal end portion of the shaft cover.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein the shaft cover includes a bent section that is bent when no force is applied to the bent section, the bent section being positioned proximally of a distal section of the shaft cover, and the shaft cover being movably positionable in a lumen of an elongated body to move between:

i) one position in which the distal section of the shaft cover is positioned at an inlet to the lumen and the bent section is located in the lumen so that an angle is formed between the central axis of the elongated member and a central axis of a distal section of the elongated body; and

ii) an other position in which the bent section is positioned at the inlet to the lumen while the distal section is positioned outside the elongated body so that the angle between the central axis of the elongated member and the central axis of the distal section of the elongated body in the second position is less than the angle between the central axis of the elongated member and the central axis of the distal section of the elongated body in the first position of the shaft cover

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein the shaft cover includes a linearly extending proximal section positioned proximal of the bent section, the distal section being a linearly extending distal section, the proximal section possessing a central axis and the distal section possessing a central axis, the central axis of the distal section and the central axis of the proximal section being non-coaxially arranged.

12. The device according to claim 10, wherein the shaft cover includes a linearly extending proximal section positioned proximal of the bent section, the distal section being a linearly extending distal section, the linearly extending proximal section and the linearly extending distal sections each possessing an axial extent, the axial extent of the linearly extending proximal section being greater than the axial extent of the linearly extending distal section.

13. The device according to claim 10, wherein the elongated body is an ureteroscope.

14. The device according to claim 9, wherein

a contact part is disposed on a proximal side of the suction head housing, the contact part being configured to cause the suction head housing to angularly move relative to the distal end portion of the elongated body when the shaft cover together with the suction head housing is axially moved in a proximal direction relative to an elongated body so that the central axis of the suction head housing is angled relative to the central axis of the distal end portion of the elongated body at an angle other than 0°

and 180°

.

15. The device according to claim 14, wherein the contact part is integrally formed in one piece at the same time with the suction head housing.

16. The device according to claim 14, wherein the contact part possesses a curved portion that contacts the distal end of the elongated body when the shaft cover together with the suction head is axially moved in the proximal direction relative to the elongated body to cause the suction head housing to be angled relative to the distal end portion of the elongated body.

17. The device according to claim 14, wherein the contact part surrounds at least a part of the shaft cover.

18. The device according to claim 14, wherein the contact part is separate from the suction head housing and is separate from the elongated body, the contact part including a projection fitted into the lumen in the elongated body.

19. The device according to claim 14, wherein suction head housing possesses a proximal end facing towards the elongated body, wherein the contact part is separate from the suction head housing and is separate from the elongated body, the contact part possessing a curved end portion that contacts the proximal end of the suction head housing when the shaft cover is moved proximally relative to the elongated body.

20. The device according to claim 14, wherein the elongated body is a ureteroscope.