Valve cutter for arterial by-pass surgery

• US 5,152,771 A
• Filed: 12/31/1990
• Issued: 10/06/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Board of Supervisors of Louisiana State University Agricultural & Mechanical College (Louisiana State University System)
• Original Assignee: Agricultural and Mechanical College, Board of Supervisors of Louisiana State University Agricultural & Mechanical College (Louisiana State University System)
• Inventors: Tang, Hing W., Dailey, Russell S., Dobson, Gregory T., Sabbaghian, Mehdy, Schwartzberg, Glen J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thaler, Michael H.
• Application Number:
  US07/636,268
• Time in Patent Office: 645 Days
• Field of Search: 606/159, 606/167, 606/172, 606/170, 606/198, 606/7, 604/22, 604/105
• US Class Current: 606/159
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/32075 Pullback cutting; combined forward and pullback cutting, e.g. with cutters at both sides of the plaque
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22097 Valve removal in veins

Abstract

A valve cutter for arterial bypass surgery is provided and includes a blade assembly for cutting the venous valves, a shaft for guiding the blade assembly through the bypass vein, an expansion means for preventing the blade assembly from contacting the walls of the bypass vein and for helping to propagate the incisions made in the valve leaflets by the blade assembly, and a control means for controlling the expansion and contraction of the expansion means in order to allow for use of the invention in a variety of bypass vein diameter sizes.

Claims

1. A device for cutting the valves in a blood vessel, comprising:

(a) a blade assembly shaped to pierce said valves and then cut said valves in a single pass and in a direction away from the walls of said blood vessel;

(b) a shaft to which said blade assembly is attached for guiding said blade assembly through said blood vessel; and

(c) an expansion means for expanding said blood vessel and for allowing blood to pass therethrough as said blade assembly is inserted through and retracted from said blood vessel to prevent said blade assembly from contacting said walls of said blood vessel, said expansion means comprising;

(i) an upper spring assembly attached to said shaft for expanding said blood vessel as said blade assembly is inserted through said blood vessel to prevent said blade assembly from contacting said walls of said blood vessel, and for assisting in propagating the cuts made in said valves upon retraction of said blade assembly; and

(ii) a lower spring assembly for expanding said blood vessel immediately prior to cutting said valves as said blade assembly is retracted from said blood vessel;

and wherein said upper and lower spring assemblies comprise two groups of three or more leaf springs operatively attached at equal angular distances about the circumference of said shaft, one said group being immediately above said blade assembly and the other said group being immediately below said blade assembly, each said leaf spring having a spring body extending away from said shaft for making expansive contact with said walls of said blood vessel.

3. A device as described in claim 1, wherein said control means comprises:

(a) a controller housing to which said shaft is removably attached at an end opposite said expansion means; and

(b) a tension control means operatively attached to said controller housing for applying adjustable tension to said expansion means.

4. A device as described in claim 3, wherein said tension control means comprises:

(a) a wire bore in axial alignment with said shaft formed in the front portion of said controller housing for allowing slidable communication with said control wire;

(b) a screw bore in axial alignment with said wire bore formed in said controller housing;

(c) a control screw in slidable communication with said screw bore and extending out from the rear end of said controller housing;

(d) a wire holding means fixedly attached to said control screw for securing said control wire, and allowing tension to be applied to said control wire;

(e) a control nut in threadable connection with the portion of said control screw extending from the rear of said controller housing for advancing said control screw through said controller housing and for applying tension to said control wire; and

(f) a screw guide formed in said control screw for preventing rotation of said wire holding means as said control screw is advanced through said controller housing as tension is applied to said control wire.

2. A device for cutting the valves in a blood vessel, comprising:

(a) a blade assembly shaped to pierce said valves and then cut said valves in a single pass and in a direction away from the walls of said blood vessel;

(b) a shaft formed from a rigid hollow tube to which said blade assembly is attached for guiding said blade assembly through said blood vessel;

(c) an adjustable expansion means for expanding said blood vessel and for allowing blood to pass therethrough as said blade assembly is inserted through and retracted from said blood vessel to prevent said blade assembly from contacting said walls of said blood vessel, said expansion means comprising;

(i) an upper spring assembly attached to said shaft for expanding said blood vessel as said blade assembly is inserted through said blood vessel to prevent said blade assembly from contacting said walls of said blood vessel, and for assisting in propagating the cuts made in said valves upon retraction of said blade assembly; and

(ii) a lower spring assembly for expanding said blood vessel immediately prior to cutting said valves as said blade assembly is retracted from said blood vessel;

(d) control means operatively attached to said adjustable expansion means for controlling the expansion and contraction of said expansion means to accommodate a variety of vessel diameter sizes; and

wherein said upper and lower spring assemblies comprise;

(e) two groups of three or more spring slots formed at equal angular distances about the circumference of said shaft, one said group being immediately above said blade assembly and the other said group being immediately below said blade assembly, each said slot having an upper and lower edge;

(f) a control wire in slidable communication within said shaft and operatively attached to said control means; and

(g) three or more leaf springs within said spring slots further comprising;

(i) a straight portion on one end of each said leaf spring secured to said control wire;

(ii) a hook portion on the other end of each said leaf spring opposite said straight portion for pivotally biasing said leaf springs against said lower edges of said spring slots; and

(iii) a spring body between said hook portion and said straight portion for protruding through said spring slot and making adjustable and expansive contact with said walls of said blood vessel as tension is applied to said control wire.