Apparatus and method for dislodging and removing occlusive objects from body passages

Claim 2

1: An instrument for removing an occlusive object from a body passage, said instrument comprising: a flexible catheter; an elongate annular balloon disposed in generally concentric relationship to the catheter, said balloon having radially spaced inner and outer walls; means securing the inner wall of the balloon to the catheter through a localized connection whereby the balloon may drape lengthwise of the catheter to either side of the connection; and means to selectively inflate and deflate the balloon.

Claim 3

An instrument according to Claim 1 wherein the catheter has proximal and distal ends and the localized connection is adjacent the distal ends, the instrument further comprising a snare secured to the distal end of the catheter for capturing an occlusive object and drawing the object into the ba))oon in response to retraction of the distal end of the catheter relative to the balloon.

Claim 4

An instrument according to Claim 1 wherein the catheter has a passage extending longitudinally therethrough, the instrument further comprising a wire secured to the snare and extending slidably through said passage for moving the snare relative

Claim 5

to the catheter and securing the snare to the distal end of the catheter.

Claim 6

to the catheter and securing the snare to the distal end of the catheter.

Claim 7

An instrument according to Claim 1 wherein the balloon comprises an elongate annular sheath having the ends thereof turned inwardly to provide the inner wall of the balloon and the means securing the inner wall of the balloon to the catheter comprises fixed sealed annular connections between the ends of the sheath and the catheter, said connections being disposed so as to be closely adjacent one another and within the confines of the balloon.

Claim 8

An instrument according to Claim 1 wherein the means to selectively inflate and deflate the ballon comprises a sealed fluid passage extending longitudinally through the catheter and a port establishing fluid communication between said passage and the interior of the balloon.

Claim 9

An instrument according to Claim 5 wherein the balloon comprises an elongate annular sheath having the ends thereof turned inwardly to provide the inner wall of the balloon, the means securing the inner wall of the balloon to the catheter comprises fixed annular sealed connections between the ends of the sheath and the catheter, said connections being in closely spaced relationship to one another within the confines of the balloon, and the port extends through the catheter in a disposition between said connections.

Claim 10

An instrument for removing an occlusive object from a body passage, said instrument comprising:

Claim 11

An instrument for removing an occlusive object from a body passage, said instrument comprising:

Claim 12

an elongate flexible outer catheter having proximal and distal ends; an elongate flexible intermediate catheter extending slidably through the outer catheter, said intermediate catheter having proximal and distal ends and extending out of the distal end of the outer catheter; an elongate flexible inner catheter extending slidably through the intermediate catheter, said inner catheter having proximal and distal ends and extending out of the distal end of the intermediate catheter; a first elongate annular balloon disposed in generally concentric relationship to the outer and intermediate catheters and secured between the distal ends of said catheters, said balloon being adapted to be turned in upon itself in response to retraction of the intermediate catheter relative to the outer catheter; a second elongate annular balloon disposed in generally concentric relationship to the inner catheter, said balloon having radially spaced inner and outer walls; means securing the inner wall of the second balloon to the inner catheter through a localized connection disposed externally of the distal end of the intermediate catheter, said means providing a localized connection whereby the balloon may be draped lengthwise of the inner catheter to either side of the connection; means to selectively and independently inflate the first and second balloons.

Claim 13

an elongate flexible outer catheter having proximal and distal ends; an elongate flexible intermediate catheter extending slidably through the outer catheter, said intermediate catheter having proximal and distal ends and extending out of the distal end of the outer catheter; an elongate flexible inner catheter extending slidably through the intermediate catheter, said inner catheter having proximal and distal ends and extending out of the distal end of the intermediate catheter; a first elongate annular balloon disposed in generally concentric relationship to the outer and intermediate catheters and secured between the distal ends of said catheters, said balloon being adapted to be turned in upon itself in response to retraction of the intermediate catheter relative to the outer catheter; a second elongate annular balloon disposed in generally concentric relationship to the inner catheter, said balloon having radially spaced inner and outer walls; means securing the inner wall of the second balloon to the inner catheter through a localized connection disposed externally of the distal end of the intermediate catheter, said means providing a localized connection whereby the balloon may be draped lengthwise of the inner catheter to either side of the connection; means to selectively and independently inflate the first and second balloons.

Claim 14

An instrument according to Claim 7 wherein the second balloon comprises an elongate annular sheath having the ends thereof turned inwardly to provide the inner wall of said balloon and the means securing the inner wall of said balloon to the inner catheter comprise fixed sealed annular connections between the ends of the sheath and the inner catheter, said connections being disposed so as to be closely adjacent one another and within the confines of the second balloon.

Claim 15

An instrument according to Claim 7 wherein the means to selectively inflate and deflate the second balloon comprises a sealed fluid passage extending longitudinally through the inner catheter and a port establishing fluid communication between said passage and the interior of the second balloon.

Claim 16

An instrument according to Claim 9 wherein the second balloon comprises an elongate annular sheath having the ends thereof turned inwardly to provide the inner wall of the second balloon, the means securing the inner wall of the second balloon to the inner catheter comprises fixed annular sealed connections between the ends of the sheath and the inner catheter, said connections being in closely spaced relationship to one another within the confines of the second balloon, and the port extends through the inner catheter in a disposition between said connections.

Claim 19

A method according to Claim 11 further comprising periodically inflating said balloon as the catheter is being withdrawn from the body passage to dilate the passage.

Claim 22

A method according to Claim 13 further comprising: disposing a second elongate toroidal balloon around the catheter in closely spaced relationship to the said one side of the first mentioned balloon; directing said ballon through the body passage in a deflated condition along with the catheter to position said second balloon to the side of the object opposite that to which the first mentioned balloon is positioned; inflating said second balloon simultaneously with the inflation of said first met- nioned balloon; capturing the object within said second balloon as the object is engaged by the first mentioned balloon in response to tensioning of the catheter.

Claim 23

A method according to Claim 14 wherein said second balloon is permitted to deflate to enable the object to be captured therein.

Claim 24

A method according to Claim 15 further comprising tensioning the catheter to withdraw the first mentioned and second balloons from the passage with the object captured within the second balloon.