US20070118165A1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
System and method for removal of material from a blood vessel using a small diameter catheter
Assignee: Vascular Solutions LLC
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Filing: 2006-10-19
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2026-10-19
Abstract
Abstract This invention provides a small diameter snare device and device for thrombus removal consisting of a hollow, elongate, thin-walled outer sheath constructed from polymer, at least at a distal part thereof. A single central core wire extends through the entire length of the sheath. The outer diameter of the core wire is sized close to the inner diameter of the sheath while allowing for axial sliding, in order to maximize the support to the body portion of the snare device. The distal end of the core wire has a tapered section of reduced diameter or cross section to provide a “guidewire-like” flexibility to the distal portion of the device. A second wire (or wires) of about fifty percent or less of the inner diameter of the sheath is (are) shaped to form a snare loop or radially extended tool tip that is attached to the distal most portion of the central core wire. The snare loop is typically circular or oval shaped and can also be multiplanar (for example, a twisted, figure eight shape) so as to increase the ability to ensnare and capture objects. The tool tip can be a planar or multi-planar, proximally directed structure that, when deployed, is adapted to engage the thrombus from behind after piercing the thrombus with the sheath while the tool tip is retracted.
Inventors
- 👤 Jonathan DeMello
- 👤 Maureen Finlayson
- 👤 Richard DeMello
- 👤 Jon Burkhardt
- 👤 Bruce Flight
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 04:06
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B17/00; A61B17/32; A61B17/3205; A61B17/32056; A61B17/22; A61B17/221; A61B2017/00831; A61B2017/00867; A61B17/22031; A61B2017/22034; A61B2017/22035; A61B2017/22094; A61B2017/2212
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 37
Claim 1
Independent Claim
137 words
1 . A small-diameter material-removal device comprising: a thin-walled outer sheath constructed from polymer, at least at a distal part thereof, and including a proximal end and a distal end; and a core wire having, at a distal end, a capture segment comprising a plurality of radially directed wire sections adapted to be retracted within and to extend from the distal end of the sheath and an opposing actuator handle at a proximal end that extends from the proximal end of the sheath constructed and arranged so that applying axial movement to the handle causes the capture segment to extend from a retracted state wherein the wires are housed fully within the sheath to an extended state wherein the wires define a radially directed shape for engaging a distal face of a material within a blood vessel.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
137 words
1 . A small-diameter material-removal device comprising: a thin-walled outer sheath constructed from polymer, at least at a distal part thereof, and including a proximal end and a distal end; and a core wire having, at a distal end, a capture segment comprising a plurality of radially directed wire sections adapted to be retracted within and to extend from the distal end of the sheath and an opposing actuator handle at a proximal end that extends from the proximal end of the sheath constructed and arranged so that applying axial movement to the handle causes the capture segment to extend from a retracted state wherein the wires are housed fully within the sheath to an extended state wherein the wires define a radially directed shape for engaging a distal face of a material within a blood vessel.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
55 words
2 . The small-diameter material-removal device as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of the handle and the sheath define a maximum outer diameter, the outer diameter being less than an inner diameter of a receiving catheter adapted to guide the sheath and the handle into the receiving catheter and into a body region.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
51 words
3 . The small-diameter material-removal device as set forth in claim 2 wherein a portion of the proximal end of the core wire, proximally of the handle includes a connector constructed and arranged to receive a removable extension having an outer diameter less than the inner diameter of the receiving catheter.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
42 words
4 . The small-diameter material-removal device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the capture segment, when deployed, comprises a wire formed into a spiral that is substantially within a plane perpendicular to an axis through a distal end of the sheath.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
47 words
5 . The small-diameter material-removal device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the capture segment, when deployed, comprises a plurality of wires each formed into a respective loop, each loop being substantially within a plane perpendicular to an axis through a distal end of the sheath.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
39 words
6 . The small-diameter material-removal device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the capture segment, when deployed, comprises a plurality of wires each formed into a respective loop, each loop extending from the core wire radially and proximally.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
40 words
7 . The small-diameter material-removal device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the capture segment, when deployed, comprises a plurality of wires each formed into a hook extending from the core wire radially and proximally to a free end.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
20 words
8 . The small-diameter material-removal device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the capture segment includes a radiopaque material.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
32 words
9 . The small-diameter material-removal device as set forth in claim 8 wherein the capture segment comprises a plurality of bundled strands and wherein at least one of the strands is radiopaque.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
52 words
10 . The small-diameter material-removal device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the capture segment comprises at least two proximal ends that are attached to the distal end of the core wire by a helical wire wrap that has, flowed past gaps in the helical wire wrap therethrough, a joining material.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
25 words
11 . The small-diameter material-removal device as set forth in claim 10 wherein the joining material comprises at least one of solder, braze and weld.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
25 words
12 . The small-diameter material-removal device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the sheath includes along at least a portion thereof a radiopaque coating.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
13 . The small-diameter material-removal device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the polymer comprises polyimide material.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
23 words
14 . The small-diameter material-removal device as set forth in claim 13 wherein the polyimide material includes a tungsten filler for providing radiopacity.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
24 words
15 . The small-diameter material-removal device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the sheath includes on an outer surface thereon a lubricious coating.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
25 words
16 . The small-diameter material-removal device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the core wire includes on an outer surface thereon a lubricious coating
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
52 words
17 . The small-diameter material-removal device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the actuator handle comprises a first tube slidably mounted within a second tube constructed of metal that maintains an axial orientation between the core wire and the sheath whereby permanent bending and kinking of the core wire is minimized.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
47 words
18 . The small-diameter material-removal device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the actuator handle defines an outer diameter that is substantially larger than a diameter of the outer sheath, the handle being constructed and arranged to permit manual torquing of the sheath and capture segment.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
45 words
19 . The small-diameter material-removal device as set forth in claim 18 wherein the actuator handle is constructed from an injection molded polymer and one of (a) mechanically attached onto the core wire and the sheath and (b) molded onto the core wire and sheath.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
45 words
20 . The small-diameter material-removal device as set forth in claim 1 wherein at least one of an outer surface of the outer sheath an inner surface of the outer sheath and an outer surface of the core wire are coated with a lubricating coating.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
31 words
21 . The small-diameter material-removal device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the capture segment comprises a stranded or braided material wherein at least one strand is a radiopaque material.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
26 words
22 . The small-diameter material-removal device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the capture segment comprises a tube of kink-resistant material having a radiopaque core.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
37 words
23 . The small-diameter material-removal device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the capture segment comprises a unitary end of the core wire defining a thin wire that is formed into a predetermined capture segment shape.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
28 words
24 . The small-diameter material-removal device as set forth in claim 1 wherein at least one of the core wire and the capture segment comprises a cobalt-chromium alloy.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
28 words
25 . The small-diameter material-removal device as set forth in claim 1 wherein at least one of the core wire and the capture segment comprises a stainless steel.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
29 words
26 . The small-diameter material-removal device as set forth in claim 25 wherein at least one of the core wire and the capture segment comprises a heat-settable stainless steel.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
19 words
27 . The small-diameter material-removal device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the core wire comprises MP35N alloy.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
42 words
28 . The small-diameter material-removal device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the capture segment, when deployed, comprises a multiplanar cage that extends in an undulating distal-to-proximal orientation in a circumference around an axis of the distal end of the sheath.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
31 words
29 . The small-diameter material-removal device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the distal part of the sheath is joined to a proximal part of the sheath constructed from metal.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
20 words
30 . The small-diameter material-removal device as set forth in claim 29 wherein the metal comprises 300 series stainless steel.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
87 words
31 . A method for using a small-diameter thrombus-removal device comprising the steps of: directing a thin-walled outer sheath constructed, at least at a distal part, from polymer and including a proximal end and a distal end into and through a thrombus in a blood vessel while a capture segment is retracted into the distal end of the sheath; deploying the capture segment so that a plurality of wire sections extend radially; and engaging the thrombus and withdrawing the engaged thrombus proximally out of the blood vessel.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
87 words
31 . A method for using a small-diameter thrombus-removal device comprising the steps of: directing a thin-walled outer sheath constructed, at least at a distal part, from polymer and including a proximal end and a distal end into and through a thrombus in a blood vessel while a capture segment is retracted into the distal end of the sheath; deploying the capture segment so that a plurality of wire sections extend radially; and engaging the thrombus and withdrawing the engaged thrombus proximally out of the blood vessel.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
60 words
32 . The method as set forth in claim 31 wherein each of the handle and the sheath define a maximum outer diameter, and further providing a receiving catheter to guide the sheath into a body region upon insertion into a proximal end of the receiving catheter, the outer diameter being less than an inner diameter of the receiving catheter.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
42 words
33 . The method as set forth in claim 31 wherein the step of deploying includes extending the capture segment so as to form one of a substantially planar spiral shape, a multi-planar umbrella shape and a substantially planar flower petal shape.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
43 words
34 . The method as set forth in claim 31 further comprising providing a lubricating coating to at least one of an outer surface of the outer sheath an inner surface of the outer sheath and an outer surface of the core wire.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
28 words
35 . The method as set forth in claim 31 further comprising tracking the capture segment within the body region using a radiopaque material on the capture segment.
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