Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
123 words
A precision atherectomy catheter system for creating a passageway through obstructive tissue in a blood vessel of a human body such that the passageway has a greater luminal diameter than the outside diameter of a percutaneously inserted catheter used to create that passageway comprising; a guide wire adapted to be percutaneously inserted into the blood vessel and advanced through the obstructive tissue, a percutaneously inserted catheter adapted to be advanced over said guide wire and having a cutting means located at a distal portion of the catheter, said cutting means being adapted to cut through said obstructive tissue when the blood vessel is being compressed; and a means for compressing the blood vessel when said catheter is being moved through said obstructive tissue.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
123 words
A precision atherectomy catheter system for creating a passageway through obstructive tissue in a blood vessel of a human body such that the passageway has a greater luminal diameter than the outside diameter of a percutaneously inserted catheter used to create that passageway comprising; a guide wire adapted to be percutaneously inserted into the blood vessel and advanced through the obstructive tissue, a percutaneously inserted catheter adapted to be advanced over said guide wire and having a cutting means located at a distal portion of the catheter, said cutting means being adapted to cut through said obstructive tissue when the blood vessel is being compressed; and a means for compressing the blood vessel when said catheter is being moved through said obstructive tissue.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
64 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said means for compressing the blood vessel is an inflatable cuff that surrounds that portion of the human body through which the blood vessel passes, said inflatable cuff being adapted to provide a first and higher pressure when said catheter is cutting said obstructive tissue and a second and lower pressure after said obstructive tissue has been cut.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
The system of claim 2 wherein the inflatable cuff includes pumping means and pressure releasing means to alter the pressure in said cuff during the tissue excision procedure.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system of claim 2 wherein the inflatable cuff includes means for measuring the pressure within the cuff.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
The system of claim 2 wherein said first and higher pressure is set between 50 and 250 mm of Hg.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
120 words
A precision atherectomy catheter system for creating a passageway through obstructive tissue in a blood vessel of a human body such that the passageway has a greater luminal diameter than the outside diameter of a percutaneously inserted catheter used to create that passageway comprising; a percutaneously inserted catheter having means located at a distal portion of the catheter for cutting and collecting the obstructive tissue so as to excise the obstructive tissue from a blood vessel; and a means for compressing the blood vessel before said catheter is moved through said obstructive tissue and a means for releasing the compression of the blood vessel when said catheter is cutting through said obstructive tissue so as to excise said obstructive tissue.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
120 words
A precision atherectomy catheter system for creating a passageway through obstructive tissue in a blood vessel of a human body such that the passageway has a greater luminal diameter than the outside diameter of a percutaneously inserted catheter used to create that passageway comprising; a percutaneously inserted catheter having means located at a distal portion of the catheter for cutting and collecting the obstructive tissue so as to excise the obstructive tissue from a blood vessel; and a means for compressing the blood vessel before said catheter is moved through said obstructive tissue and a means for releasing the compression of the blood vessel when said catheter is cutting through said obstructive tissue so as to excise said obstructive tissue.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
63 words
The system of claim 6 wherein said means for compressing the blood vessel is an inflatable cuff that surrounds that portion of the human body through which the blood vessel passes, said inflatable cuff being adapted to provide a first and higher pressure before said catheter cuts said obstructive tissue and a second and lower pressure when said obstructive tissue is being cut.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
28 words
The system of claim 7 wherein said inflatable cuff includes pumping means and pressure releasing means to alter the pressure in said cuff during the tissue excision procedure.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system of claim 8 wherein said inflatable cuff includes means for measuring the pressure within the cuff.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
139 words
A precision atherectomy catheter system for creating a passageway through obstructive tissue in a blood vessel of a human body such that the passageway has a greater luminal diameter than the outside diameter of a percutaneously inserted catheter used to create that passageway comprising; a guide wire adapted to be percutaneously inserted into a blood vessel and advanced through the obstructive tissue; a means for visualizing the thickness of said obstructive tissue on the wall of the blood vessel; a percutaneously inserted catheter adapted to be advanced over said guide wire and having a cutting means located at a distal portion of the catheter, said cutting means being adapted to cut through said obstructive tissue when the blood vessel is being compressed; and a means for compressing the blood vessel when said catheter is cutting through said obstructive tissue.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
139 words
A precision atherectomy catheter system for creating a passageway through obstructive tissue in a blood vessel of a human body such that the passageway has a greater luminal diameter than the outside diameter of a percutaneously inserted catheter used to create that passageway comprising; a guide wire adapted to be percutaneously inserted into a blood vessel and advanced through the obstructive tissue; a means for visualizing the thickness of said obstructive tissue on the wall of the blood vessel; a percutaneously inserted catheter adapted to be advanced over said guide wire and having a cutting means located at a distal portion of the catheter, said cutting means being adapted to cut through said obstructive tissue when the blood vessel is being compressed; and a means for compressing the blood vessel when said catheter is cutting through said obstructive tissue.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
25 words
The system of claim 10 wherein the means for visualizing the thickness of said obstructive tissue is by angiography using contrast medium and x-ray imaging.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
21 words
The system of claim 10 wherein the means for visualizing the thickness of said obstructive tissue is by intravascular ultrasonic imaging.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
115 words
A precision atherectomy catheter system for removing a precise thickness of obstructive tissue off the wall of a blood vessel comprising: a guide wire adapted to be percutaneously inserted into a blood vessel and having its distal end beyond the obstructive tissue; a means for determining the wall thickness of said obstructive tissue; a percutaneously inserted catheter adapted to be advanced over said guide wire and further comprising a fixed and known radial offset of a cutting means relative to the radial dimension of a cylindrical surface onto which said obstructive tissue can be compressed prior to its excision using said cutting means; and a means for compressing said obstructive tissue onto said cylindrical surface.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
115 words
A precision atherectomy catheter system for removing a precise thickness of obstructive tissue off the wall of a blood vessel comprising: a guide wire adapted to be percutaneously inserted into a blood vessel and having its distal end beyond the obstructive tissue; a means for determining the wall thickness of said obstructive tissue; a percutaneously inserted catheter adapted to be advanced over said guide wire and further comprising a fixed and known radial offset of a cutting means relative to the radial dimension of a cylindrical surface onto which said obstructive tissue can be compressed prior to its excision using said cutting means; and a means for compressing said obstructive tissue onto said cylindrical surface.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
104 words
A method for removing obstructive tissue from the wall of a human blood vessel comprising the steps of: percutaneously advancing a guide wire through the blood vessel until its distal end lies beyond the obstructive tissue; percutaneously advancing an atherectomy catheter over said guide wire: visualizing the thickness of obstructive tissue; compressing the blood vessel so as to cause obstructive tissue to be forced against the distal end of said atherectomy catheter; cutting through the obstructive tissue by moving a part of said atherectomy catheter which includes a tissue excising means through the obstructive tissue; removing the entire atherectomy catheter system from the body.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
104 words
A method for removing obstructive tissue from the wall of a human blood vessel comprising the steps of: percutaneously advancing a guide wire through the blood vessel until its distal end lies beyond the obstructive tissue; percutaneously advancing an atherectomy catheter over said guide wire: visualizing the thickness of obstructive tissue; compressing the blood vessel so as to cause obstructive tissue to be forced against the distal end of said atherectomy catheter; cutting through the obstructive tissue by moving a part of said atherectomy catheter which includes a tissue excising means through the obstructive tissue; removing the entire atherectomy catheter system from the body.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method claim 14 wherein visualizing the thickness of the obstructive tissue is accomplished by angiography using a contrast medium and x-ray imaging.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 14 wherein the visualizing of the thickness of the obstructive tissue is accomplished by ultrasonic imaging.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 14 wherein the obstructive tissue is excised with said tissue excising means moving in a retrograde direction.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 14 wherein the obstructive tissue is excised with said tissue excising means moving in the anterograde direction.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 14 wherein said excising means uses a sharp cutting edge.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 14 wherein said tissue excising means is an ablation means.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 20 wherein said ablation means is accomplished by grinding.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 20 wherein said ablation means is accomplished by using laser energy.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 20 wherein said ablation means uses ultrasonic energy.