US6179824B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
System and methods for electrosurgical restenosis of body lumens
Assignee: Arthrocare Corp
•
Filing: 1997-06-13
•
Granted: 2001-01-30
•
Expires: 2017-06-13
Abstract
Abstract The present invention comprises apparatus and methods for maintaining patency in body passages subject to occlusion by invasive tissue growth. The apparatus and methods of the present invention may be used to open and maintain patency in virtually any hollow body passage which may be subject to occlusion by invasive cellular growth or invasive solid tumor growth. Suitable hollow body passages include ducts, orifices, lumens, and the like, with exemplary body passages including the coronary arteries. The present invention is particularly useful for reducing or eliminating the effects of restenosis in coronary arteries by selectively removing tissue ingrowth in or around stents anchored therein.
Inventors
- 👤 Philip E. Eggers
- 👤 Hira V. Thapliyal
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 09:40
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B18/00; A61B18/04; A61B18/12; A61B18/1206; A61B18/14; A61B18/1402; A61B18/148; A61B18/1482; A61B18/1485; A61B18/149; A61B18/1492; A61M; A61M25/00; A61M25/01; A61M25/0105; A61M25/0133; A61N; A61N1/00; A61N1/02; A61N1/04; A61N1/06; A61B18/042; A61B18/1233; A61B17/00; A61B2017/00017; A61B2017/00022; A61B2017/00026; A61B2017/00084; A61B2017/00092; A61B2017/00097; A61B2017/00101; A61B2017/00106; A61B17/00234; A61B2017/00238; A61B2017/00243; A61B2017/00247; A61B2017/00292; A61B2017/003; A61B17/22; A61B2017/22001; A61B2017/22038; A61B2018/00005; A61B2018/00011; A61B2018/00029; A61B2018/00053; A61B2018/00059; A61B2018/00071; A61B2018/00083; A61B2018/00107; A61B2018/00119; A61B2018/0016; A61B2018/00172; A61B2018/00178; A61B2018/00184; A61B2018/00196; A61B2018/00214; A61B2018/00315; A61B2018/00321; A61B2018/00327; A61B2018/00345; A61B2018/00351; A61B2018/00392; A61B2018/00404; A61B2018/0041; A61B2018/00422; A61B2018/00452; A61B2018/0047; A61B2018/00476; A61B2018/00505; A61B2018/00571; A61B2018/00577; A61B2018/00583; A61B2018/00601; A61B2018/00636; A61B2018/00642; A61B2018/0066; A61B2018/00666; A61B2018/00678; A61B2018/00696; A61B2018/00702; A61B2018/00726; A61B2018/00738; A61B2018/00755; A61B2018/00761; A61B2018/00773; A61B2018/00791; A61B2018/00797; A61B2018/00821; A61B2018/00827; A61B2018/00875; A61B2018/00886; A61B2018/00982; A61B2018/1213; A61B2018/124; A61B2018/1246; A61B2018/1253; A61B2018/126; A61B2018/1273; A61B2018/1405; A61B2018/1407; A61B2018/1467; A61B2018/1472; A61B18/16; A61B2018/162; A61B2018/165; A61B90/00; A61B90/36; A61B90/37; A61B2090/378; A61B2090/3782; A61B2218/00; A61B2218/001; A61B2218/002; A61B2218/007; A61F; A61F2/00; A61F2/02; A61F2/24; A61F2/2493; A61F2/95; A61M25/0147; A61M25/0158
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
92 words
A method for maintaining patency in a body passage having an intraluminal prosthesis with a cylindrical wall positioned therein, wherein occlusive media has grown through or around the cylindrical wall of the prosthesis into the body passage, the method comprising: positioning an active electrode near or at the occlusive media; delivering electrically conductive fluid to the prosthesis such that the active electrode is substantially surrounded by the electrically conductive fluid; and applying high frequency voltage to the active electrode to selectively remove the occlusive media without directly applying current to the prosthesis.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
92 words
A method for maintaining patency in a body passage having an intraluminal prosthesis with a cylindrical wall positioned therein, wherein occlusive media has grown through or around the cylindrical wall of the prosthesis into the body passage, the method comprising: positioning an active electrode near or at the occlusive media; delivering electrically conductive fluid to the prosthesis such that the active electrode is substantially surrounded by the electrically conductive fluid; and applying high frequency voltage to the active electrode to selectively remove the occlusive media without directly applying current to the prosthesis.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
51 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising applying high frequency voltage to the active electrode and a return electrode positioned within the body lumen and spaced from the occlusive media such that an electrical current flows from the active electrode, through the the electrically conductive fluid, and to the return electrode.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the return electrode is positioned radially inward from the active electrode such that the electrical current flows from the active electrode radially inward to the return electrode, thereby inhibiting current flow through the prosthesis.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 2 further comprising generating a current flow path through the electrically conducting fluid between the return electrode and the active electrode.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising advancing a catheter body into the lumen to position the active electrode in close proximity with the occlusive media.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
52 words
The method of claim 5 wherein the active electrode is positioned at a distal portion of the catheter body, the method further comprising: reciprocally rotating at least the distal portion of the catheter body during the applying step; and advancing the catheter body through the vacancy left by the ablated occlusive media.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
51 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising applying high frequency voltage to an electrode array of electrically isolated active electrodes and a return electrode such that an electrical current flows from each of the active electrodes, through the electrically conductive fluid, and to the return electrode through the current flow path.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 7 further comprising independently controlling current flow from at least two of the active electrodes based on impedance between the active electrodes and the return electrode.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising: before the applying step, fluidly isolating a region around the occlusive media within the body passage to confine products of ablation within said region; and aspirating said ablation products from the body passage.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
60 words
The method of claim 9 wherein the fluidly isolating step comprises: advancing a first balloon to a portion of the body passage proximal to said region; inflating said first balloon to inhibit fluid flow therethrough; positioning a second balloon at a portion of the body passage distal to said region; and inflating said second balloon to inhibit fluid flow therethrough.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising: before the applying step, delivering electrically conductive fluid to a region around the occlusive media to displace naturally occurring bodily fluid from said region; and fluidly isolating said region to confine the electrically conducting fluid within said region.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 11 further comprising: during the applying step, supplying electrically conductive fluid to said region; and entraining gaseous products of ablation within the electrically conductive fluid and aspirating the gaseous ablation products from said region.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 1 farther comprising advancing a catheter body into the lumen to position the active electrode in close proximity with the tissue ingrowth.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising confining the electrical current flow to a central portion of the body passage.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
111 words
A method for recanalizing a body lumen having an intraluminal prosthesis disposed therein, the body lumen having tissue ingrowth in or around the prosthesis, the method comprising: positioning an active electrode into at least close proximity with the tissue ingrowth in the presence of an electrically conducting fluid; positioning a return electrode within the electrically conducting fluid to generate a current flow path between the tissue ingrowth and the return electrode; and applying high frequency voltage to the active electrode and the return electrode such that an electrical current flows from the active electrode, through the region of the tissue ingrowth, and to the return electrode through the current flow path.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
111 words
A method for recanalizing a body lumen having an intraluminal prosthesis disposed therein, the body lumen having tissue ingrowth in or around the prosthesis, the method comprising: positioning an active electrode into at least close proximity with the tissue ingrowth in the presence of an electrically conducting fluid; positioning a return electrode within the electrically conducting fluid to generate a current flow path between the tissue ingrowth and the return electrode; and applying high frequency voltage to the active electrode and the return electrode such that an electrical current flows from the active electrode, through the region of the tissue ingrowth, and to the return electrode through the current flow path.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of claim 13 further comprising applying sufficient high frequency voltage to the active electrode and the return electrode to generate high electric field intensities around the active electrode, wherein the electric field intensities are sufficient to cause molecular disintegration of tissue structure.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 13 wherein the high frequency voltage is sufficient to vaporize the fluid in a thin layer over at least a portion of the active electrode and induce the discharge of energy from the vapor layer.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 17 wherein at least a portion of the energy induced from the vapor layer is in the form of photons having a wavelength in the ultraviolet spectrum or energetic electrons.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method of claim 13 further comprising applying high frequency voltage to an electrode array of electrically isolated active electrodes and a return electrode such that an electrical current flows from each of the active electrodes, through the region of the tissue ingrowth, and to the return electrode through the current flow path.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 19 wherein the electrode array comprises between 4 to 50 active electrodes.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 13 wherein the high frequency voltage is at least 300 volts peak to peak.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 13 wherein the high frequency voltage is in the range from 600 to 1400 volts peak to peak.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 13 further comprising directing an electrically conducting fluid along a fluid path past the return electrode and to the active electrode to generate the current flow path between the active electrode and the return electrode.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 13 further comprising submerging the active electrode and the return electrode within naturally occurring electrically conducting fluid within the body lumen.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 13 wherein the electrically conducting fluid comprises isotonic saline.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4033351A
Cited
US4043342A
Cited
US4116198A
Cited
US4040426A
Cited
US4202337A
Cited
US4228800A
Cited
US4326529A
Cited
US4248231A
Cited
US4532924A
Cited
US4674499A
Cited
US4476862A
Cited
US4381007A
Cited
US4548207A
Cited
US4582056A
Cited
US4682596A
Cited
US4706667A
Cited
US4799479A
Cited
US5000751A
Cited
US5374265A
Cited
US5137530A
Cited
US5057106A
Cited
US4709698A
Cited
US4765331A
Cited
US4823791A
Cited
US4860752A
Cited
US4907586A
Cited
US5108391A
Cited
US4998933A
Cited
US5178620A
Cited
US4967765A
Cited
US4955377A
Cited
US5246438A
Cited
US4976709A
Cited
US5749914A
Cited
US5454809A
Cited
US5140987A
Cited
US5078717A
Cited
US5125928A
Cited
US5098431A
Cited
US4976711A
Cited
US5263951A
Cited
US5152759A
Cited
US5281211A
Cited
US5009656A
Cited
US5057105A
Cited
US5222938A
Cited
US5007908A
Cited
US5217457A
Cited
US5078736A
Cited
US5380277A
Cited
US5292321A
Cited
US5190540A
Cited
US5083565A
Cited
US5334190A
Cited
US5505725A
Cited
US5122138A
Cited
US5554152A
Cited
US5389096A
Cited
US5380316A
Cited
US5267997A
Cited
US5178618A
Cited
US5425355A
Cited
US5542928A
Cited
US5433708A
Cited
US5195959A
Cited
US5190517A
Cited
US5250045A
Cited
US5567890A
Cited
US5330470A
Cited
US5383917A
Cited
US5273524A
Cited
US5697281A
Cited
US5395312A
Cited
US5197963A
Cited
US5348553A
Cited
US5423882A
Cited
US5697909A
Cited
US5810764A
Cited
US5681282A
Cited
US5860951A
Cited
US5419767A
Cited
US5843019A
Cited
US5902272A
Cited
US5697536A
Cited
US5683366A
Cited
US5888198A
Cited
US5873855A
Cited
US5366443A
Cited
US5871469A
Cited
US5697882A
Cited
US5230334A
Cited
US5267994A
Cited
US5429604A
Cited
US5281216A
Cited
US5540712A
Cited
US5224953A
Cited
US5400428A
Cited
US5281218A
Cited
US5507771A
Cited
US5290282A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2004-01-30 | 2004-07-31 | 2005-01-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-01-30 | 2008-07-31 | 2009-01-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-01-30 | 2012-07-31 | 2013-01-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |