US6663650B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Systems, methods and devices for removing obstructions from a blood vessel
Assignee: Stryker Corp
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Filing: 2001-01-08
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Granted: 2003-12-16
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Expires: 2021-01-08
Abstract
Abstract A system for removing an obstruction from a blood vessel includes an obstruction engaging element and an expandable capture element. The capture element preferably has a flexible cover and an expandable support structure. The engaging element engages the obstruction and moves the obstruction into the capture element. The capture element protects the obstruction when the obstruction is moved into the catheter.
Inventors
- 👤 Ivan Sepetka
- 👤 Martin Dieck
- 👤 Son Gia
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 14:18
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B17/00; A61B17/22; A61B17/22031; A61B17/221; A61F; A61F2/00; A61F2/01; A61F2/013; A61M; A61M25/00; A61M25/0067; A61M25/0082; A61B18/00; A61B18/04; A61B18/12; A61B18/14; A61B18/1492; A61B2017/22034; A61B2017/2212; A61B2017/2215; A61B2017/2217; A61B2018/00053; A61B2018/00214; A61B2018/00636; A61B2018/00898; A61F2002/016; A61F2002/018; A61F2230/00; A61F2230/0063; A61F2230/0067; A61F2230/0091; A61M25/0068; A61M25/0074; A61M25/008
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 34
Claim 1
Independent Claim
119 words
A system for removing an obstruction from a blood vessel, comprising: a catheter having a lumen; an expandable capture element which is contained within the lumen of the catheter, the capture element being slidable within the lumen of the catheter between a collapsed position contained within the lumen and an expanded position in which the capture element is positioned outside the lumen, the expandable capture element having a support structure with a flexible cover attached to the support structure, the self-expanding support structure having a closed loop with integrally formed hinges; and an obstruction engaging device having a filament, the filament being movable from a collapsed position to an expanded position, the obstruction engaging element passing through the catheter.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
119 words
A system for removing an obstruction from a blood vessel, comprising: a catheter having a lumen; an expandable capture element which is contained within the lumen of the catheter, the capture element being slidable within the lumen of the catheter between a collapsed position contained within the lumen and an expanded position in which the capture element is positioned outside the lumen, the expandable capture element having a support structure with a flexible cover attached to the support structure, the self-expanding support structure having a closed loop with integrally formed hinges; and an obstruction engaging device having a filament, the filament being movable from a collapsed position to an expanded position, the obstruction engaging element passing through the catheter.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein: the expandable capture element is naturally biased toward the expanded position when positioned outside the lumen.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
13 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein: the hinges are V-shaped interconnecting elements.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein: the support structure has a plurality of longitudinal struts extending from the loop.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein: the capture element has an expandable loop at the distal end.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein: the cover has a length which is at least three times an expanded diameter of the capture element.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system of claim 6 , wherein: the length of the cover is at least five times the expanded diameter of the capture element.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
13 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein: the engaging device has 1-4 filaments.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
117 words
A method of removing an obstruction from a blood vessel comprising the steps of: providing a catheter, an obstruction engaging device and an expandable capture element, the capture element being contained within a lumen of the catheter in a collapsed position, the capture element moving to an expanded position when positioned outside the lumen, the obstruction engaging device having a filament which is movable from a collapsed position to an expanded position; introducing the catheter into a blood vessel of a patient; engaging an obstruction with the filament, the filament penetrating and ensnaring the obstruction; expanding the capture element; and moving the obstruction into the capture element with the engaging device after the engaging and expanding steps.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
117 words
A method of removing an obstruction from a blood vessel comprising the steps of: providing a catheter, an obstruction engaging device and an expandable capture element, the capture element being contained within a lumen of the catheter in a collapsed position, the capture element moving to an expanded position when positioned outside the lumen, the obstruction engaging device having a filament which is movable from a collapsed position to an expanded position; introducing the catheter into a blood vessel of a patient; engaging an obstruction with the filament, the filament penetrating and ensnaring the obstruction; expanding the capture element; and moving the obstruction into the capture element with the engaging device after the engaging and expanding steps.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 9 , wherein: the expanding step is carried out with the capture element being naturally biased toward the expanded position with a self-expanding support structure.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 10 , wherein: the providing step is carried out with a flexible material attached to the support structure.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 11 , wherein: the providing step is carried out with the self-expanding support structure having a closed loop.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 11 , wherein: the providing step is carried out with the loop being integrally formed.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 11 , wherein: the providing step is carried out with the support structure has a plurality of longitudinal struts.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 14 , wherein: the providing step is carried out with the support structure having a loop being formed by a number of integrally formed hinges.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 15 , wherein: the providing step is carried out with the hinges being V-shaped elements.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
93 words
A system for removing an obstruction from a blood vessel, comprising: a catheter having a lumen; an expandable capture element contained within the lumen of the catheter, the capture element being in a collapsed position when contained within the lumen and being in an expanded position when positioned outside the lumen, the expandable capture element having a support structure forming a closed loop having a plurality of integrally formed hinges; and an obstruction engaging device which extends through the expandable capture element, the engaging device having a collapsed shape and an expanded shape.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
93 words
A system for removing an obstruction from a blood vessel, comprising: a catheter having a lumen; an expandable capture element contained within the lumen of the catheter, the capture element being in a collapsed position when contained within the lumen and being in an expanded position when positioned outside the lumen, the expandable capture element having a support structure forming a closed loop having a plurality of integrally formed hinges; and an obstruction engaging device which extends through the expandable capture element, the engaging device having a collapsed shape and an expanded shape.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
116 words
A system for removing an obstruction from, a blood vessel, comprising: a catheter having a lumen; an expandable capture element which is contained within the lumen of the catheter, the capture element being slidable within the lumen of the catheter between a collapsed position contained within the lumen and an expanded position in which the capture element is positioned outside the lumen, the capture element having an expandable loop at the distal end, the loop being formed by an eyelet with a control arm extending through the eyelet; and an obstruction engaging device having a filament, the filament being movable from a collapsed position to an expanded position, the obstruction engaging element passing through the catheter.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
116 words
A system for removing an obstruction from, a blood vessel, comprising: a catheter having a lumen; an expandable capture element which is contained within the lumen of the catheter, the capture element being slidable within the lumen of the catheter between a collapsed position contained within the lumen and an expanded position in which the capture element is positioned outside the lumen, the capture element having an expandable loop at the distal end, the loop being formed by an eyelet with a control arm extending through the eyelet; and an obstruction engaging device having a filament, the filament being movable from a collapsed position to an expanded position, the obstruction engaging element passing through the catheter.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system of claim 18 , wherein: the expandable capture element has a support structure with a flexible cover attached to the support structure.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
25 words
The system of claim 19 , wherein: the cover has a length which is at least three times an expanded diameter of the capture element.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system of claim 20 , wherein: the length of the cover is at least five times the expanded diameter of the capture element.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
13 words
The system of claim 18 , wherein: the engaging device has 1-4 filaments.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
161 words
A method of removing an obstruction from a blood vessel comprising the steps of: providing a catheter, an obstruction engaging device, a flexible material and an expandable capture element, the capture element being contained within a lumen of the catheter in a collapsed position, the capture element moving to an expanded position when positioned outside the lumen, the obstruction engaging device having a filament which is movable from a collapsed position to an expanded position, the flexible material being attached to a self-expanding support structure, the support structure forming a loop and having a plurality of longitudinal struts and being formed by a number of integrally formed hinges; introducing the catheter into a blood vessel of a patient; engaging an obstruction with the filament; expanding the capture element, the capture element being naturally biased toward the expanded position with the self-expanding support structure; and moving the obstruction into the capture element with the engaging device after the engaging and expanding steps.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
161 words
A method of removing an obstruction from a blood vessel comprising the steps of: providing a catheter, an obstruction engaging device, a flexible material and an expandable capture element, the capture element being contained within a lumen of the catheter in a collapsed position, the capture element moving to an expanded position when positioned outside the lumen, the obstruction engaging device having a filament which is movable from a collapsed position to an expanded position, the flexible material being attached to a self-expanding support structure, the support structure forming a loop and having a plurality of longitudinal struts and being formed by a number of integrally formed hinges; introducing the catheter into a blood vessel of a patient; engaging an obstruction with the filament; expanding the capture element, the capture element being naturally biased toward the expanded position with the self-expanding support structure; and moving the obstruction into the capture element with the engaging device after the engaging and expanding steps.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
42 words
The system of claim 17 , wherein: the capture element has a flexible cover attached to the support structure, the cover having a distal end which is positioned at the loop so that the loop opens the distal end of the cover.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system of claim 17 , wherein: the support structure has a plurality of longitudinal struts which extend proximally from the loop.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
27 words
The system of claim 24 , wherein: the struts do not intersect and form a form a conical shape when the capture element is in the expanded.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
13 words
The system of claim 17 , wherein: the loop has integrally formed hinges.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
14 words
The system of claim 26 , wherein: the hinges are formed by V-shaped elements.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
21 words
The system of claim 17 , wherein: the obstruction engaging device has a filament configured to penetrate and engage an obstruction.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2006-12-15 | 2007-06-16 | 2007-12-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2010-12-15 | 2011-06-16 | 2011-12-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2014-12-15 | 2015-06-16 | 2015-12-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |