Improved apparatus and method for atherectomy

Abstract

Abstract The invention provides a catheter (10) for excision of obstructive tissue from the vessel of a living body. The catheter (10) includes a cut/collect catheter (20) having a torque cable (22) whose proximal end lies outside the living body and whose distal end is coupled to the distal end of a cutting cylinder (26) that has a cutting edge (27) at the cutting cylinder (26) proximal end. The cutting edge (27) cuts tissue from the tissue wall as it is pulled back in a retrograde direction. Additionally, there is included a shielding catheter (40) which is displaceable with respect to the cut/collect catheter (20) throughout most of the length of the cut/collect catheter (20). The shielding catheter (40) has a metal cut-out cylinder attached to a plastic cylinder distal end. The cut-out cylinder has a cut-out section and a cylindrical arc portion which forms a shield to prevent cutting of an arc of a vessel wall.

Inventors

• 👤 Robert E. Fischell
• 👤 David R. Fischell
• 👤 Richard L. Harding
• 👤 Tim A. Fischell
• 👤 James J. Thompson

Bibliographic Details