# US 10,117,738 B2 · Atraumatic tip geometry for indwelling devices > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,117,738 B2 - Document ID: US10117738B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/005,218 - Filed: 2016-01-25 - Published: 2016-07-28 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2015-01-23 - Assignees: The Regents of the University of Michigan - Applicants: The Regents of the University of Michigan - Inventors: Farokh R. Demehri; Daniel H. Teitelbaum; Jonathan E. Luntz; Brent Utter; Diann Erbschloe Brei; Jennifer Freeman - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10117738B2 ## CPC - A61F 2/04: Hollow or tubular parts of organs, e.g. bladders, tracheae, bronchi or bile ducts (A61F2/18, A61F2/20 take precedence; instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts A61F2/95) - A61B 17/02: for holding wounds open, e.g. retractors; Tractors - A61M 29/02: Dilators made of swellable material {(balloon catheters for angioplasty A61M25/104)} - A61B 17/12045: {double occlusion, e.g. during anastomosis} - A61B 2017/00557: {inflatable (A61B2017/22051 takes precedence)} - A61B 2017/00818: {Treatment of the gastro-intestinal system} - A61B 2017/12127: {Double occlusion, e.g. for creating blood-free anastomosis site} - A61F 2002/045: {Stomach, intestines} - A61F 2250/001: for adjusting a diameter - A61F 2250/0018: differing in elasticity, stiffness or compressibility - A61F 2250/0029: differing in bending or flexure capacity - A61F 2250/0059: temporary - A61F 2250/0069: Sealing means - A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C) - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} ## Abstract An indwelling device for insertion in a biological tubular structure comprising an elongated device having a body and opposing ends. The body has a bending stiffness transverse to a longitudinal axis that is greater than a stiffness of the biological tubular structure. An atraumatic tip member, having a proximal end and a distal end, extends from the end of the elongated device. The proximal end has a first bending stiffness transverse to a longitudinal axis and the distal end has a second bending stiffness transverse to the longitudinal axis, wherein the second bending stiffness being less than the first bending stiffness. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An indwelling device for insertion in a biological tubular structure, the indwelling device comprising: an elongated device having a body and opposing ends, the body having a bending stiffness transverse to a longitudinal axis that is greater than a stiffness of the biological tubular structure; and an atraumatic tip member having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end extending from at least one of the opposing ends of the elongated device, the proximal end having a first bending stiffness transverse to a longitudinal axis and the distal end having a second bending stiffness transverse to the longitudinal axis, the second bending stiffness being less than the first bending stiffness, wherein the elongated device comprises an actuation mechanism to selectively elongate the elongated device from a first length to a second length, the second length being longer than the first length, wherein the elongated device comprises a pair of expanding devices disposed on the opposing ends of the elongated device, the pair of expanding devices being actuatable between a retracted position and an extended position to permit application of a tensile load to the biological tubular structure when the elongated device is in the second length. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The indwelling device according to claim 1 wherein the first bending stiffness of the proximal end of the atraumatic tip member is generally equal to the bending stiffness of the body of the elongated device. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The indwelling device according to claim 1 wherein the second bending stiffness of the distal end of the atraumatic tip member is generally equal to the stiffness of the biological tubular structure. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The indwelling device according to claim 1 wherein the second bending stiffness of the distal end of the atraumatic tip member is sufficiently low to prevent damage to tissue of the biological tubular structure. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The indwelling device according to claim 1 wherein the second bending stiffness of the distal end of the atraumatic tip member is less than the stiffness of the biological tubular structure. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The indwelling device according to claim 1 wherein the atraumatic tip member is deflectable transversely along the longitudinal axis in response to contact with the biological tubular structure. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The indwelling device according to claim 1 wherein the proximal end of the atraumatic tip member has a first cross-sectional shape and the distal end of the atraumatic tip member has a second cross-sectional shape, the second cross-sectional shape being less than the first cross-sectional shape. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The indwelling device according to claim 1 wherein the atraumatic tip member is uniformly tapered in cross-section from the proximal end to the distal end. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The indwelling device according to claim 1 wherein the atraumatic tip member comprises: a flexure member having a decreasing stiffness along a length thereof; and a cover member surrounding and enclosing the flexure member. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The indwelling device according to claim 9 wherein the flexure member has a varying cross-sectional shape along the length thereof. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The indwelling device according to claim 1 wherein the elongated device comprises a friction enhancement engageable with an interior surface of the biological tubular structure. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The indwelling device according to claim 11, wherein the friction enhancement comprises a plurality of ridges fixed to the expanding devices which engage with the interior surface of the biological tubular structure. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The indwelling device according to claim 11 wherein the friction enhancement comprises a fenestrated decoupling system generally preventing contact of the friction enhancement with the interior surface of the biological tubular structure when the elongated device is in the first length, the fenestrated decoupling system generally permitting contact of the friction enhancement with the interior surface of the biological tubular structure when the elongated device is in the second length. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The indwelling device according to claim 13, wherein the fenestrated decoupling system comprises a plurality of fenestrated elastic bands having a spaced-apart configuration extending generally along a longitudinal length of the elongated device.