# US 10,368,884 B2 · Irrigation devices, methods, and systems

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- Number: US 10,368,884 B2
- Document ID: US10368884B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/402,946
- Filed: 2017-01-10
- Published: 2017-07-13
- Granted: 2019-08-06
- Earliest claimed: 2016-01-11
- Assignees: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
- Applicants: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
- Inventors: Jerry Long; Timothy Harrah; Aaron Kirkemo; Brandon Craft; Elizabeth Stokley; Sebastian Koerner; Chad Schneider
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10368884B2

## CPC

- A61M 3/005: {comprising means for injection of two or more media, e.g. by mixing}
- A61B 5/201: {Assessing renal or kidney functions}
- A61B 17/22: Implements for squeezing-off ulcers or the like on inner organs of the body; Implements for scraping-out cavities of body organs, e.g. bones; for invasive removal or destruction of calculus using mechanical vibrations; for removing obstructions in blood vessels, not otherwise provided for
- A61M 3/0204: {Physical characteristics of the irrigation fluid, e.g. conductivity or turbidity}
- A61M 3/0208: {before use}
- A61M 3/022: {Volume; Flow rate}
- A61M 3/0295: {with inflatable balloon}
- A61M 25/0017: {specially adapted for long-term hygiene care, e.g. urethral or indwelling catheters to prevent infections}
- A61M 25/10: Balloon catheters ({A61M25/0125 takes precedence; embolectomy A61B17/22032; retractors A61B17/02;} inflatable balloons for placing stents or stent-grafts A61F2/958 {; stomach balloons for treatment of obesity A61F5/0003; oesophagal tubes A61J15/00})
- A61B 6/12: Arrangements for detecting or locating foreign bodies
- A61B 6/481: {involving the use of contrast agents}
- A61B 6/487: {involving fluoroscopy}
- A61B 2017/22067: {Blocking; Occlusion (A61B2017/22054 takes precedence)}
- A61B 2017/22079: {with suction of debris}
- A61B 2017/22084: {stone- or thrombus-dissolving}
- A61B 2217/005: with suction drainage system
- A61B 2217/007: with irrigation system
- A61M 2025/1052: {for temporarily occluding a vessel for isolating a sector}
- A61M 2039/0276: {for introducing or removing fluids into or out of the body}
- A61M 2205/3331: Pressure; Flow
- A61M 2205/3344: Measuring or controlling pressure at the body treatment site
- A61M 2205/3379: Masses, volumes, levels of fluids in reservoirs, flow rates
- A61M 2205/50: with microprocessors or computers
- A61M 2210/005: used as an access side to the body
- A61M 2210/1078: Urinary tract
- A61M 2210/1082: Kidney
- A61M 2210/1085: Bladder
- A61M 2210/1089: Urethra
- 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)}
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)

## Abstract

Irrigation devices, methods, and systems are disclosed. The system comprises a catheter with one or more lumens and an expandable portion. One or more pumps are used to supply a mixture of contrasting and dilating agents in an interior kidney volume and flush a portion of the mixture out of the interior kidney volume. The method comprises placing a catheter into the interior kidney volume through a ureter, occluding a portion of the ureter with a distal end of the catheter, forming an exit port through an exterior kidney surface, flowing the contrasting and dilating agents through the one or more lumens to supply the mixture in the interior kidney volume, and flushing a portion of the mixture out of the exit port.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for irrigating a kidney, the method comprising:
placing a distal end of a catheter adjacent an interior kidney volume through a ureter;
occluding a portion of the ureter with an expandable portion of the catheter;
forming an exit port;
flowing a different fluid through each of at least two lumens in the catheter to supply a mixture in the interior kidney volume;
flushing a portion of the mixture out of the interior kidney volume through the exit port;
detecting, with at least one sensor, an actual volume in the interior kidney volume;
establishing a target volume in the interior kidney volume; and
delivering the different fluids through each of the at least two lumens in the catheter to obtain the target volume in the interior of the kidney volume.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the expandable portion of the catheter comprises a balloon, and the occluding step further comprises expanding the balloon.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising a second catheter including a distal tip and at least one lumen, wherein the exit port is located on the distal tip and in communication with the at least one lumen, and the forming step comprises inserting the distal tip into the interior kidney volume through the exterior kidney surface.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising at least one pump configured to flow the different fluids through each of the at least two lumens, wherein the flowing step comprises operating the at least one pump.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, further comprising operating the at least one pump to maintain a constant volume of the mixture inside of the interior kidney volume.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the delivery of the different fluids includes activating different pumps to deliver each different fluid, and further including:
operating the different pumps to maintain a ratio of the different fluids in the interior kidney volume.

### Claim 7

A method for irrigating an interior kidney volume, the method comprising:
placing a distal end of a catheter adjacent the interior kidney volume through a ureter, the catheter having a first lumen and a second lumen;
occluding a portion of the ureter with an expandable portion of the catheter;
inserting a nephroscope into the interior kidney volume to form an exit port;
flowing a contrasting agent through the first lumen and a dilating agent through the second lumen to supply a mixture of the contrasting and dilating agents in the interior kidney volume, wherein flowing the contrasting agent and the dilating agent includes operating a first pump operable to flow the dilating agent, operating a second pump operable to flow the contrasting agent, and operating the first and second pumps to maintain a ratio of the dilating and contrasting agents in the interior kidney volume;
flushing a portion of the mixture out of the interior kidney volume through the exit port;
detecting, with at least one sensor, an actual measure in the interior kidney volume;
establishing a target measure in the interior kidney volume; and
operating the first and second pumps to obtain the target measure in the interior kidney volume.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein the placing step further comprises:
inserting the distal end of the catheter into a urethra; and
guiding the distal end into a urethra, through a bladder, and through the ureter.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein the nephroscope has a rigid body with a distal tip, the exit port is located on the distal tip, and the inserting step comprises inserting the distal tip through an exterior kidney surface, and wherein the expandable portion of the catheter comprises a balloon, and the occluding step further comprises expanding the balloon.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, further comprising, prior to the occluding step, seating the expandable portion of the catheter at a ureteropelvic junction.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, further comprising, prior to the placing step, fragmenting a kidney stone in the interior kidney volume to form a plurality of stone fragments.

### Claim 12 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein the actual and target measures are relative to at least the pressure in the interior kidney volume.