Catheter assembly with offset device for tissue sampling
AssigneeSpiration, Inc.
InventorsMadeline C. Graham, Matthew E. Nickeson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed embodiments include catheter assemblies, systems for sampling a targeted region of tissue, and methods of sampling a targeted region of tissue. In an illustrative, non-limiting embodiment, a catheter assembly includes: a catheter defining a lumen therein, a wall of the catheter defining an opening therein at a distal end of the catheter; and a curved flexible needle disposable in the lumen and being extendable from the opening at the distal end of the catheter at an angle that diverges from an axis of the lumen.
Claims14
A catheter assembly comprising:
- a catheter defining a lumen therein, a wall of the catheter defining an opening therein at a distal end of the catheter;
- a curved flexible needle disposable in the lumen and being extendable from the opening at the distal end of the catheter at an angle that diverges from an axis of the lumen;
- and
- a straight stylet coaxially disposable within the curved flexible needle as the curved flexible needle is extended beyond the opening at the distal end of the catheter and to cause the curved flexible needle to conform to a shape of the straight stylet to limit the angle at which the curved flexible needle diverges from the axis of the lumen as the curved flexible needle is extended beyond the opening at the distal end of the catheter.
A system for sampling a targeted region of tissue, the system comprising:
- a handle assembly;
- and
- a catheter assembly operably coupled to the handle assembly, the catheter assembly being configured to be insertable into a bodily lumen toward a targeted region of tissue to be sampled, the catheter assembly including:
- a catheter defining a lumen therein, a wall of the catheter defining an opening therein at a distal end of the catheter;
- and
- a curved flexible needle disposable in the lumen and being extendable from the opening at the distal end of the catheter into a tissue including the targeted region of tissue to be sampled, wherein the curved flexible needle is extendable at an angle that diverges from an axis of the lumen;
- and
- a straight stylet coaxially disposable within the curved flexible needle as the curved flexible needle is extended beyond the opening at the distal end of the catheter and configured to cause the curved flexible needle to conform to a shape of the straight stylet to limit the angle at which the curved flexible needle diverges from the axis of the lumen as the curved flexible needle is extended beyond the opening at the distal end of the catheter.
A method for sampling a targeted region of tissue, the method comprising:
- inserting a catheter in a bodily lumen toward a targeted region of tissue to be sampled;
- extending a curved flexible needle from a distal end of the catheter at an angle that diverges from an axis of the catheter toward the targeted region of tissue to be sampled;
- moving a straight stylet coaxially disposable within the curved flexible needle to a distance up to at least a tip of the curved flexible needle as the curved flexible needle is extended beyond the distal end of the catheter, wherein moving the straight stylet toward the tip of the curved needle causes the curved flexible needle to conform to a shape of the straight stylet to limit the angle at which the tip of the curved flexible needle diverges from the axis of the catheter;
- penetrating the tissue with the needle;
- and
- sampling the tissue.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.