# US 11,027,124 B2 · Interventional medical systems and retrieval tools thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,027,124 B2 - Document ID: US11027124B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/264,375 - Filed: 2016-09-13 - Published: 2018-03-15 - Granted: 2021-06-08 - Earliest claimed: 2016-09-13 - Assignees: Medtronic, Inc. - Applicants: Medtronic, Inc. - Inventors: Ronald A Drake; Keith D Anderson; Kenneth C Gardeski; Dina L Williams - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11027124B2 ## CPC - A61N 1/057: {Anchoring means; Means for fixing the head inside the heart} - A61B 17/00234: {for minimally invasive surgery (A61B17/0218, A61B17/0469, A61B17/12013, A61B17/1285, A61B17/29, A61B17/320016 take precedence)} - A61B 17/221: Gripping devices in the form of loops or baskets {for gripping calculi or similar types of obstructions (surgical snare instruments A61B17/32056)} - A61B 17/50: Instruments {, other than pincettes or toothpicks,} for removing foreign bodies from the human body (surgical pincettes, i.e. surgical tweezers, A61B17/30) - A61N 1/372: Arrangements in connection with the implantation of stimulators - A61N 1/3756: {Casings with electrodes thereon, e.g. leadless stimulators} - A61B 2017/00243: {cardiac} - A61B 2017/00358: {Snares for grasping} - A61N 1/362: Heart stimulators (heart defibrillators A61N1/39) - A61N 1/37205: {Microstimulators, e.g. implantable through a cannula} - A61N 1/37512: {Pacemakers} - A61N 1/37518: {Anchoring of the implants, e.g. fixation} - A61N 2001/0578: {having means for removal or extraction} - A61N: ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY; ULTRASOUND THERAPY (measurement of bioelectric currents A61B; surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body A61B18/00; anaesthetic apparatus in general A61M; incandescent lamps H01K; infrared radiators for heating H05B) - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract A tool operable with a catheter in an interventional medical system retrieves a medical device from an implant site, wherein the device includes an attachment feature that forms an annular recess to be engaged by a lasso of the tool for snaring the device, and a distal-most sidewall of the catheter defines a receptacle into which the snared device is retrieved. A guide of the tool includes a sidewall defining a lumen in which the lasso extends for deployment out from a distal opening thereof, to snare and retrieve the implanted device. The sidewall establishes a radial offset between the guide lumen distal opening and the distal-most sidewall of the catheter, when the guide lumen distal opening and a distal opening of the receptacle are located in close proximity to one another, which radial offset is greater than a length of the annular recess formed by the device attachment feature. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An interventional medical system comprising an implantable medical device, a catheter, and a retrieval tool; the implantable medical device comprising a hermetically sealed housing extending along a longitudinal axis between a proximal end thereof and a distal end thereof, and an attachment feature joined to the proximal end of the housing, the attachment feature forming an annular recess where the feature is joined to the housing proximal end; the catheter comprising an elongate shaft and a distal-most catheter sidewall joined to a distal end of the shaft, the distal-most catheter sidewall defining a receptacle extending along a first central axis and sized to contain an entirety of the implantable medical device therein, the shaft including a longitudinally extending lumen in fluid communication with an interior of the receptacle, the interior of the receptacle having a distal opening sized to receive passage of the implantable medical device therethrough, and the shaft lumen and the receptacle being sized to receive the retrieval tool in sliding engagement therein; and the retrieval tool comprising: an elongate guide comprising: a guide sidewall defining a longitudinally extending guide lumen of the elongate guide extending along a second central axis, the guide lumen extending from a proximal opening thereof to a distal opening thereof; and a rod extending proximally from the proximal opening of the guide lumen, and wherein the guide sidewall tapers from a first outer diameter to a smaller, second outer diameter at the distal opening to establish, when the second central axis is radially offset from the first central axis, the distal opening of the guide lumen is axially proximate the distal opening of the receptacle and the guide sidewall is directly adjacent the distal-most catheter sidewall, a radial offset between the distal opening of the guide lumen and the distal-most catheter sidewall; and a lasso comprising: a first segment extending within the guide lumen and being fixedly attached to the elongate guide, the first segment having a distal end located in close proximity to the distal opening of the guide lumen; a second segment extending from the distal end of the first segment and looping back alongside the first segment within the guide lumen, the second segment being moveable relative to the first segment to increase and decrease a length of the second segment that protrudes distally from the distal opening of the guide lumen, and the second segment being configured to engage with the annular recess formed by the implantable medical device attachment feature; and an elongate tube coupled to a proximal end of the second segment of the lasso by an overlying layer of heat shrink tubing, wherein the elongate tube extends around the rod of the elongate guide, and wherein the elongate tube is in sliding engagement with the rod; wherein the radial offset established by the guide sidewall is greater than a length of the annular recess formed by the attachment feature of the implantable medical device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the guide sidewall is formed by a coiled member. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the first segment of the lasso is fixedly attached to the rod. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein a length along which the guide sidewall tapers is not more than about 0.08 inch. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the retrieval tool further comprises a net, the net being coupled to a portion of the second segment of the lasso, the portion of the second segment being adjacent the distal end of the first segment of the lasso. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the rod is integrally formed with the guide sidewall. ### Claim 7 A tool for retrieving, in conjunction with a catheter, an implantable medical device from an implant site and into a receptacle of the catheter, the catheter comprising a distal-most catheter sidewall and the receptacle extending along a first central axis, the implantable medical device comprising a hermetically sealed housing extending along a longitudinal axis between a proximal end thereof and a distal end thereof, and an attachment feature joined to the proximal end of the housing, the attachment feature forming an annular recess where the attachment feature is joined to the proximal end of the housing, the tool being sized to fit in sliding engagement within the receptacle of the catheter, and the tool comprising: an elongate guide comprising: a guide sidewall defining a longitudinally extending guide lumen of the elongate guide extending along a second central axis, the guide lumen extending from a proximal opening thereof to a distal opening thereof, and the guide sidewall tapering from a first outer diameter to a smaller, second outer diameter at the distal opening of the guide lumen, the tapering extending over a length no greater than about 0.08 inch, and a ratio of the smaller, second outer diameter to the first outer diameter being no greater than about 60%; a rod extending proximally from the proximal opening of the guide lumen, wherein the tapering of the guide sidewall establishes, when the second central axis is radially offset from the first central axis, the distal opening of the guide lumen is axially proximate the distal opening of the receptacle and the guide sidewall is directly adjacent the distal-most catheter sidewall, a radial offset between the distal opening of the guide lumen and the distal-most catheter sidewall; and a lasso comprising: a first segment extending within the guide lumen and being fixedly attached to the elongate guide, the first segment having a distal end located in close proximity to the distal opening of the guide lumen; a second segment extending from the distal end of the first segment and looping back alongside the first segment within the guide lumen, the second segment being moveable relative to the first segment to increase and decrease a length of the second segment that protrudes distally from the distal opening of the guide lumen, and the second segment being configured to engage with the annular recess formed by the attachment feature of the implantable medical device; and an elongate tube coupled to a proximal end of the second segment of the lasso by an overlying layer of heat shrink tubing, wherein the elongate tube extends around the rod of the elongate guide, and wherein the elongate tube is in sliding engagement with the rod. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The tool of claim 7, wherein the guide sidewall is flexible in proximity to the distal opening of the guide lumen. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The tool of claim 7, wherein the guide sidewall is formed by a coiled member. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The tool of claim 7, wherein the first segment of the lasso is fixedly attached to the rod. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The tool of claim 7, further comprising a net, the net being coupled to a portion of the second segment of the lasso, the portion of the second segment being adjacent the distal end of the first segment of the lasso. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The tool of claim 7, wherein the rod is integrally formed with the guide sidewall. ### Claim 13 A tool for retrieving, in conjunction with a catheter, an implantable medical device from an implant site and into a receptacle of the catheter, the catheter comprising a distal-most catheter sidewall and the receptacle extending along a first central axis, the implantable medical device comprising a hermetically sealed housing extending along a longitudinal axis between a proximal end thereof and a distal end thereof, and an attachment feature joined to the proximal end of the housing, the attachment feature forming an annular recess where the attachment feature is joined to the proximal end of the housing, the tool being sized to fit in sliding engagement within the receptacle of the catheter, and the tool comprising: an elongate guide comprising a relatively straight rod portion and a coiled portion, the coiled portion forming a guide sidewall, the guide sidewall defining a longitudinally extending guide lumen of the elongate guide extending along a second central axis, the guide lumen extending from a proximal opening thereof to a distal opening thereof, the rod portion being integrally formed with the coiled portion and extending proximally from the proximal opening of the guide lumen, and the guide sidewall tapering from a first outer diameter to a smaller, second outer diameter at the distal opening of the guide lumen, wherein the tapering of the guide sidewall establishes, when the second central axis is radially offset from first central axis, the distal opening of the guide lumen is axially proximate a distal opening of the receptacle and the guide sidewall is directly adjacent the distal-most catheter sidewall, a radial offset between the distal opening of the guide lumen and the distal-most catheter sidewall; and a lasso comprising: a first segment extending within the guide lumen and being fixedly attached to the rod portion of the elongate guide, the first segment having a distal end located in close proximity to the distal opening of the guide lumen; a second segment extending from the distal end of the first segment and looping back alongside the first segment within the guide lumen, the second segment further extending proximally from the proximal opening of the guide lumen and alongside the rod portion of the elongate guide, the second segment being moveable relative to the first segment to increase and decrease a length of the second segment that protrudes distally from the distal opening of the guide lumen, and the second segment being configured to engage with the annular recess formed by the attachment feature of the implantable medical device; and an elongate tube coupled to a proximal end of the second segment of the lasso by an overlying layer of heat shrink tubing, wherein the elongate tube extends around the rod portion of the elongate guide, and wherein the elongate tube is in sliding engagement with the rod portion. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The tool of claim 13, wherein the coiled portion of the elongate guide has a close wound pitch along a first length corresponding to the first outer diameter, and a space wound pitch along a distal-most, second length corresponding to the tapering from the first outer diameter to the smaller, second outer diameter. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The tool of claim 13, wherein the tapering of the guide sidewall extends over a length no greater than about 0.08 inch, and a ratio of the smaller, second outer diameter to the first outer diameter is no greater than about 60%. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The tool of claim 13, further comprising a net, the net being coupled to a portion of the second segment of the lasso, the portion being adjacent the distal end of the first segment of the lasso.