# US 11,896,250 B2 · Aspiration systems and methods, and expanding-mouth catheters > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,896,250 B2 - Document ID: US11896250B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/008,234 - Filed: 2020-08-31 - Published: 2022-03-03 - Granted: 2024-02-13 - Earliest claimed: 2020-08-31 - Assignees: Covidien LP - Applicants: Covidien LP - Inventors: Eric Mintz; Ujwal Jalgaonkar; Emma Hurst; David P. Marchesiello - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11896250B2 ## CPC - A61B 17/22031: {Gripping instruments, e.g. forceps, for removing or smashing calculi (A61B17/221 takes 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)} - A61M 25/0074: {Dynamic characteristics of the catheter tip, e.g. openable, closable, expandable or deformable} - A61B 2017/00022: {Sensing or detecting at the treatment site} - A61B 2017/00044: {Sensing electrocardiography, i.e. ECG} - A61B 2017/00154: {pulsed} - A61B 2017/00867: {shape memory effect} - A61B 2017/00876: {magnetic} - A61B 2017/22079: {with suction of debris} - A61B 2017/2215: {having an open distal end} - A61B 2217/005: with suction drainage system - A61B 2217/007: with irrigation system - A61M 2025/0024: {Expandable catheters or sheaths} - A61M 2205/0272: Electro-active or magneto-active materials - 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 In some examples, a catheter includes an expandable member configured to expand radially outward from a collapsed configuration to an expanded configuration. The expandable member is configured to be expanded and contracted in a controlled manner, e.g., in response to user actuation or automatically under the control of control circuitry of a device. For example, in some examples, control circuitry of a device can be configured to control the expandable member to expand and contract according to a predetermined expansion frequency or according to an expansion frequency determined based on a cardiac cycle of a patient. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An aspiration system comprising: a catheter including: an elongated body defining an inner lumen; and an expandable member at a distal portion of the elongated body, wherein the expandable member is configured to expand radially outward from a contracted configuration to an expanded configuration; a suction source configured to apply a suction force to the catheter to remove fluid from the catheter; and control circuitry configured to control the expandable member to move between the expanded configuration and the contracted configuration based on an expansion frequency, wherein the control circuitry is configured to determine the expansion frequency based on suction force applied by the suction source to the catheter. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The aspiration system of claim 1, wherein the expanded configuration is a fully expanded configuration of the expandable member. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The aspiration system of claim 1, wherein the expanded configuration is a partially expanded configuration of the expandable member. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The aspiration system of claim 1, wherein the contracted configuration is a fully contracted configuration of the expandable member. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The aspiration system of claim 1, wherein the contracted configuration is a partially contracted configuration of the expandable member. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The aspiration system of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is configured to control the suction source to cycle the suction force between first and second suction forces according to a suction frequency, and wherein the control circuitry is configured to determine the expansion frequency based on the suction frequency. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The aspiration system of claim 1, wherein the suction source is configured to apply a first suction force to the catheter and a second suction force to the catheter, wherein the control circuitry is configured to control the expandable member to expand radially outward from the contracted configuration to the expanded configuration according to the expansion frequency by at least controlling the expandable member to expand to the expanded configuration when the suction source is applying the first suction force to the catheter and controlling the expandable member to contract to the contracted configuration when the suction source is applying the second suction force to the catheter. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The aspiration system of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is configured to control the suction force applied by the suction source to the catheter based on a cardiac cycle of a patient. ### Claim 9 An aspiration system comprising: a suction source configured to apply a suction force to a catheter to remove fluid from the catheter during a medical aspiration procedure; and control circuitry configured to control an expandable member of the catheter to expand and contract during the medical aspiration procedure according to an expansion frequency, wherein the control circuitry is configured to determine the expansion frequency based on the suction force. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The aspiration system of claim 9, wherein the control circuitry is configured to control the expandable member to expand and contract by at least controlling when the expandable member is in a contracted configuration and when the expandable member is in an expanded configuration based on the expansion frequency. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The aspiration system of claim 10, wherein the expanded configuration is a fully expanded configuration or a partially expanded configuration of the expandable member. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The aspiration system of claim 10, wherein the contracted configuration is a fully contracted configuration or a partially contracted configuration of the expandable member. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The aspiration system of claim 9, wherein the control circuitry is configured to control the suction source to cycle the suction force between first and second suction forces according to a suction frequency, and wherein the control circuitry is configured to determine the expansion frequency based on the suction frequency. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The aspiration system of claim 9, wherein the suction source is configured to apply a first suction force to the catheter and a second suction force to the catheter, wherein the control circuitry is configured to control the expandable member to expand radially outward from a contracted configuration to an expanded configuration according to the expansion frequency by at least controlling the expandable member to expand to the expanded configuration when the suction source is applying the first suction force to the catheter and controlling the expandable member to contract to the contracted configuration when the suction source is applying the second suction force to the catheter. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The aspiration system of claim 9, wherein the control circuitry is configured to control the suction force applied by the suction source to the catheter based on a cardiac cycle of a patient.