Apparatus and method for placement of device along wall of a body lumen

An apparatus, comprising:

• an expandable structure comprising broad filaments that are formable into three dimensional shapes comprising a range of diameters and corresponding lengths;
• a movable component that is moveable between a range of positions effecting the range of diameters;
• and
• a mechanical linkage disposed between the movable component and the expandable structure;
• wherein the expandable structure is configured to fit inside a working channel of an endoscope when the broad filaments are collapsed;
• wherein the mechanical linkage is configured to move the expandable structure through the working channel to a selected location past a distal end of the endoscope when the broad filaments are collapsed, and to increase and decrease a diameter defined by the broad filaments in response to changes in a position of the movable component within the range of positions when the expandable structure is at the selected location;
• wherein the broad filaments of the expandable structure are not uniformly distributed in a circumferential direction such that a first gap is provided between the broad filaments in a first circumferential region of the expandable structure and a second gap is provided between the broad filaments in a second circumferential region wherein the second gap is smaller than the first gap to facilitate insertion of a guidewire through the first gap in the first circumferential region and block the guidewire from passing through the second gap in the second circumferential region;
• wherein the broad filaments in the first circumferential region define a first arcuate shape;
• wherein the broad filaments in the second circumferential region define a second arcuate shape;
• and
• wherein the broad filaments in the second circumferential region are circumferentially wider than each of the broad filaments in the first circumferential region such that the second gap is smaller than the first gap.

A system, comprising:

• a flexible endoscope comprising a working channel;
• an expandable structure;
• a handle;
• and
• a flexible mechanical linkage disposed between the handle and the expandable structure and configured to deliver the expandable structure through the working channel to a location beyond the working channel, the mechanical linkage comprising a flexible actuator cable secured to a distal end of the expandable structure and configured to be pulled to effect movement of the distal end toward a proximal end of the expandable structure to expand the expandable structure and to be pushed to effect movement of the distal end away from the proximal end to collapse the expandable structure, wherein collapsing the expandable structure is effective to capture an object disposed in an opening of the expandable structure;
• and
• wherein the expandable structure is not uniformly distributed in a circumferential direction such that a first gap is provided in a first circumferential region of the expandable structure comprising a plurality of first filaments that define a first arcuate shape and a second gap is provided in a second circumferential region comprising a plurality of second filaments that define a second arcuate shape;
• and
• wherein each of the plurality of second filaments are circumferentially wider than each of the plurality of first filaments in the circumferential direction such that the second gap between adjacent second filaments of the plurality of second filaments is smaller than the first gap between adjacent first filaments of the plurality of first filaments to facilitate insertion of a guidewire through the first gap in the first circumferential region and block the guidewire from passing through the second gap in the second circumferential region.

A method, comprising:

• inserting a flexible endoscope into a body lumen of a subject;
• inserting an expandable structure comprising broad filaments through a working channel in the endoscope to a location past a distal end of the endoscope;
• expanding the expandable structure by moving a movable component located outside a proximal end of the endoscope in a first direction to pull a distal end of the expandable structure toward a proximate end of the expandable structure at the location of the expandable structure, wherein the broad filaments of the expanded expandable structure are not uniformly distributed in a circumferential direction such that a first gap is provided between the broad filaments in a first circumferential region of the expandable structure that have a first arcuate shape and a second gap is provided between the broad filaments in a second circumferential region that have a second arcuate shape, wherein the broad filaments in the second circumferential region are circumferentially wider than the broad filaments in the first circumferential region such that the second gap is smaller than the first gap;
• and
• inserting a flexible guide wire through the first gap in the first circumferential region of the expandable structure and blocking the flexible guide wire from passing through the second gap in the second circumferential region of the expandable structure.