Exoskeleton device with expandable section for scoring
AssigneeTransit Scientific, LLC
InventorsShawn P. Fojtik, Greg Method, Jennifer Arnold
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An exoskeleton device is capable of being positioned over an expandable instrument, such as a balloon catheter. The exoskeleton device may include an expandable section that receives an expander of the expandable instrument. Expansion of the expander may cause the expandable section of the exoskeleton device to expand and force the expandable section of the exoskeleton device against a surface to be treated. The expandable section may be capable of scoring the surface against which it is forced.
Claims19
An exoskeleton device, comprising:
- an expandable section positionable over an expander of an expandable instrument, the expandable section including a plurality of struts, each strut extending along a length of the expandable section, each strut of the plurality of struts including a plurality of sections, each section defined by a pair of parallel slits through the expandable section, an arrangement of slits of the expandable section rendering the expandable section radially expandable and each strut at least partially rotatable upon radial expansion of the expandable section.
An exoskeleton device, comprising:
- an expandable section positionable over an expander of an expandable instrument, the expandable section including a plurality of rows of slits arranged around the expandable section, each row of the plurality of rows of slits including a series of slits arranged generally along a length of the expandable section, each slit of the series of slits of each row of the plurality of rows of slits being offset relative to at least one slit of the series of slits of each adjacent row of the plurality of rows of slits, each strut of the plurality of struts being at least partially rotatable.
A medical system, comprising:
- an exoskeleton device insertable into a body and advanceable through the body along a pathway, the exoskeleton device including an expandable section positionable at a treatment site, the expandable section including a plurality of slits defining a plurality of struts that expand and at least partially rotate upon expansion of the expandable section;
- and
- an expandable instrument with an expander insertable into the expandable section of the exoskeleton device.
A method for scoring a surface within a body of a subject, comprising:
- positioning an expander of an expandable instrument at least partially within an interior of an expandable section of an exoskeleton device;
- introducing the exoskeleton device into the body of the subject, with the expandable section of the exoskeleton device being introduced to a location adjacent to a surface that is to be scored;
- and
- expanding the expander, causing at least a portion of the expandable section of the exoskeleton device to expand with an arrangement of slits in the expandable section enabling portions of struts of the expandable section to move circumferentially apart from one another and to at least partially rotate, forcing at least the portion of the expandable section of the exoskeleton device against the surface that is to be scored, and scoring the surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.