Tissue separating catheter assembly and method

The catheter assembly according to claim 31 wherein:

• the distal shaft portion comprises a proximal channel and a distal channel housing proximal and distal portions of the distal separator part when the distal separator part is in the retracted state;
• the distal shaft portion has a base surface, the distal separator part being in contact with the base surface when in the retracted state;
• and
• at least a portion of the base surface being located between the proximal channel and the distal channel, said portion being convex.

A tissue-separating catheter assembly comprising:

• a shaft having a distal shaft portion;
• a tissue separator device extending along the shaft and having a distal separator part at the distal shaft portion movable between a retracted state, towards the distal shaft portion, and an outwardly extending, operational state, away from the distal shaft portion;
• and
• first and second energizable tissue separator means for aiding movement of the distal shaft portion through tissue and to a target site, said first and second movement aiding means located generally proximal and distal of the distal separator part of the tissue separator device, respectively.

A method for accessing a target site within a patient comprising:

• selecting a tissue-separating catheter assembly comprising:
• a rotatable shaft having a distal shaft portion;
• a tissue separator device extending along the shaft and having a distal separator part at the distal shaft portion movable between a retracted state, towards the distal shaft portion, and an outwardly extending, operational state, away from the distal shaft portion;
• said shaft comprising a tip;
• the distal shaft portion comprising a distally-facing transition surface at a proximal end of the distal shaft portion, said transition surface extending radially outwardly and longitudinally away from said tip;
• a first energizable tissue separator element at the transition surface;
• and
• a second energizable tissue separator element at the tip;
• directing the distal shaft portion, and the first and second energizable tissue separator elements and the distal separator part therewith, through tissue and to a target site;
• and
• energizing said first and second energizable tissue separator elements during at least a part of the directing step so to aid movement of the distal shaft portion through the tissue and to the target site.

A tissue-separating catheter assembly comprising:

• a rotatable shaft having a distal shaft portion;
• a tissue separator device extending along the shaft and having a distal separator part at the distal shaft portion movable between a retracted state, towards the distal shaft portion, and an outwardly extending, operational state, away from the distal shaft portion;
• the distal separator part comprising a distal separator end;
• and
• a pivot joint pivotally connecting the distal separator end to the distal shaft portion so that said distal separator end effectively pivots freely at the pivot joint as the distal separator part moves between the retracted and operational states.

A method for increasing the volume of a separated tissue section from a patient comprising:

• selecting a tissue-separating catheter assembly comprising:
• a rotatable shaft having a distal shaft portion;
• a tissue separator device extending along the shaft and having a distal separator part at the distal shaft portion movable between a retracted state, towards the distal shaft portion, and an outwardly extending, operational state, away from the distal shaft portion;
• the distal separator part comprising a distal separator end;
• and
• a pivot joint pivotally connecting the distal separator end to the distal shaft portion so that said distal separator end effectively pivots freely at the pivot joint as the distal separator part moves between the retracted and operational states;
• directing the distal shaft portion, and the distal separator part and the pivot joint therewith, through tissue and to a target site;
• moving the distal separator part through tissue from the retracted state to an operational state with the distal separator part pivoting at the pivot joint;
• rotating the shaft thereby causing the distal separator part in the operational state to pass through tissue and create a separated tissue section;
• and
• removing the separated tissue section from the patient.

A method for accessing a target site within a patient comprising:

• selecting a tissue-separating catheter assembly comprising:
• a rotatable shaft having a distal shaft portion;
• a tissue separator device extending along the shaft and having a plurality of distal separator parts at the distal shaft, each said distal separator part being positionable at an exposed, retracted state towards the distal shaft portion, at least one of said distal separator parts being movable to an outwardly extending, operational state spaced apart from the distal shaft portion;
• and
• at least some of said distal separator parts being energizable in said exposed, retracted state;
• directing the distal shaft portion and the distal separator parts therewith through tissue and to a target site while the distal separator parts are in said exposed, retracted states;
• and
• energizing said at least some of said distal separator parts during at least a part of the directing step so to aid movement of the distal shaft portion through the tissue and to the target site.