Tissue engagement devices, systems, and methods
AssigneeTalon Medical, LLC
InventorsJohn J. Allen, Andreas C. Pfahnl
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Devices and related methods to engage tissue layers to access the space between the layers are provided. The access devices include engagement arms that can be deployed and retracted to easily engage the top tissue layer and allow it to be separated from the underlying layer. The engagement arms are coupled to an actuation rod that is in turn coupled to a switch or lever that allows a user to control the actuation from outside the patient. The engagement arms and coupling to the actuation rod are unique and compact to ensure the entire mechanism fits in a small diameter shaft.
Claims23
A tissue engagement device comprising:
- a handle;
- a tube that defines a lumen having a maximum interior width, the tube being attached to the handle;
- an actuation rod positioned within the lumen of the tube;
- a plurality of arms, each arm comprising a piercing tip;
- and
- an actuator coupled to the handle, the actuator being configured to move the actuation rod relative to the tube to rotate the arms between (i) a retracted orientation in which the tips of adjacent arms are at a distance from each other that is less than the maximum interior width of the lumen and (ii) an actuated orientation in which the tips of adjacent arms are directed away from each other and are spaced from each other by a distance that is greater than the maximum interior width of the lumen,
- wherein, when a distal end of the tissue engagement device abuts a layer of tissue, actuation of the arms via the actuator rotates the tips into the layer of tissue to pierce the layer of tissue and to apply tension to the layer of tissue outwardly in opposite directions,
- wherein the piercing tips of the arms are positioned distally beyond a distal face of the tube when the arms are in the retracted orientation, and
- wherein the actuation rod comprises a tip at the distal end of the tissue engagement device, the tip of the actuation rod being recessed relative to the distal face of the tube when the arms are in the retracted orientation.
A tissue engagement device comprising:
- a handle;
- a first tube that defines a first lumen having a maximum interior width, the first tube being attached to the handle;
- an actuation rod positioned within the first lumen of the first tube;
- a plurality of arms, each arm comprising a piercing tip;
- an actuator coupled to the handle, the actuator being configured to move the actuation rod relative to the first tube to rotate the arms between (i) a retracted orientation in which the tips of adjacent arms are at a distance from each other that is less than the maximum interior width of the first lumen and (ii) an actuated orientation in which the tips of adjacent arms are directed away from each other and are spaced from each other by a distance that is greater than the maximum interior width of the first lumen;
- and
- a second tube that defines a second lumen, the second tube having a tip at a distal end thereof;
- wherein, when a distal end of the tissue engagement device abuts a layer of tissue, actuation of the arms via the actuator rotates the tips relative to the layer of tissue to pierce the layer of tissue and to apply tension to the layer of tissue outwardly in opposite directions, and
- wherein the tip of the second tube is configured to be advanced to the tissue layer after the tissue layer has been engaged by the arms.
A method of engaging a first tissue layer that is positioned above a second tissue layer, the method comprising:
- positioning a distal end of a tissue engaging device against the first tissue layer, the tissue engaging device comprising a distal end, a first arm that comprises a first tip, and a second arm that comprises a second tip;
- rotating the first and second arms in opposite directions to bypass each other;
- piercing the first tissue layer with the first and second tips without piercing the second tissue layer at a position that is distal to the distal end of the tissue engaging device as the first and second arms are rotated in opposite directions past each other.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.