Superelastic biopsy shaft and steerable needle
AssigneeAuris Health, Inc.
InventorsJustin GILBERT, Akira UEDA
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A medical system includes a handle, an elongate shaft extending from the handle and defining a working channel, and a needle assembly extendable within the inner working channel and operable to translate distally and proximally relative to the elongate shaft. The needle assembly includes a sheath, and a needle arranged within the sheath and movable relative thereto. The needle has a body providing opposing distal and proximal ends and being made entirely of a superelastic material between the distal and proximal ends. The distal end of the needle extends through and past the handle.
Claims20
A medical system, comprising:
- a handle;
- an elongate shaft extending from the handle and defining a working channel;
- and
- a needle assembly extendable within the inner working channel and operable to translate distally and proximally relative to the elongate shaft, the needle assembly including:
- a sheath;
- and
- a needle arranged within the sheath and movable relative thereto, the needle having a body providing opposing distal and proximal ends and being made entirely of a superelastic material between the distal and proximal ends,
- wherein the distal end of the needle extends through and past the handle.
A method of operating a medical system, comprising:
- advancing an elongate shaft of the medical system into a cavity of a subject, the elongate shaft extending from a handle and defining a working channel;
- advancing a needle assembly within the inner working channel, the needle assembly including:
- a sheath;
- and
- a needle arranged within the sheath and movable relative thereto, the needle having a body providing opposing distal and proximal ends and being made entirely of a superelastic material between the distal and proximal ends, wherein the distal end of the needle extends through and past the handle;
- and
- advancing the needle out of the sheath and piercing a target tissue within the cavity.
A needle assembly, comprising:
- a sheath;
- and
- a needle arranged within the sheath and movable relative thereto, the needle having a body providing opposing distal and proximal ends and being made entirely of a superelastic material between the distal and proximal ends,
- wherein the needle provides a distal region that is heat treated such that the superelastic material at the distal region transitions to an original shape memory state upon reaching a transformation temperature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.