US 4,799,479 A · Method and apparatus for angioplasty

Abstract

The region surrounding the balloon utilized in percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty is heated by means within the balloon or within the skin of the balloon upon inflation of the balloon such that disrupted tissues of the plaque in the arterial wall are heated in order to fuse together fragmented segments of tissue and to coagulate blood trapped within dissected planes of tissue and within fissures created by wall fracture such that upon subsequent balloon deflation a smooth cylindrically-shaped channel results, thereby to prevent collapse of any flap of material which could cause either abrupt arterial closure and an acute myocar STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH The funding for work described herein was provided in part by the Federal Government, under a grant from the National Institute of Health. The Government may have certain rights in this invention.

Claims65

Dependent claims

A method for preventing abrupt reclosure and restenosis in percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty comprising the steps of:

providing a balloon in the coronary artery at the region of coronary narrowing;
inflating the balloon with fluid;
and
providing heat at the region surrounding the inflated balloon at a level sufficient to fuse together segments of tissue in said region and to coagulate blood trapped within dissection planes of tissue and within fissures created by wall fracture in said regions, said level being below the vaporization threshold of the tissues;
and
deflating and removing said balloon thereby to provide a smooth cylindrically-shaped channel which prevents collapse of material into the coronary artery.

3 more elements

An angioplasty device comprising a catheter suitable for insertion into an artery and having:

a tube defining a lumen;
an inflatable balloon secured to said tube for inflation from a remote source of fluid, said balloon being configured so that said tube may be navigated through the artery when deflated and allow blood flow while said tube is being navigated with the balloon in a deflated state, said balloon configured to withstand the heat necessary to fuse and reform tissue;
means for inflating said balloon with fluid when said balloon is in an area of stenosis of the artery to apply pressure to the area of stenosis of said artery to widen the inner diameter of the artery at that area;
and
means for applying heat at the artery region surrounding the balloon at a level sufficient to fuse together segments of tissue in said artery region and to coagulate blood in said region so that a smooth cylindrically shaped inner wall of the artery is formed, said level being below the vaporization threshold of the tissue;
said device being specifically adapted to apply pressure to the area of stenosis in the artery and to simultaneously deliver heat to that area to enable fusion of the plaque fragments and the plaque-artery separations so that upon subsequent deflation and removal of the balloon, a smooth, cylindrically-shaped channel is produced, said smooth channel producing more favorable flow patterns, preventing the proliferation of the fused elements of the arterial wall and preventing the collapse of material into the artery.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and apparatus for angioplasty

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for angioplasty

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims65