Detachable pusher-vasoocclusive coil assembly with interlocking ball and keyway coupling
AssigneeTarget Therapeutics, Inc.
InventorErik T. Engelson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A pusher-vasoocclusive coil assembly that is advanced through a catheter to a site within a vessel and is manipulated to detach the coil from the assembly. The coil has an enlarged member at its proximal end and the pusher has a keyway at its distal end that receives the enlarged member in interlocking engagement. The pusher and coil are coupled by placing the enlarged member in the keyway and enclosing the coupled assembly with a coaxial sleeve. The coil-pusher-sleeve assembly is positioned at the site and the sleeve is retracted to allow the member to move out of the keyway to uncouple the pusher and coil.
Claims12
A detachable pusher-vasoocclusive coil assembly for use in occluding a selected site within a vessel comprising in combination:
- (a) a vasooclusive coil having a proximal end and a distal end and which carries an enlarged member at its proximal end;
- (b) a pusher having a proximal end and a distal end and a radial keyway at its distal end that receives the coil's enlarged member in interlocking engagement;
- and
- (c) means carried coaxially about the pusher and coil that is axially movable relative to the pusher and coil from a first position at which the means encloses the member interlocked within the keyway to maintain the member within the keyway to a second position at which the means does not enclose the interlocked member and radial keyway and the member is free to withdraw from the radial keyway and thus uncouple the pusher and coil.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.