Intra-artery obstruction clearing apparatus and methods
AssigneeEndo Vascular Intruments, Inc.
InventorsGregory N. Nordgren, Thomas L. Kelly
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disposable intra-arterial augering and dottering instruments for use in patients in clearing pathways at obstructed or nearly obstructed arterial sites are disclosed. A number of augering tips used on the instruments are disclosed along with a method for releasibly affixing augering tips to the instruments. In addition, a dottering tip is disclosed for use in procedures where it is desired to open a pathway without excising material from the obstructed site. A combined augering and dottering tip is disclosed for a procedure in which material displacement followed by excising of material from within an artery is accomplished without removal of the combined augering and dottering tip until the procedure is complete.
Claims16
A combination for concentric arterial plaque removal comprising:
- a hollow catheter tube comprising a distal end;
- a drive cable rotatably passing through the hollow of the catheter tube, the drive cable comprising a distal end;
- a coupling comprising a stationary part non-rotatably connected to the distal end of the catheter tube, and a rotatable part non-rotatably connected to the drive cable and rotatable in respect to the stationary part;
- a rotatable cutting head for concentric plaque removal to increase blood flow;
- the coupling further comprising a site for non-rotatable connection to the head;
- whereby rotation of the cable drive rotates the rotatable part in respect to the stationary part and the catheter tube, which rotates the head to cut plaque.
A combination for removing arterial plaque comprising:
- a hollow catheter tube comprising a distal end;
- a drive cable rotatably passing through the hollow of the catheter tube, the drive cable comprising a distal end;
- a plaque-removing head journalled directly at the distal end of the catheter tube, the head comprising a solid conically-shaped body with at least one helical groove disposed therein;
- the distal end of the drive cable being non-rotatably connected to the head;
- whereby rotation of the cable drive rotates the head which turns against and is axially displaced along the distal end of the catheter tube.
A combination for treating arterial plaque comprising:
- a hollow catheter tube comprising a distal end;
- a drive cable rotatably passing through the hollow of the catheter tube, the drive cable comprising a distal end;
- a dottering plaque-treating head comprising an eccentrically weighted portion, a proximal part of the head being journalled directly at the distal end of the catheter tube;
- the distal end of the drive cable being non-rotatably connected to the dottering head;
- whereby rotation of the cable drive rotates and vibrates the head against plaque while the proximal part of the head turns along the distal end of the catheter tube.
An augering tip which is used in conjunction with a catheter and a drive cable to clear a pathway in a severely to completely obstructed artery initially impassible by other atherectomy devices, said augering tip comprising:
- a connector for connecting to the drive cable;
- a cutter for excising matter from the inside of an artery comprising a cutting edge having a cutting radius which is greater than the transverse diameter of other portions of the tip and the associated catheter.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.