Endovascular electrolytically detachable wire and tip for the formation of thrombus in arteries, veins, aneurysms, vascular malformations and arteriovenous fistulas

An apparatus for forming an occlusion in a body cavity comprising:

• a microcatheter having a distal electrode;
• a wire having a distal tip;
• a distal tip electrode on said wire, said distal tip of said wire for substantially space filling said cavity to form said occlusion about said distal tip by application of a current between said distal tip electrode on said wire and said distal electrode on said microcatheter;
• and
• a nonthermal detachment coupling between said distal tip of said wire and a remaining portion of said wire, wherein nonthermal detachment is defined as a detachment without substantially increasing the temperature of said detachment coupling,
• whereby said cavity is occluded by said distal tip and a thrombus formed thereby.

An apparatus for forming an occlusion within a body cavity having fluid disposed therein comprising:

• a catheter having a distal end for disposition in proximity to said cavity and having an electrode disposed thereon;
• a conductive wire disposed in said catheter and longitudinally displaceable therein, said wire comprising:
• a core wire having a distal portion;
• and
• an elongate tip portion extending from said core wire for a predetermined lineal extent and adapted to being packed into said cavity and coupled to said distal portion of said core wire, said occlusion being formed by means of application of a current between said elongate tip portion and said electrode on said catheter when said elongate tip portion is disposed in said cavity, said elongate tip portion being a relaxed coil having no substantial memory of its predisposed shape other than at most a relaxed simple helical shape,
• whereby occlusion of said cavity is performed.

An apparatus adapted to form an occlusion within a body cavity used in combination with a catheter comprising:

• a wire;
• a detachable elongate distal tip portion coupled to and extending from said wire for a predetermined lineal extent, said detachable elongate distal tip portion being adapted to being packed into said body cavity to form said occlusion in said body cavity, said elongate distal tip portion including a first flexible, shapeless segment having substantially no memory of its predisposition shape other than at most a relaxed, simple helical shape for disposition into said cavity and a second segment for coupling said first segment to said wire, said second segment being adapted to be electrolyzed upon application of current;
• and
• an insulating coating disposed on said first segment, said second segment being left exposed to permit selective electrolysis thereof,
• whereby occlusion of said body cavity is achieved.

A method for forming an occlusion within a body cavity having fluid disposed therein comprising the steps of:

• disposing a relaxed wire into said body cavity, said relaxed wire having no substantial memory of its predisposed shape other than at most a relaxed, simple helical shape;
• disposing a separable distal tip of said relaxed wire to substantially space occupy said body cavity to mechanically form said occlusion within said body cavity about said separable distal tip;
• and
• nonthermally detaching said separable distal tip from said wire without necessarily displacing said distal tip from said wire in order to detach said distal tip from said wire, wherein nonthermal detachment is defined as a detachment without substantially increasing the temperature of a coupling between said distal tip and wire,
• whereby said body cavity is occluded by said distal tip, and a thrombus formed by use of said tip.

A method for forming an occlusion in a body cavity comprising:

• disposing a microcatheter having a distal electrode near an opening into said body cavity;
• disposing a wire having a distal tip electrode into said body cavity to substantially fill said cavity to form said occlusion about said distal tip electrode by application of a current between said distal tip electrode on said wire and said distal electrode on said microcatheter;
• and
• nonthermally detaching a distal tip of said wire from a remaining portion of said wire, wherein said distal tip is coupled to said remaining portion by a detachment coupling and wherein nonthermal detachment is defined as a detachment without substantially increasing the temperature of said detachment coupling,
• whereby said cavity is occluded by said distal tip and a thrombus formed thereby.

A method of forming an occlusion within a body cavity used in combination with a wire comprising the step of:

• packing at least one detachable elongate distal tip portion coupled to and extending from said wire for a predetermined lineal extent into said body cavity to form said occlusion in said body cavity, said elongate distal tip portion being a relaxed coil capable of being multiply folded upon itself;
• and
• detaching said elongate distal tip portion from said wire,
• whereby occlusion of said body cavity is achieved.

A method for forming an occlusion within a body cavity having fluid disposed therein comprising the steps of:

• disposing a catheter having an electrode disposed thereon and having a distal end in proximity to said cavity;
• disposing a conductive wire in said catheter and longitudinally displaceable therein, said wire comprising a core wire having a distal portion;
• and an elongate tip portion extending from said core wire for a predetermined lineal extent and coupled to said distal portion of said core wire;
• packing said elongate tip portion into said cavity;
• forming said occlusion by means of application of a current between said elongate tip portion and said electrode on said catheter when said elongate tip portion is disposed in said cavity, said elongate tip portion being a relaxed coil having no substantial memory of its predisposed shape other than at most a relaxed simple helical shape,
• whereby occlusion of said cavity is performed.

A method for forming an occlusion within a body cavity in combination with a catheter comprising:

• packing a detachable elongate distal tip portion coupled to and extending from a wire into said body cavity to form said occlusion in said body cavity, said elongate distal tip portion including a first flexible, shapeless segment having substantially no memory of its predisposition shape other than at most a relaxed, simple helical shape for disposition into said cavity and a second segment for coupling said first segment to said wire;
• and
• electrolytically disconnecting said second segment from said wire upon application of current to said second segment, an insulating coating disposed on said first segment, said second segment being left exposed to permit selective electrolysis thereof,
• whereby occlusion of said body cavity is achieved.

A method for forming an occlusion within a body cavity having fluid disposed therein comprising:

• disposing a wire near an opening into said body cavity;
• disposing a distal tip coupled to said wire into said body cavity to substantially occupy said body cavity to form said occlusion within said body cavity about said distal tip;
• forming an electrothrombosis in said body cavity about said distal tip being by applying electrical current said distal tip;
• and
• mechanically detaching said distal tip from said wire to leave said distal tip within said body cavity,
• whereby said body cavity is occluded by said distal tip, and any thrombus formed by use of said distal tip.