Rotational atherectomy device with exchangeable drive shaft cartridge

A rotational atherectomy device comprising:

• a handle housing;
• an exchangeable drive shaft cartridge including
• a cartridge housing which is removably attachable to the handle housing;
• an elongated catheter having a proximal end portion which is carried by the cartridge housing;
• and
• a rotatable flexible drive shaft substantially disposed within the catheter,
• the drive shaft having a tissue removal implement disposed near its distal end;
• a two stage interlock mechanism removably attaching the cartridge housing to the handle housing;
• a rotatable prime mover carried by a prime mover carriage which is disposed within the handle housing, the prime mover carriage being longitudinally movable with respect to the handle housing;
• and
• a drive shaft attachment mechanism removably attaching the drive shaft to the prime mover;
• whereby the cartridge housing may be attached to and detached from the handle housing and the drive shaft may be attached to and detached from the prime mover, thereby permitting the exchangeable drive shaft cartridge to be selectively attached to and detached from the handle housing.

A rotational atherectomy device comprising:

• a handle housing;
• a rotatable prime mover carried by a prime mover carriage which is disposed within the handle housing, the prime mover carriage being longitudinally movable with respect to the handle housing;
• an exchangeable drive shaft cartridge having
• a cartridge housing which is removably attachable to the handle housing;
• a longitudinally extendable tube having a distal end portion carried by the cartridge housing and a proximal end portion which is removably attachable to the prime mover carriage for longitudinal movement therewith;
• an elongated catheter having a proximal end portion which is carried by the cartridge housing;
• and
• a rotatable flexible drive shaft having proximal, intermediate and distal portions, the intermediate portion being disposed primarily within the longitudinally extendable tube and the catheter, and the distal portion extending distally from the catheter and having a tissue removal implement;
• and
• a drive shaft attachment mechanism removably attaching the proximal portion of the drive shaft to the prime mover.

A method of attaching an exchangeable drive shaft cartridge, having a tissue removal implement, to a handle housing portion of a rotational atherectomy device, comprising the steps of:

• providing a handle housing having a rotatable prime mover carried by a prime mover carriage, the prime mover carriage being longitudinally movable with respect to the handle housing and having a distally facing prime mover socket;
• providing an exchangeable drive shaft cartridge including
• a cartridge housing which is removably attachable to the handle housing;
• a longitudinally extendable tube having a distal end portion carried by the cartridge housing and a proximal end portion which is removably attachable to the prime mover carriage for longitudinal movement therewith;
• and
• a rotatable flexible drive shaft having proximal and distal portions, the proximal portion being attached to an elongated shank removably attachable to the prime mover socket, the distal portion of the flexible drive shaft having a tissue removal implement;
• attaching the cartridge housing to the handle housing by moving the cartridge housing proximally with respect to the handle housing;
• and
• connecting the longitudinally extendable tube to the prime mover carriage and inserting the shank into the prime mover socket by moving the prime mover carriage distally with respect to the longitudinally extendable tube and the shank.

A method of detaching an exchangeable drive shaft cartridge, having a tissue removal implement, from a rotational atherectomy device, comprising the steps of:

• providing a handle housing having a rotatable prime mover carried by a prime mover carriage, the prime mover carriage being longitudinally movable with respect to the handle housing and having a distally facing prime mover socket;
• providing an exchangeable drive shaft cartridge including
• a cartridge housing which is removably attachable to the handle housing;
• a longitudinally extendable tube having a distal end portion carried by the cartridge housing and a proximal end portion which is removably attachable to the prime mover carriage for longitudinal movement therewith;
• and
• a rotatable flexible drive shaft having proximal and distal portions, the proximal portion being attached to an elongated shank removably attachable to the prime mover socket, the distal portion of the flexible drive shaft having a tissue removal implement;
• at least partially detaching the cartridge housing from the handle housing by moving the cartridge housing distally with respect to the handle housing;
• and
• disconnecting the longitudinally extendable tube from the prime mover carriage and detaching the shank from the prime mover socket by moving the prime mover carriage proximally with respect to the longitudinally extendable tube and the shank.

A method of detaching one exchangeable drive shaft cartridge, having a tissue removal implement, from a rotational atherectomy device and replacing it with another exchangeable drive shaft cartridge, having another tissue removal implement, comprising the steps of:

• providing a handle housing having a rotatable prime mover carried by a prime mover carriage, the prime mover carriage being longitudinally movable with respect to the handle housing and having a distally facing prime mover socket;
• providing a first exchangeable drive shaft cartridge including
• a cartridge housing which is removably attachable to the handle housing;
• a longitudinally extendable tube having a distal end portion carried by the cartridge housing and a proximal end portion which is removably attachable to the prime mover carriage for longitudinal movement therewith;
• and
• a rotatable flexible drive shaft having proximal and distal portions, the proximal portion being attached to an elongated shank removably attachable to the prime mover socket, the distal portion of the flexible drive shaft having a tissue removal implement;
• at least partially detaching the cartridge housing from the handle housing by moving the cartridge housing distally with respect to the handle housing;
• and
• disconnecting the longitudinally extendable tube from the prime mover carriage and detaching the shank from the prime mover socket by moving the prime mover carriage proximally with respect to the longitudinally extendable tube and the shank;
• providing a second exchangeable drive shaft cartridge including
• a second cartridge housing which is removably attachable to the handle housing;
• a second longitudinally extendable tube having a distal end portion carried by the second cartridge housing and a proximal end portion which is removably attachable to the prime mover carriage for longitudinal movement therewith;
• and
• a second rotatable flexible drive shaft having proximal and distal portions, the proximal portion being attached to a second elongated shank removably attachable to the prime mover socket, the distal portion of the second flexible drive shaft having a second tissue removal implement;
• attaching the second cartridge housing to the handle housing by moving the cartridge housing proximally with respect to the handle housing;
• and
• connecting the second longitudinally extendable tube to the prime mover carriage and inserting the second shank into the prime mover socket by moving the prime mover carriage distally with respect to the second longitudinally extendable tube and the second shank.