Endarterectomy loop
OwnerWilliam W. Harkrider, Jr.inventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An endarterectomy instrument and method for the treatment of alterosclerosis including a loop and a handle formed from a single strand of wire, the wire of the handle being twisted together to increase the rigidity thereof, but being sufficiently flexible to avoid perforation of the outer layer of the vessel. The angle and shape of the loop may be varied to fit the vessel. In some embodiments, the loop may be compressible to facilitate insertion through a small diameter lumen of a catheter.
Claims19
An instrument for treating a blood vessel comprising:
- a single strand of solid material generally circular in cross-section, said material being formed into a single generally circular loop sufficiently flexible for insertion into a blood vessel to separate the intima from the outer layer of the vessel;
- and
- an elongated handle attached at the distal end to said wire loop at a predetermined angle less than 90.degree.,
- said handle being sufficiently rigid to push said loop along the interior of the vessel to effect separation of the intima and any associated plaque from the outer layer of the vessel and being sufficiently flexible to bend when said loop encounters resistance to passage through the vessel to thereby reduce the likelihood of perforation of the outer layer of the vessel.
A method of removing the intima and any associated plaque from a blood vessel comprising the steps of:
- (a) making an incision in a blood vessel;
- (b) inserting a single loop formed from a single strand of material of generally circular cross-section into the vessel, and selectively varying the orientation of the loop relative to the axis of the vessel to position the loop between the intima and the outer wall of the blood vessel;
- (c) moving the loop through the vessel to thereby separate the intima and associated plaque from the outer wall without using a cutting edge;
- (d) rotating the loop to sever the separated intima and any associated plaque from the intima attached to the outer wall;
- (d) withdrawing the loop and the separated intima for the vessel through the incision.
A method of removing the intima and associated plaque from a blood vessel comprising the steps of:
- (a) making an incision in a blood vessel;
- (b) inserting a multilumen catheter into the incision;
- (c) inserting a single compressible loop formed from a single strand of material of generally circular cross-section through a lumen of the catheter into the vessel to position the loop between the intima and the outer wall of the blood vessel, the diameter of the uncompressed loop being about ten percent greater than the diameter of the lumen through which inserted;
- (d) moving the loop through the vessel to thereby separate the intima and any associated plaque from the outer wall over the distance through which moved without using a cutting edge;
- (e) rotating the loop to sever the separated intima and associated plaque from the intima attached to the outer wall;
- (f) withdrawing the loop and the separated intima and associated plaque for the vessel through the lumen of the catheter.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.