US 6,530,935 B2 · Clot capture coil and method of using the same

Abstract

A clot and foreign body removal device is described which comprises a catheter with at least one lumen. Located within the catheter is a clot capture coil that is connected to an insertion mandrel. In one embodiment, the clot capture coil is made out of a solid elastic or superelastic material which has shape memory, preferably nitinol. The elasticity or superelasticity of the coil allows it to be deformed within the catheter and to then reform its original coil configuration when the coil is moved outside of the catheter lumen. In another embodiment the coil is a biphasic coil which changes shape upon heating or passing an electric current. Once the coil configuration has been established, the coil can be used to ensnare and corkscrew a clot in a vessel. A clot is extracted from the vessel by moving the clot capture coil and catheter proximally until the clot can be removed or released into a different vessel that does not perfuse a critical organ. Foreign bodies are similarly captured by deploying the coil distal to the foreign body and moving the clot capture coil proximally until the foreign body is trapped within the coil. By removing the device from the body, the foreign material is also removed.

Claims92

Dependent claims

A clot capture coil device comprising:

(a) a catheter having proximal and distal ends and two lumens extending therethrough;
(b) two corresponding insertion mandrels, each having proximal and distal ends, wherein the distal end of each mandrel is slidable within its corresponding lumen of the catheter;
and
(c) only a single coil formed of a coiled or double helix-shaped strand of solid shape memory material, said coil having proximal and distal ends, expanded and compressed forms, and a varying diameter along its length when in expanded form, wherein each end of the coil is connected to a different mandrel, said coil being slidably contained within the lumen of the catheter when in compressed form;
whereby distal movement of the mandrel relative to the catheter results in distal movement of the coil relative to the catheter, releases the coil from the lumen and allows the coil to expand into its expanded form, and whereby proximal movement of the mandrel relative to the catheter results in proximal movement of the coil relative to the catheter, and forces the coil into its compressed form within the lumen of the catheter.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Clot capture coil and method of using the same

Life of this patent

Clot capture coil and method of using the same

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims92