Devices for clearing blockages in artificial and natural lumens
Inventors
Bagwell, Roger B • Clement, Ryan S • Erdley, Katherine M • Mulvihill, Maureen L • Scruggs, Casey A • Dillon, Douglas R • Higgins, Timothy J
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-10307340-B2
Publication Date
2019-06-04
Expiration Date
Abstract
An occlusion clearing device for a patient has a housing with a motor(s) that generates repetitive motion, which is reciprocating, rotational or both. A clearing stem including a sheath that has a lumen, wherein aspiration is conducted through the sheath lumen. A wire is located in the sheath lumen and receives repetitive motion from the controller. The sheath terminates in a sheath end having at least one sheath opening. The wire terminates in a wire tip, which may be flat, helical, or tubular. The wire tip is positioned within the sheath end, in proximity to the sheath opening(s), and movement of the wire tip and/or sheath end relative to each other creates shearing forces that break up an adjacent occlusion.
Core Innovation
The invention provides an occlusion clearing device for in-situ mechanical breakup of an occlusion in an artificial or natural lumen. A sheath has a distal end and a proximal end with a lumen extending between the ends, and a sheath end attached to the distal end having at least one sheath opening and a sheath end lumen extending from the sheath opening to the sheath lumen. A wire positioned in the sheath lumen includes a wire tip attached to the distal end of the wire and positioned within the sheath end.
At least one motor generates repetitive motion including reciprocating motion in a longitudinal direction and rotational motion about an axis. The proximal end of at least one of the sheath and the wire is in mechanical communication with the motor and receives the repetitive motion, and the sheath end and the wire tip collectively create shearing force during the repetitive motion to break up an occlusion. The disclosure also describes luminal aspiration, irrigation and aspiration through aspiration/irrigation ports, lumens, chambers, or other fluid pathways, and embodiments with different mechanical tube clearers.
The device further includes a housing with a receiver housing including a receiver and a drive housing including the motor and a connector. The receiver housing and the drive housing are selectively attached in mechanical communication to transmit the repetitive motion from the motor to at least one of the sheath and the wire. Safety and structural features are also described, including limits on wire protrusion or travel, depth-control collars, torque limiting, and sealed connectors.
Claims Coverage
The independent claim set covers an occlusion clearing device that uses sheath-end and wire-tip shearing force driven by motor-generated repetitive motion. The main inventive features are the sheath opening and sheath end lumen, the wire tip positioned within the sheath end, and selective mechanical communication through a receiver housing and drive housing. Dependent claims add motion architectures, wire-tip geometries, fluid communication structures, and limiting restricting members.
Sheath with distal lumen and sheath-end opening
A sheath has a distal end and a proximal end with a lumen extending between the ends, and a sheath end attached to the distal end having at least one sheath opening and a sheath end lumen extending from the sheath opening to the sheath lumen.
Wire tip positioned within sheath end
A wire is positioned in the sheath lumen, and a wire tip attached to the distal end of the wire is positioned within the sheath end.
Motor-generated repetitive motion producing shearing force
At least one motor generates repetitive motion including reciprocating motion in a longitudinal direction and rotational motion about an axis, where the sheath end and the wire tip collectively create shearing force during the repetitive motion to break up an occlusion.
Housing with selective receiver and drive housing in mechanical communication
A housing includes a receiver housing including a receiver and a drive housing including the at least one motor and a connector, wherein the receiver housing and the drive housing are selectively attached in mechanical communication of the repetitive motion from the at least one motor to at least one of the sheath and the wire.
Two-motor architecture assigning motion to wire vs sheath
The occlusion clearing device includes first and second motors generating repetitive motion, where the wire receives motion from the first motor and the sheath receives motion from the second motor.
Wire-tip selectable geometry for shearing
The wire tip has at least one of a flat, helical, or tubular shape.
Tubular wire tip with wire openings partially aligning to sheath openings
The wire tip has a tubular configuration and at least one wire opening that partially aligns with a sheath opening during part of the repetitive motion.
Irrigation and aspiration via port, lumen, and chamber fluid communication
A first port includes a first port lumen and a first chamber connected in fluid communication to at least one of a sheath lumen and a wire lumen to enable irrigation and aspiration.
Restricting member limiting wire tip travel
A limiting restricting member is included in at least one of the sheath end or the wire tip that restricts the wire tip’s movement within the sheath end beyond a defined point.
Overall, the claim set centers on a sheath-end opening and an internal wire tip positioned in the sheath end to create shearing force driven by motor-generated reciprocating and/or rotational repetitive motion, with mechanical transmission via selectively attached receiver and drive housing. Refinements include two motors, wire-tip geometry, alignment relationships between wire and sheath openings, irrigation/aspiration fluid communication paths, and limiting members that restrict wire-tip travel.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
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