Catheter-based apparatuses and methods
Inventors
Zandi, Abdolrahim • Fariabi, Sepehr • Goslau, J. Eric • Nevrla, David S. • Lees, Brad
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-10987118-B2
Publication Date
2021-04-27
Expiration Date
Abstract
As may be implemented with various aspects of the present disclosure, a mesh structure is coupled to inner and outer frames that operate with struts to apply pressure to the mesh. Such an approach may involve sealing the mesh around an opening, such as around one or more artery openings along an interior wall of vascular tissue (e.g., in an aortic arch). Accordingly, blood flow can be filtered in a manner that is useful for capturing particulates such as those resulting from surgical operations. In various implementations, the mesh, struts and frames are deployed using a catheter and shaft coupled to the frames. Such an approach can be implemented to apply a spring force from the shaft and through the frames for sealing the mesh.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to a catheter-based embolic particle filtering system that uses an expandable/collapsible mesh filter component. The system includes a filter membrane with opposing surfaces and a structural arrangement that expands the membrane when deployed and then collapses and retracts the captured debris into the catheter.
The filter membrane is supported and pressed by an inner frame and an outer frame that are interconnected by a plurality of struts. The struts apply a force from the outer frame onto the inner frame, so that the filter membrane is sealed against an interior wall of a vessel around an opening.
Deployment and sealing are produced by extending the shaft out of the distal end of the catheter so that mechanical spring force expands the perimeter frame into an oblong shape. In configurations using arced wires, the spring force drives expansion of the perimeter frame and forces the filter membrane and perimeter frame into contact with an arched region of the aortic arch.
Claims Coverage
The independent claims cover apparatus and methods for deploying and retracting a catheter-connected expandable filter component, with four independent claims centered on a perimeter frame and strut- or arced-wire-driven spring force that expand and seal a filter membrane around vessel openings, including in an aortic arch.
Catheter-connected retractable filter component with inner and outer frames and struts
A catheter, a shaft movable within the catheter, and a filter component connected to the shaft and arranged to retract within the distal end, where the filter component includes a filter membrane with opposing surfaces, an inner frame coupled to the filter membrane, an outer frame around the inner frame, and a plurality of struts configured to apply a force from the outer frame onto the inner frame.
Spring-force expandable perimeter frame sealing an oblong filter membrane
A catheter with a shaft, a perimeter frame, a filter membrane coupled to the perimeter frame, and a proximal end structure connected to the shaft and the perimeter frame, configured to apply a spring force to the perimeter frame when the shaft extends the proximal end structure out of the distal end, where arced wires expand the perimeter frame in an oblong shape and seal the filter membrane to a vessel wall.
Aortic-arch sealing by deploying and expanding arced wires with spring force
Inserting a catheter into a vessel, deploying the filter membrane by extending the shaft out of the distal end, and sealing the filter membrane around an opening in an interior sidewall of an aortic arch by generating a spring force in the proximal end structure to expand the arced wires and force the filter membrane and perimeter frame into contact with an arched region.
Force-applied sealing via struts between outer and inner frames during retraction-capable deployment
Inserting a catheter into a vessel, moving the shaft to extend the filter component out of the distal end, and applying a force from the outer frame onto the inner frame via the struts to seal a portion of the filter membrane to an inner sidewall of the vessel and around an opening.
Across the independent claims, the core inventive coverage is directed to catheter-based deployment of a filter membrane expandably supported by a perimeter frame, with spring force generated through either paired arced wires or an inner/outer frame arrangement connected by struts to press the filter membrane against the interior vessel wall around openings.
Stated Advantages
Sealing the filter membrane around an opening in the interior sidewall of an aortic arch by forcing contact with an arched region using spring force.
Filtering blood flow by capturing particulates/micro-emboli with an expandable/collapsible mesh filter component that retracts captured debris into the catheter.
Conforming to variable aortic-arch geometry and maintaining seal under cyclic/pulsing blood pressure.
Documented Applications
Filtering blood flow in an aortic arch around arterial openings by sealing a filter membrane to the interior vessel wall and capturing particulates/micro-emboli.
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