Systems and methods for improved delivery of expandable catheter assemblies into body lumens

Inventors

WAHR, Dennis • Wales, Larry • Mertens, Steven P.

Assignees

Nuvaira Inc

Abstract

A pulmonary treatment catheter and handle system including a catheter assembly with insertion tube coupled to a handle assembly. The system is further removably coupleable to a delivery device, such as a flexible bronchoscope or endoscope, having a port for coupling the handle assembly thereto, and a working channel in communication with the port for delivering the catheter assembly through the delivery device and into a body lumen. Optionally, a port channel of the port can be collinear with the working channel of the delivery device. The catheter assembly, handle assembly, and delivery device cooperate together to facilitate delivery and positioning of a catheter electrode in a treatment site, such as an airway, conduit, or vessel for treatment of the tissue, while minimizing damage to portions of the catheter assembly, the delivery device, or both.

Core Innovation

The invention is a pulmonary targeted lung denervation catheter-and-handle system for loading an expandable ablation electrode assembly through a bronchoscope/endoscope. It provides a catheter assembly that includes an elongate shaft with a positioning handle assembly and an ablation assembly configured to be positioned within an airway to deliver energy to target tissue. The ablation assembly includes an expandable member movable between a retracted configuration and an expanded configuration and an energy emitter coupled to the expandable member for positioning proximate the target tissue when expanded.

A substantially smooth insertion tube is slidably positioned over the elongate shaft and is configured and dimensioned to move between a first position and a second position. In the first position, the ablation assembly in the retracted configuration is compacted within the insertion tube. In the second position, the ablation assembly extends outside of the insertion tube and the insertion tube is nested entirely within the handle assembly, while a controller delivers energy from an energy source to the energy emitter.

The loading interface is defined by coupling the insertion tube with an insertion port of a delivery device that communicates with a working channel. The document emphasizes minimizing drag/resistance and minimizing damage by using collinear or pivotable alignment of the delivery-device port and the working channel, including collinear port/channel and working-channel alignment. Optional insertion-tube geometries include constant or tapered diameters and a flared leading end, and the working channel includes linear and non-linear portions to define an insertion extent relationship while the insertion tube is fixed to the insertion port.

Claims Coverage

The document provides coverage for an airway ablation system and a corresponding method. Across the independent claims, the key inventive features are the expandable ablation assembly with energy emitter, the substantially smooth insertion tube that compacts and nests within the handle assembly, and delivery through a delivery device working channel while the insertion tube remains fixed to the insertion port.

Overall claim coverage centers on an airway ablation catheter system where an expandable member with an energy emitter is handled in a retracted configuration by a substantially smooth insertion tube that compacts and then nests entirely within a handle assembly, and where the ablation assembly and shaft are advanced through a delivery-device working channel while the insertion tube remains fixed to the insertion port and remains nested in the handle assembly.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications