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
Interested in licensing this patent?
MTEC can help explore whether this patent might be available for licensing for your application.
Publication Number
US-11890259-B2
Publication Date
2024-02-06
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 relates to a device for clearing a lumen having an occlusion therein. The device includes a housing with at least one motor configured to selectively generate repetitive motion, including at least one of reciprocating motion in a longitudinal direction and rotational motion about an axis. A clearing stem is dimensioned to be slidably received within the lumen and includes a sheath and a wire.
The sheath has a distal end sized for insertion in the lumen such that the occlusion is exterior to the sheath. The distal end of the sheath has at least one sheath opening positionable adjacent to the occlusion and has a caged configuration with a plurality of support arms joining at a bearing tip at a terminal end of the sheath, where pairs of support arms define a sheath opening therebetween. The sheath further includes a sheath lumen extending from a proximal end connected to the housing to the distal end.
A wire is slidably received within the sheath lumen and has a distal end with a wire tip configured to be positioned within the distal end of the sheath at the sheath opening, while a proximal end is affixed in mechanical communication to the motor to transmit the repetitive motion to the wire tip. The repetitive motion of the wire tip relative to the sheath opening collectively creates a shearing force at an interface between the wire tip and the sheath opening to break up the occlusion in the lumen adjacent to the sheath opening.
Claims Coverage
The claims coverage identifies 4 inventive features centered on a motor-driven clearing stem that creates shearing forces at a wire-tip/sheath-opening interface using repetitive motion.
Motor-generated repetitive motion for occlusion clearing
A housing containing at least one motor configured to selectively generate repetitive motion including at least one of reciprocating motion in a longitudinal direction and rotational motion about an axis.
Caged sheath opening adjacent the occlusion
A sheath having a distal end sized for insertion in the lumen such that the occlusion is exterior to the sheath, wherein the distal end has at least one sheath opening positionable adjacent to the occlusion and the distal end has a caged configuration with a plurality of support arms joining at a bearing tip at a terminal end of the sheath, with pairs of the support arms defining a sheath opening therebetween.
Wire tip positioned within the sheath opening and driven by the motor
A wire slidably received within the sheath lumen, the wire having a distal end and a wire tip at the distal end configured to be positioned within the distal end of the sheath at the sheath opening, with a proximal end affixed in mechanical communication to the at least one motor transmitting the repetitive motion to the wire tip.
Shearing force at the wire-tip and sheath-opening interface to break up the occlusion
Repetitive motion of the wire tip relative to the sheath opening collectively creating a shearing force at an interface between the wire tip and the sheath opening to break up the occlusion in the lumen adjacent to the sheath opening.
Across the independent claim, occlusion clearing is achieved by generating repetitive motion via a motor to drive a wire tip relative to a caged sheath opening, where the resulting interface shearing force breaks up the occlusion adjacent the sheath opening.
Stated Advantages
Documented Applications
Clearing an occluded lumen having an occlusion therein, with insertion into artificial and natural lumens.
Use in lumens such as feeding tubes and in a GI tract, as well as in blood vessels.
Interested in licensing this patent?