Methods and systems for treating hydrocephalus

Inventors

HEILMAN, Carl • Malek, Adel M. • Rezac, David A. • Sattell, Jack B. • Bonin, Alexander

Assignees

Cerevasc Inc

Abstract

An endovascular shunt implantation system includes a guide member configured for being deployed in an inferior petrosal sinus, and a delivery catheter movably coupled to the guide member, wherein a distal end of the delivery catheter includes a tissue penetrating element. A guard is disposed over the tissue penetrating element, the guard having an open distal end portion including an inner surface feature configured to deflect the tissue penetrating element away from the guide member when the tissue penetrating element is translated distally relative to the guard. A shunt delivery shuttle is positioned within, and is movable relative to, the delivery catheter, the shunt delivery shuttle having a distal portion configured to collapse around an elongate shunt body to thereby transport the shunt body through the delivery catheter, wherein the distal portion self-expands to release the shunt body when the distal shuttle portion is advanced out of the delivery catheter.

Core Innovation

The invention provides an endovascular shunt implantation system that includes a guide member having a distal portion configured for being deployed in an inferior petrosal sinus (IPS) of a patient. A delivery catheter is movably coupled to the guide member so that the delivery catheter is translatable relative to the distal portion within the IPS, and the distal end of the delivery catheter comprises a tissue penetrating element. The delivery catheter includes a lumen in communication with an opening in the tissue penetrating element, establishing an internal pathway aligned with the tissue penetrating element opening.

To address unintended tissue penetration during positioning and penetration, a guard member is disposed over, and movable relative to, the tissue penetrating element. The guard member has an open distal end portion configured to allow passage of the tissue penetrating element therethrough, and includes an inner surface feature configured to deflect the tissue penetrating element away from the guide member when the delivery catheter is translated distally relative to the guard or when the guard is withdrawn proximally relative to the tissue penetrating element.

The system further includes a shunt delivery shuttle at least partially positioned within a lumen of, and movable relative to, the delivery catheter. The shunt delivery shuttle comprises an elongate proximal pusher coupled to a distal shuttle portion configured to collapse around an elongate shunt body to transport the shunt body through the delivery catheter lumen, and the distal shuttle portion self-expands to release the shunt body when advanced out of the delivery catheter lumen through the opening of the tissue penetrating element.

Claims Coverage

The partial content includes three independent claims. The claims focus on IPS-deployable guidance, a translatable delivery catheter with a tissue penetrating element and a lumen/opening relationship, a movable guard with an inner surface feature that deflects the tissue penetrating element, and a shunt delivery shuttle that collapses and then self-expands to release the shunt through the tissue-penetrating opening.

Taken together, the independent claim set covers an IPS-deployed guide member with a translatable delivery catheter carrying a tissue penetrating element, coordinated with a movable guard that deflects the tissue penetrating element via an inner surface feature. The claims also cover a shunt delivery shuttle that collapses around the shunt body for transport through the delivery catheter lumen and then self-expands to release the shunt after the shuttle advances out of the catheter lumen through the tissue-penetrating element opening, including the refinement that the elongate proximal pusher includes a lumen.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications