Interested in licensing this patent?
MTEC can help explore whether this patent might be available for licensing for your application.
Publication Number
US-9451965-B2
Publication Date
2016-09-27
Expiration Date
Abstract
A method for reducing or stopping flow through a tubular structure of a patient can include positioning an elongate member within a lumen of the tubular structure. The elongate member can be arranged to form a frame having a distal opening and a proximal opening. The elongate member can substantially reduce or totally obstruct, with a flow reducing member coupled to the frame, flow of at least one of emboli and fluid flowing through the lumen. The flow reducing member can comprise a one-way valve that moves in response to fluid flow to substantially prevent distal flow through the distal opening and to allow proximal flow through the distal opening.
Core Innovation
An occlusion apparatus and method for reducing or stopping flow through a tubular structure of a patient positions a first elongate member within a lumen to form a first frame having a proximal opening, a distal opening, and a middle portion. The distal portion is tapered such that an outer cross-sectional dimension of the distal opening is less than an outer cross-sectional dimension of the middle portion. The first frame is coupled to a first flow reducing member disposed over an exterior of the frame and over the distal portion, with at least a portion extending from the exterior into an interior through the distal opening to form a flap.
The flap operates as a one-way valve configured to move in response to fluid flow to substantially prevent distal flow through the distal opening while allowing proximal flow through the distal opening. With the first flow reducing member coupled to the first frame, the method substantially reduces or totally obstructs flow of at least one of emboli and fluid flowing through the lumen. The framing geometry with a tapered distal opening and the one-way flap valve cooperate to enable one-way flow while occluding distal flow.
Deployment is performed using catheter-based repositioning and re-deployment across one or more sites. An outer catheter is positioned within the lumen at a first deployment site with an inner catheter disposed within the outer catheter, and the first frame is positioned between the inner catheter and the outer catheter. The first frame is partially deployed by shifting the inner catheter distally to extend the frame beyond a distal opening of the outer catheter, then retracted by shifting the inner catheter proximally, and deployed again at a second deployment site using the same shifting approach.
Claims Coverage
The independent claims cover catheter-based and frame-flap-based flow reduction/occlusion in a patient's tubular lumen using a tapered frame coupled to a one-way valve flap, including optional multi-site deployment and retraction. Across the inventive features below, the core inventive elements number approximately three: the tapered frame geometry with a smaller distal opening, the interior flap one-way valve formed by a flow reducing member, and catheter shifting for deployment and retraction at one or more sites.
Tapered frame coupled to one-way valve flap for occluding distal flow
Positioning a first elongate member to form a first frame with a distal opening and a proximal opening, where the distal portion is tapered so an outer cross-sectional dimension of the distal opening is less than that of the middle portion, and coupling the first frame to a first flow reducing member disposed over an exterior of the first frame and over the distal portion so that at least a portion extends into an interior through the distal opening to form a flap configured to operate as a one-way valve that substantially prevents distal flow and allows proximal flow.
Substantially reducing or totally obstructing flow of emboli and/or fluid using the one-way flap
Substantially reducing or totally obstructing, with the first flow reducing member, flow of at least one of emboli and fluid flowing through the lumen.
Outer/inner catheter shifting for deployment and retraction at multiple deployment sites
Positioning an outer catheter within the lumen at a first deployment site with an inner catheter disposed within the outer catheter, positioning the first elongate member between the inner catheter and the outer catheter, partially deploying by shifting the inner catheter distally so the first frame extends beyond a distal opening of the outer catheter into the first deployment site, retracting by shifting the inner catheter proximally until the frame is retracted into the outer catheter, and deploying at a second deployment site by shifting the inner catheter distally so the first frame extends beyond the distal opening into the second deployment site.
The independent claims collectively require a tapered frame with a smaller distal opening than the middle portion, a flow-reducing member that forms an interior flap one-way valve to substantially prevent distal flow while allowing proximal flow, and a catheter shifting mechanism for deploying and retracting the frame at one or more deployment sites, with flow reduction or total obstruction of emboli and/or fluid as the intended functional result.
Stated Advantages
Substantially reduces or totally obstructs flow of at least one of emboli and fluid through the lumen.
Documented Applications
Endovascular, neural, and peripheral endovascular occlusion.
Temporary lung occlusion.
Reproductive contraception, including female reproductive occlusion and contraception.
Devascularization and aneurysm occlusion.
Interested in licensing this patent?