Catheter-based apparatuses and methods
Inventors
Lees, Brad • Goslau, J. Eric • HANDLEY, Michael K. • Berhow, Steven Wayne • Wahnschaffe, Douglas Scott • Houge, Reed Allan
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-9888994-B2
Publication Date
2018-02-13
Expiration Date
Abstract
Blood flow into vascular tissue is filtered in a manner that can also be useful for trapping particulates while allowing the flow of blood. Consistent with one or more embodiments, a filter apparatus includes a filter, an outer delivery sheath such as a catheter, and one or more shafts that are operable to manipulate the shape of the filter for positioning within vascular tissue. The filter conforms to various types of vascular tissue, and filters blood flow passing through openings in the vascular tissue. In some implementations, the filter is used to trap particulates that have been collected on the filter, and collapses to trap and draw the particulates into the outer delivery sheath.
Core Innovation
The disclosed catheter-based apparatus filters blood flow from the upper aortic arch of human vascular tissue. It uses an outer catheter having a distal end configured for insertion into the upper aortic arch and a movable filter structure supported by a nested first shaft and second shaft.
The filter includes a mesh sheet configured to pass human red blood cells while mitigating the passage of particles having a dimension larger than the human red blood cells, with a perimeter structure forming a boundary of opposing surfaces of the mesh sheet. A nested actuation arrangement expands and collapses the mesh sheet by relative movement of the first and second shafts, and in an expanded first state the perimeter structure is pressed against a sidewall of the vascular tissue so that the filter covers an opening in the sidewall.
In a collapsed second state, the second shaft is extended from a first position to a second position to collapse the mesh sheet and trap particles on the filter. The trapped particles are retained within the filter in the second state, and the apparatus is configured to facilitate retraction of the filter with the trapped particles into the outer catheter.
The document further describes conforming the filter to an inner sidewall extending along a length of the vascular tissue, including an aortic arch inner sidewall with at least one connected artery, and optional functional features including an anti-coagulant to reduce red blood cell collection and an attractant to promote coupling with particles.
Claims Coverage
The partial content provides two independent claims: a catheter-based apparatus claim and a method claim. Across these independent claims, the core inventive structure is the nested first and second shaft mechanism that expands the perimeter-framed mesh filter into a sidewall-conforming deployed state and then collapses and retracts the filter while trapping larger particles and facilitating blood-flow filtering of red blood cells.
Nested catheter shafts expand and collapse a perimeter mesh filter
An outer catheter extending from a proximal end to a distal end for insertion into the upper aortic arch, a first shaft within the outer catheter configured to move, and a second shaft extending through the first shaft and outer catheter configured to move, wherein the first and second shafts are configured to expand the mesh sheet to a first state and to collapse the mesh sheet to a second state.
Perimeter structure conforms to sidewall opening and covers the opening
A filter having a perimeter structure forming a boundary of first and second opposing surfaces of the mesh sheet, wherein the perimeter structure is configured and arranged to conform the mesh sheet to a sidewall of the vascular tissue and cover an opening therein by being pressed against the sidewall and around the opening.
Red blood cell passage with mitigation of larger particles
A mesh sheet configured and arranged to pass human red blood cells and to mitigate the passage of particles having a dimension larger than the human red blood cells, with red blood cells passing through the opening in the sidewall while mitigating larger particles through the opening.
Collapsed state traps particles and facilitates retraction into the outer catheter
The filter configured and arranged with the first and second shafts to collapse the mesh sheet to a second state trapping particles on the filter therein, and to facilitate retraction of the filter with the trapped particles into the outer catheter in the second state.
Relative shaft manipulation deploys, conforms, collapses, and retracts the filter
Deploying a distal end of an outer catheter into vascular tissue; manipulating first and second shafts relative to one another to expand the filter to a first state by positioning a portion of the second shaft in a first position relative to the first shaft and conforming the filter to an inner sidewall around an opening; manipulating the first and second shafts relative to one another to collapse the filter to a second state by extending the second shaft; and in the second state moving the first shaft relative to the outer catheter to retract the filter into the outer catheter.
The independent claim set centers on nested movable first and second shafts coupled to a perimeter structure supporting a mesh sheet, expansion into a deployed state that conforms the filter perimeter to a vascular sidewall and covers an opening to pass human red blood cells while mitigating larger particles, and collapse into a state that traps particles and enables retraction of the trapped material into the outer catheter.
Stated Advantages
Passage of human red blood cells while mitigating passage of particles having a dimension larger than the human red blood cells.
Conformance of the mesh sheet to a sidewall of vascular tissue and covering of an opening by the perimeter structure pressed against the sidewall and around the opening.
Trapping of particles on the filter in a collapsed second state.
Facilitation of retraction of the filter with trapped particles into the outer catheter in the second state.
Documented Applications
Filtering blood flow from the upper aortic arch of human vascular tissue, including deploying into the aortic arch inner sidewall to cover arterial openings/branches (e.g., to provide coverage for at least one artery).
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