Surgery – Means for introducing or removing material from body for... – Treating material introduced into or removed from body...
Reexamination Certificate
1997-08-15
2001-03-06
Kennedy, Sharon (Department: 3763)
Surgery
Means for introducing or removing material from body for...
Treating material introduced into or removed from body...
C604S164010
Reexamination Certificate
active
06197003
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a catheter advancing assembly and method for advancing a catheter within a patient. In particular, this invention relates to a catheter advancing assembly for soft passing a catheter within a patient, wherein the catheter advancing assembly is manipulated with a single hand. More particularly, this invention relates to a single-handed catheter advancing assembly and method for soft passing a catheter within the lateral cerebral ventricles of a patient. This invention further relates to a method of making a single-handed catheter advancing assembly.
2. Background of the Related Art
Ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt placement for hydrocephalus is one of the most common procedures in neurological surgery. Hydrocephalus may result from subarachnoid hemorrhage, trauma, tumors, and the like. The technique entails introducing a catheter through brain tissue into one of the lateral ventricles of the brain. Cerebrospinal fluid in the ventricle may be vented through the catheter to relieve signs, symptoms, and sequelae of hydrocephalus.
The current surgical technique for placement of VP shunts was developed in the 1950's and has persisted with few modifications prior to the invention. Despite the relative simplicity of this procedure, the complication rate can be significant and includes operative morbidity as well as post-operative infections and obstructions, etc. Surgical technique plays a major role in reducing complications associated with VP shunts. Improper placement of the ventricular catheter may result in neurologic injury from the misplaced catheter or may cause an early proximal shunt obstruction, which is often secondary to blockage by adherent choroid plexus and other debris. The incidence of misplaced catheters is variable and dependent on a variety of factors, including the experience of the surgeon, the size of the targeted ventricle, the surgical approach, and the use of intraoperative guidance, such as fluoroscopy, ultrasound, or endoscopy. Thus, to optimize shunt function and minimize morbidity, proper placement of the catheter is essential. In this regard, a simple mechanical device, known as the Caroline Guide, which prevents insertion of a ventricular catheter along an incorrect trajectory, is taught by Howard III, et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,569,267, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
The trajectory or path of the catheter in ventricular catheter placement can be considered in two parts: firstly, passage through brain tissue for the catheter tip to gain access to the ventricular cavity; and secondly, advancing the catheter tip further into the fluid-containing cavity. Many surgeons prefer to “soft pass” the distal end of the catheter during the second part of the trajectory, i.e the stylet is removed from the distal end of the catheter as the catheter tip is advanced within the ventricular cavity.
With conventional apparatus and methods for soft passing a ventricular catheter, the surgeon uses one hand to advance the catheter while the other hand is used to hold the end of the stylet. The instant invention provides a catheter advancing assembly, and method, which allows the surgeon to soft pass a ventricular catheter using only one hand, as will be described fully hereinbelow.
The above references are incorporated by reference herein where appropriate for appropriate teachings of additional or alternative details, features and/or technical background.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object, therefore, of the invention is to provide a catheter advancing assembly for single-handed soft passing the distal end of a ventricular catheter within a cerebral ventricle.
Another object of the invention is to provide a catheter advancing assembly which can be readily grasped and manipulated with one hand.
Another object of the invention is to provide a catheter advancing assembly including first and second finger pieces for accommodating an index finger and a middle finger, respectively, and a thumb piece for accommodating a thumb of an operator of the catheter advancing assembly.
Another object of the invention is to provide a method for making a catheter advancing assembly which includes first and second finger pieces for accommodating an index finger and a middle finger, respectively, and a thumb piece for accommodating a thumb, wherein the catheter advancing assembly can be readily grasped and manipulated with one hand.
Another object of the invention is to provide a method for advancing a ventricular catheter within a cerebral ventricle using only one hand, wherein the distal end of the catheter is advanced in a “soft” manner.
Another object of the invention is to provide a method for single-handed soft passing a ventricular catheter within a cerebral ventricle of a patient.
One advantage of the invention is that it provides a catheter advancing assembly which allows soft passing of a catheter within a cerebral ventricle, wherein the catheter advancing assembly can be readily grasped and manipulated using only one hand.
Another advantage of the invention is that it provides a catheter advancing assembly including first and second finger pieces for accommodating the index finger and middle finger, respectively, of an operator of the catheter advancing assembly, wherein a ventricular catheter can be soft passed within the cerebral ventricle by extending the index and middle fingers away from the thumb of the operator of the catheter advancing assembly.
Another advantage of the invention is that it provides a method of soft passing a ventricular catheter within the cerebral ventricle by extending the index and middle fingers away from the thumb of the operator of the catheter advancing assembly.
One feature of the invention is that it provides a catheter advancing assembly which includes a stylet having a shaft and a thumb piece, in combination with a catheter advancing piece including a grasping unit and a rod having a bore therethrough.
Another feature of the invention is that it provides a catheter advancing assembly featuring single-handed manipulation and operation thereof.
Another feature of the invention is that it provides a catheter advancing piece including a rod, the rod having first and second finger pieces affixed, preferably bilaterally, thereto.
Another feature of the invention is that it provides a method for single-handed soft passing of a ventricular catheter.
These and other objects, advantages and features are accomplished by the provision of a catheter advancing assembly for single-handed soft passing a ventricular catheter, wherein the assembly includes: a stylet including a shaft and a holding unit; and, a catheter advancing piece including a rod and a grasping unit, the rod having a bore therethrough, the bore capable of housing at least a portion of the shaft, and the shaft capable of moving longitudinally within the bore.
These and other objects, advantages and features are accomplished by the provision of a catheter advancing assembly for single-handed soft passing a ventricular catheter, the assembly including: a stylet having a shaft and a holding unit; and, a catheter advancing piece, wherein the catheter advancing piece includes a first finger piece and a second finger piece, and a rod having a distal end and a proximal end, wherein the first finger piece and the second finger piece are arranged, preferably, bilaterally, on the rod towards the proximal end of the rod.
These and other objects, advantages and features are accomplished by the provision of a catheter advancing assembly for single-handed soft passing a ventricular catheter, wherein the assembly includes: a catheter advancing cylinder including a rod, a first finger piece, and a second finger piece, the rod having a bore therethrough; and, a stylet including a thumb piece and a shaft, the shaft having a distal end and a proximal end, and the thumb piece affixed at the proximal end of the shaft, the shaft having a length greater than the length of the rod, and the
Garrell Charles
Hitchon Patrick
Howard, III Matthew A.
Loftus Christopher
Fleshner & Kim LLP
Kennedy Sharon
University of Iowa Research Foundation
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