Surgery – Means for introducing or removing material from body for... – Treating material introduced into or removed from body...
Reexamination Certificate
1998-02-19
2001-11-06
Kamm, William E. (Department: 3762)
Surgery
Means for introducing or removing material from body for...
Treating material introduced into or removed from body...
C604S104000, C604S109000, C604S099010, C604S509000, C604S264000, C604S528000, C606S198000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06312407
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the occlusion of a vessel within a patient, and more specifically, to an apparatus and method of partially or completely occluding a vessel.
2. Description of the Related Art
Attempts heretofore have been made to treat occlusions in the carotid arteries leading to the brain. However, such arteries have been very difficult to treat because of the possibility of dislodging plaque which can enter various arterial vessels of the brain and cause permanent brain damage. Attempts to treat such occlusions with balloon angioplasty have been very limited because of such dangers. In surgical treatments, such as endarterectomy, the carotid artery is slit and plaque is removed from the vessel in the slit area. Such surgical procedures have substantial risk associated with them which can lead to morbidity and mortality.
In other procedures, such as in angioplasty and in the treatment of peripheral arteries and veins, there is the possibility that the guide wires and catheters used in such procedures during deployment of the same may cause dislodgement of debris or emboli which can flow downstream and cause serious damage, such as stroke, if they occlude blood flow in smaller vessels. Thus, in summary, embolization and migration of micro-emboli downstream to an end organ is a major concern of cardiologists during catheterizations.
There is therefore need for new and improved apparatus and methods which make it possible to treat occluded vessels without endangering the patient.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention satisfies the need for a device that occludes a vessel, in particular, a vessel in a patient undergoing therapeutic or other medical treatment. Any one of a number of different expansion members are joined to one or more elongate members such as hypotubes to form a device that completely or partially occludes a vessel within a patient. The expansion member may be self-expanding, it may be expanded by engaging it with one of the elongate members, or it may be heated to cause it to expand. A membrane preferably surrounds the expansion member so that a seal is made between the membrane and the vessel. The perfusion of blood is allowed if the membrane is perforated. Partial occlusion may be obtained without a membrane if a suitable expansion member is chosen. In general, in one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus and method that can be used with approved diagnostic and therapeutic devices to reduce the chance of emboli migrating downstream. Alternatively, the expansion member may anchor an intravascular device within a vessel.
One embodiment of the present invention is a device for occluding a vascular segment, in which the device includes an expansion member and first and second elongate members. The first elongate member engages the expansion member, and the second elongate member surrounds the first elongate member, with the expansion member expanding to occlude the vascular segment when one of the elongate members is moved longitudinally. The expansion member preferably includes a braid, a coil, a ribbon-like structure, a slotted tube, a plurality of ribs or a filter-like mesh. The device may also include material that adjoins the expansion member for creating a partial or total seal with the vascular segment.
In one particular embodiment, the expansion member is in an unexpanded state when it is surrounded by the second elongate member, but expands when the first elongate member is pushed through the second elongate member. In another embodiment, both the first and second elongate members are secured to the expansion member, and the expansion member expands as the first elongate member is retracted.
Another embodiment of the invention is a method of occluding a segment within a vessel, which includes the step of inserting first and second elongate members into the vessel to be occluded (in which the first elongate member adjoins an expansion member), followed by the step of varying the position of at least one of the elongate members so that the expansion member expands until the vessel is completely or partially occluded. In one embodiment, the varying step includes retracting one of the elongate members, and in another embodiment, the varying step comprises pushing one of the elongate members through the other elongate member.
In yet another method of occluding a segment within a vessel, an expansion member is inserted within the vessel, and the expansion member is heated to cause it to expand until the vessel is at least partially occluded. Heating the expansion member may involve, for example, passing electrical current through it or passing warm solution over or near it.
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Bagaoisan Celso J.
Muni Ketan P.
Patel Mukund R.
Zadno-Azizi Gholam-Reza
Bianco Patricia M
Kamm William E.
Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP
Medtronic PercuSurge, Inc.
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