Debulking catheters and methods
A debulking catheter comprising a tissue debulking assembly for removing a continuous strand of material from a body lumen. Catheters of the present invention generally include a catheter body having proximal and distal portions and a tissue debulking assembly disposed at least partially within the distal portion. The tissue debulking assembly is radially movable to expose at least a portion of the assembly through a window on the catheter body. The catheter is advanced transluminally through the body lumen to contact material in the body lumen and remove a plane of continuous material that has a length that is typically longer than a length of the window on the catheter. The continuous material may be directed into a collection chamber. Thereafter, the material may be removed from the collection chamber and preserved or tested.
1 . A composition comprising excised vascular tissue comprising at least one continuous strand of tissue that is removed from a vascular lumen in a human body, wherein the continuous strand is at least 2 cm in length (along the axis of the vascular lumen).
2 . The composition of claim 1 wherein the continuous strand of vascular tissue comprises 5 cm or greater in length.
3 . The composition of claim 1 wherein the continuous strand of vascular tissue comprises 7 cm or greater in length.
4 . The composition of claim 1 wherein the continuous strand of vascular tissue comprises 10 cm or greater in length.
5 . The composition of claim 1 wherein the continuous strand of vascular tissue comprises 15 cm or greater in length.
6 . The composition of claim 1 which comprises a plurality of continuous strands.
7 . The composition of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of strands are collected from a single vascular lumen.
8 . The composition of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of strands are collected from a single vascular obstruction.
9 . The composition of claim 1 wherein the continuous strand has a depth of at least 0.1 mm, wherein depth is a dimension which is radial to the axis of the lumen.
10 . The composition of claim 1 wherein the continuous strand has a depth of at least 0.25 mm wherein depth is a dimension which is radial to the axis of the lumen.
11 . The composition of claim 1 wherein the continuous strand has a depth of at least 0.33 mm wherein depth is a dimension which is radial to the axis of the lumen.
12 . The composition of claim 1 wherein the continuous strand has a depth of at least 0.5 mm wherein depth is a dimension which is radial to the axis of the lumen.
13 . The composition of claim 1 wherein the continuous strand has a volume of at least 0.45 mg/mm of length.
14 . The composition of claim 1 wherein the continuous strand has a volume of at least 0.50 mg/mm of length.
15 . The composition of claim 1 wherein the continuous strand has a volume of at least 0.55 mg/mm of length.
16 . The composition of claim 1 wherein the continuous strand has a volume of at least 0.60 mg/mm of length.
17 . The composition of claim 1 wherein the continuous strand has a volume of at least 0.65 mg/mm of length.
18 . The composition of claim 1 wherein the continuous strand has a volume of at least 0.70 mg/mm of length.
19 . A composition comprising excised vascular tissue comprising at least one continuous strand of tissue that is removed from a vascular lumen in a human body, wherein the continuous strand has a depth of at least 0.1 mm, wherein depth is a dimension which is radial to the axis of the lumen.
20 . The composition of claim 19 wherein the continuous strand has a depth of at least 0.25 mm wherein depth is a dimension which is radial to the axis of the lumen.
21 . The composition of claim 19 wherein the continuous strand has a depth of at least 0.33 mm wherein depth is a dimension which is radial to the axis of the lumen.
22 . The composition of claim 19 wherein the continuous strand has a depth of at least 0.5 mm wherein depth is a dimension which is radial to the axis of the lumen.
23 . The composition of claim 19 which comprises a plurality of continuous strands.
24 . The composition of claim 23 , wherein the plurality of strands are collected from a single vascular lumen.
25 . The composition of claim 23 , wherein the plurality of strands are collected from a single vascular obstruction.
26 . The composition of claim 19 wherein the continuous strand has a volume of at least 0.45 mg/mm of length.
27 . The composition of claim 19 wherein the continuous strand has a volume of at least 0.50 mg/mm of length.
28 . The composition of claim 19 wherein the continuous strand has a volume of at least 0.55 mg/mm of length.
29 . The composition of claim 19 wherein the continuous strand has a volume of at least 0.60 mg/mm of length.
30 . The composition of claim 19 wherein the continuous strand has a volume of at least 0.65 mg/mm of length.
31 . The composition of claim 19 wherein the continuous strand has a volume of at least 0.70 mg/mm of length.
32 . A composition comprising excised vascular tissue comprising at least one continuous strand of tissue that is removed from a vascular lumen in a human body, wherein the continuous strand has a volume of at least 0.45 mg/mm of length.
33 . The composition of claim 32 wherein the continuous strand has a volume of at least 0.50 mg/mm of length.
34 . The composition of claim 32 wherein the continuous strand has a volume of at least 0.55 mg/mm of length.
35 . The composition of claim 32 wherein the continuous strand has a volume of at least 0.60 mg/mm of length.
36 . The composition of claim 32 wherein the continuous strand has a volume of at least 0.65 mg/mm of length.
37 . The composition of claim 32 wherein the continuous strand has a volume of at least 0.70 mg/mm of length.
38 . The composition of claim 32 which comprises a plurality of continuous strands.
39 . The composition of claim 32 wherein the plurality of strands are collected from a single vascular lumen.
40 . The composition of claim 32 wherein the plurality of strands are collected from a single vascular obstruction.
41 . A library comprising a plurality of samples of excised vascular tissue, each sample comprising at least one continuous strand of tissue that is removed from a vascular lumen in a human body, wherein the continuous strand is at least 2 cm in length (along the axis of the vascular lumen).
42 . The library of claim 41 wherein the samples are preserved so as to maintain the continuous strand intact.
43 . The library of claim 41 wherein the samples are maintained in liquid nitrogen.
44 . The library of claim 41 wherein the samples are maintained in paraffin.
45 . The library of claim 41 wherein clinical information regarding patients from whom the samples were excised is maintained with the library.
46 . A library comprising a plurality of samples derived from excised vascular tissue, wherein each sample of excised vascular tissue comprises at least one continuous strand of tissue that is removed from a vascular lumen in a human body, wherein the continuous strand is at least 2 cm in length (along the axis of the vascular lumen), wherein the plurality of samples are selected from the group consisting of DNA, RNA, cDNA, and protein.
47 . The library of claim 46 wherein clinical information regarding patients from whom the samples were excised is maintained with the library.
48 . The library of claim 46 wherein the samples are DNA.
49 . The library of claim 46 wherein the samples are cDNA.
50 . The library of claim 46 wherein the samples are RNA.
51 . The library of claim 46 wherein the samples are protein.