Method for creating a channel through an occlusion and apparatus therefor

1. A method for creating a channel through an occlusion located in a substantially elongated body vessel of a patient, said occlusion including an occlusion harder portion extending substantially longitudinally relatively to said body vessel and an occlusion softer portion extending substantially longitudinally relatively to said body vessel, said occlusion softer portion being located substantially adjacent to and substantially coaxially with said occlusion harder portion, said occlusion harder portion being substantially harder than said occlusion softer portion, said method using a channel creating apparatus defining an apparatus distal end portion insertable into said body vessel, said channel creating apparatus including an energy delivery component operatively coupled to said apparatus distal end portion for delivering energy substantially adjacent said apparatus distal end portion, said method comprising:

inserting said apparatus distal end portion into said body vessel;

positioning said apparatus distal end portion substantially adjacent said occlusion harder portion, and creating a channel first portion through said occlusion harder portion by delivering said energy into said occlusion harder portion using said energy delivery component;

determining if said apparatus distal end portion is located adjacent said occlusion softer portion by attempting to push said apparatus distal end portion through said occlusion substantially without delivering energy using said energy delivery component; and

upon said apparatus distal end portion being able to be pushed through said occlusion, creating a channel second portion through said occlusion softer portion by pushing said apparatus distal end portion through at least a portion of said occlusion softer portion, substantially without using said energy delivery component to deliver energy into said occlusion softer portion.

2. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein creating said channel first portion includes:

creating a channel first portion first segment through said occlusion harder portion by delivering said energy into said occlusion harder portion using said energy delivery component;

advancing said apparatus distal end portion through said channel first portion first segment;

stopping the delivery of said energy after creating said channel first portion first segment; and

after advancing said apparatus distal end portion through said channel first portion first segment, attempting to push said apparatus distal end portion through said occlusion substantially without delivering energy using said energy delivery component.

3. A method as defined in claim 2 , further comprising, upon said apparatus distal end portion being unable to be pushed through said occlusion after having created said channel first portion first segment, creating a channel first portion second segment substantially extending from said channel first portion first segment by delivering said energy into said occlusion using said energy delivery component.

4. A method as defined in claim 2 , wherein said energy is delivered for a predetermined amount of time before stopping the delivery of said energy.

5. A method as defined in claim 4 , wherein said predetermined amount of time is from about 0.1 seconds to about 5 seconds.

6. A method as defined in claim 1 , further comprising, upon said apparatus distal end portion being unable to be pushed further through said occlusion softer portion, reorienting said apparatus distal end portion within said occlusion softer portion and attempting to push said apparatus distal end portion through said occlusion softer portion substantially without delivering energy via said energy delivery component.

7. A method as defined in claim 1 , further comprising, upon said apparatus distal end portion being unable to be pushed further through said occlusion softer portion, creating a channel third portion by delivering said energy into said occlusion using said energy delivery component.

8. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein said channel first portion is created before said channel second portion, said method further comprising

assessing the position of said apparatus distal end portion relative to said occlusion softer portion; and

upon said apparatus distal end portion being located substantially adjacent said occlusion softer portion, stopping the delivery of said energy.

9. A method as defined in claim 8 , wherein said position of said apparatus distal end portion is assessed using a position assessment method selected from the group consisting of an impedance measurement, a measurement of a force exerted onto said apparatus distal end portion, a measurement of a pressure exerted onto said apparatus distal end portion, a measurement based on ultrasonic signals and an imaging technique.

10. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein delivering said energy includes delivering radio-frequency energy.

11. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein said channel first portion is substantially helical and defines a helix axis extending substantially longitudinally relatively to said body vessel.

12. A method as defined in claim 11 , wherein said channel first portion defines an helix diameter, said helix diameter being from about 50 percent to about 90 percent of a diameter of a lumen of said body vessel.

13. A method as defined in claim 11 , wherein said channel first portion defines a pitch, said pitch being from about 3 millimeters to about 3 centimeters.

14. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein

said body vessel includes a vessel wall;

said apparatus distal end portion defines a substantially rectilinear section and a substantially curved section extending substantially longitudinally from said substantially rectilinear section;

said substantially curved section defines an apparatus distal end; and

creating said channel first portion includes:

orienting said apparatus distal end substantially away from said vessel wall;

delivering said energy into said occlusion harder portion to create a channel first portion first segment;

advancing said apparatus distal end into said channel first portion first segment and reorienting said apparatus distal end substantially away from said vessel wall;

after having reoriented said apparatus distal end, delivering said energy into said occlusion harder portion to create a channel first portion second segment.

15. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein said body vessel is a body vessel selected from the group consisting of a blood vessel, a bile duct and an airway.

16. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein said occlusion harder portion has a hardness that is substantially too large to allow pushing said apparatus distal end portion through said occlusion harder portion without delivering said energy into said occlusion harder portion.

17. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein delivering said energy includes delivering at least a portion of said energy into said occlusion in a direction leading substantially longitudinally away from said apparatus distal end portion.

18. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein said occlusion harder portion has a hardness such that a mechanical pressure of at least about 22 kg/cm 2 is required to create a channel thereinto substantially without delivering energy.

19. A method for creating a channel through an occlusion located in a substantially elongated body vessel of a patient, said occlusion including an occlusion harder portion extending substantially longitudinally relatively to said body vessel and an occlusion softer portion extending substantially longitudinally relative to said body vessel, said occlusion softer portion being located substantially adjacent to and substantially coaxial with said occlusion harder portion, said method using a channel creating apparatus defining an apparatus distal end portion insertable into said body vessel, said channel creating apparatus including an energy delivery component operatively coupled to said apparatus distal end portion for delivering energy substantially adjacent said apparatus distal end portion, said energy delivery component being selectively operable in an energy delivering state and a deactivated state, wherein in said energy delivering state, said energy is delivered substantially adjacent said apparatus distal end portion, and in said deactivated state, said energy is substantially not delivered substantially adjacent said apparatus distal end portion, said method comprising:

inserting said apparatus distal end portion into said body vessel:

positioning said apparatus distal end portion substantially adjacent said occlusion harder portion and creating a channel first portion through said occlusion harder portion by operating said energy delivery component in said energy delivering state and delivering said energy into said occlusion harder portion using said energy delivery component;

determining if said apparatus distal end portion is located adjacent said occlusion softer portion by attempting to push said apparatus distal end portion through said occlusion substantially without delivering energy using said energy delivery component; and

upon said apparatus distal end portion being able to be pushed through said occlusion, creating a channel second portion through said occlusion softer portion by operating said energy delivery component in said deactivated state and substantially simultaneously pushing said apparatus distal end portion through at least a portion of said occlusion softer portion.

20. A method as defined in claim 19 , wherein said channel creating apparatus includes a pressure sensor operatively coupled to said apparatus distal end portion for measuring a pressure exerted onto said occlusion by said apparatus distal end portion, said method further comprising:

operating said energy delivery component in said energy delivering state if said measured pressure is substantially above a predetermined pressure; and

operating said energy delivery component in said deactivated state if said measured pressure is substantially below said predetermined pressure.