IP Library Granted Patent US 8,926,680
Granted Patent B2
US 8,926,680 · App. 12/136,737 · Granted Jan 6, 2015

Aneurysm neck bridging processes with revascularization systems methods and products thereby

Inventors: David A. Ferrera (Redondo Beach, CA); John Fulkerson (Rancho Santa Margarita, CA)
Assignee: Covidien LP
A61B17/12022A61B17/12118A61F2250/0059A61B17/1214A61F2/90A61F2002/823A61B2017/1205
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,926,680
App. No.
12/136,737
Granted
Jan 6, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

Devices, methods and systems facilitate and enable vessel wall treatment, particularly at the neck of an aneurysm. A tethered cage-like structure functions in conjunction with supplemental therapies such as a vaso-occlusive coil delivering microcatheter system and/or pharmaceutical delivery, among other things, by stabilizing vessel walls and providing tethered cage-like therapeutic support for treating aneurysms, temporarily or on an implantable basis.

Claims (35)

1. An improved system for bridging aneurysms in neurovasculature, the system comprising:

a first microcatheter for accessing neurovascular vessels over a guidewire;

a variable stiffness delivery tube comprising a proximal section and a distal section,

wherein said distal section has a decreased stiffness and a greater flexibility as compared to the proximal section to allow tracking through tortuous anatomy of the neurovasculature,

wherein said variable stiffness delivery tube comprises an internal lumen configured to receive a guidewire, said guidewire providing trackability, maintained access and vessel support; and

a tethered cage-like structure eccentrically coupled to said delivery tube via a plurality of tethers such that the tethered cage-like structure is temporary and configured for removal from a patient's body,

wherein said cage-like structure has an open proximal end, an open distal end, and a tapering portion, the tapering portion located between the plurality of tethers and the open distal end, the tapering portion tapering, in absence of external forces, between a proximal end of the tapering portion and the open distal end such that said cage-like structure has a first circumference at the proximal end of the tapering portion and a second circumference, smaller than the first circumference, at the open distal end,

wherein said cage-like structure comprises a plurality of struts and a plurality of openings formed between the struts to provide vessel support without obstructing blood flow,

wherein said cage-like structure can be delivered to a target site local to an aneurysm and positioned to bridge the neck of the aneurysm, thereby covering the aneurysm to reconstruct a vessel wall; and

whereby a second microcatheter can be threaded through one or more open cells of the cage-like structure for delivery of supplemental therapy to the aneurysm while maintaining revascularization.

2. The system of claim 1 , the supplemental therapy being deployment of vasa-occlusive coils.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the aneurysm is reperfused through the origin of the aneurysm.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the tethered cage-like structure is expandable and reconstrainable.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the tethered cage-like structure is self-expandable.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the aneurysm comprises a wide-neck aneurysm having a dome to neck ratio of less than 2:1.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein said delivery tube comprises a hypotube.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein said cage-like structure comprises a super-elastic material.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein said cage-like structure comprises Nitinol.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein said cage-like structure is coupled to the delivery tube by soldering.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein said cage-like structure is coupled to the delivery tube by welding.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein said cage-like structure is coupled to the delivery tube by press-fitting.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein said cage-like structure has an aspect ratio of 0.05 (thickness/width) or less.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein said cage-like structure is configured to be recaptured into the first microcatheter and repositioned.

15. The system of claim 1 , wherein the aneurysm comprises a wide-neck aneurysm having a neck greater than 4 mm.

16. A temporary aneurysm neck bridge device for placement across a neck of an aneurysm, the temporary aneurysm neck bridge device comprising:

a delivery device;

a tethered cage-like structure eccentrically coupled to a distal end of the delivery device by a plurality of tether lines such that the tethered cage-like structure is configured for removal from a patient's body, the tethered cage-like structure having an open strut design that is expandable from a non-expanded configuration to an expanded configuration upon being unsheathed from a microcatheter, said tethered cage-like structure having an open proximal end, an open distal end, and a tapering portion, the tapering portion located between the plurality of tether lines and the open distal end, the tapering portion tapering, in absence of external forces, between a proximal end of the tapering portion and the open distal end such that said tethered cage-like structure has a first circumference at the proximal end of the tapering portion and a second circumference, smaller than the first circumference, at the open distal end of the tapering portion, said tethered cage-like structure being configured to be delivered within a blood vessel to a neck of an aneurysm while housed within the microcatheter in the non-expanded configuration; and

radiopaque markers configured to allow tracking of the cage-like structure,

wherein, in use, said tethered cage-like structure is configured to transition from said non-expanded configuration to said expanded configuration at a location such that the tethered cage-like structure bridges the neck of the aneurysm upon retraction of the microcatheter within which the tethered cage-like structure is housed.

17. The device of claim 16 , the tethered cage-like structure further comprised of variable cell sizes.

18. The device of claim 16 , the radiopaque markers further comprised of at least one of platinum and gold pegs pressed into pre-laser cut holes.

19. The device of claim 16 , wherein the delivery device is a delivery tube.

20. The device of claim 19 , wherein the delivery tube is a variable stiffness tube that is configured to navigate through tortuous anatomy of the cerebral vasculature to distal cerebral arteries.

21. The device of claim 20 , wherein a distal portion of the delivery tube has greater flexibility than a proximal portion of the delivery tube.

22. The device of claim 16 , wherein the delivery device is a delivery wire.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 19, 2012
From: MINDFRAME LLC
To: COVIDIEN LP
Reel/Frame 029160/0235 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Oct 8, 2012
From: MINDFRAME, INC.
To: MINDFRAME LLC
Reel/Frame 029093/0835 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 1, 2008
From: FERRERA, DAVID A.; FULKERSON, JOHN
To: MINDFRAME, INC.
Reel/Frame 021329/0709 →
Continuity (6)
Provisional Application 60989422 · Nov 20, 2007
Provisional Application 61044392 · Apr 11, 2008
Provisional Application 61015154 · Dec 19, 2007
Provisional Application 60987384 · Nov 12, 2007
Provisional Application 61019506 · Jan 7, 2008
Related Publication 20090125053A1 · May 14, 2009