Endovascular device with a tissue piercing distal probe and associated methods
Devices, systems and methods for treating diseases and disorders effecting the cardiovascular system of the human body are disclosed. An exemplary blood vessel in accordance with this disclosure comprises a shaft, tip member fixed to the shaft, and a probe extending beyond a distal surface of the tip member. In some useful embodiments, the tip member is relatively atraumatic and the probe is shaped so as to be more likely to produce trauma than the tip member.
1. A device, comprising:
a shaft;
a coil attached to the shaft;
a tip member distal to the coil and having a generally hemispherical shape; and
a probe extending beyond a distal surface of the tip member and the coil,
wherein the probe includes a generally flat distal surface and is adapted and configured to pierce an intimal layer of a blood vessel.
2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the probe extends beyond the tip member by a distance that is greater than about 0.003 inches and less than about 0.012 inches.
3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the probe extends beyond the tip member by a distance that is greater than about 0.004 inches and less than about 0.008 inches.
4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the probe has a diameter that is greater than about 0.002 inches and less than about 0.006 inches.
5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the probe has an aspect ratio of length to diameter that is greater than about 1.
6. The device of claim 5 , wherein the probe has an aspect ratio of length to diameter that is greater than about 2.
7. The device of claim 1 , wherein:
the probe of the shaft has a maximum diameter DW;
the tip member has a maximum diameter DT; and
the maximum diameter DT is greater than the maximum diameter DW of the probe.
8. The device of claim 7 , wherein a ratio of the maximum diameter DT of the tip member to the maximum diameter DW of the probe is greater than about 3.
9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the shaft comprises a proximal leg, a distal leg, and a bend disposed between the proximal leg and a distal leg.
10. The device of claim 9 , wherein the bend extends through an angular range that is greater than about 90 degrees and less than about 180 degrees.
11. The device of claim 10 , wherein the bend extends through an angular range that is greater than about 120 degrees and less than about 150 degrees.
12. The device of claim 9 , wherein the distal leg has a length that is greater than about 0.040 inches and less than about 0.300 inches.
13. The device of claim 1 , wherein a proximal end of the coil is fixed to the shaft and a distal end of the coil is fixed to the tip member.
14. The device of claim 1 , wherein the tip member comprises a metal.
15. The device of claim 14 , wherein the metal comprises silver.
16. The device of claim 1 , wherein the probe comprises a distal portion of the shaft extending beyond a distal surface of the tip member.
17. The device of claim 16 , wherein the distal surface of the tip member extends between the coil and the probe.
18. The device of claim 16 , wherein the distal surface of the tip member extends between an outer extent of the coil and the probe.
19. The device of claim 16 , wherein the tip member is fixed to both the coil and the shaft, and the tip member extends between the coil and the shaft.
20. The device of claim 1 , wherein the generally flat distal surface intersects a second surface of the probe at a sharp edge.
21. A device, comprising:
a shaft;
a tip member fixed to the shaft having a generally hemispherical shape, the tip member being a discrete component from the shaft;
a coil having a proximal end attached to the shaft and a distalmost end directly attached to the tip member; and
wherein a distal portion of the shaft extends beyond a distal surface of the tip member, wherein a distal surface of the distal portion of the shaft is a distalmost surface of the device, wherein the distalmost surface is substantially flat and is adapted and configured to pierce an intimal layer of a blood vessel.
22. The device of claim 21 , wherein the distal portion of the shaft extends beyond the tip member by a distance that is greater than about 0.003 inches and less than about 0.012 inches.
23. The device of claim 22 , wherein the distal portion of the shaft extends beyond the tip member by a distance that is greater than about 0.004 inches and less than about 0.008 inches.
24. The device of claim 21 , wherein the distal portion of the shaft has a diameter that is greater than about 0.002 inches and less than about 0.006 inches.
25. The device of claim 21 , wherein the distal portion of the shaft has an aspect ratio of length to diameter that is greater than about 1.
26. The device of claim 21 , wherein the distal portion of the shaft has an aspect ratio of length to diameter that is greater than about 2.
27. The device of claim 21 , wherein:
the distal portion of the shaft has a maximum diameter DW;
the tip member has a maximum diameter DT; and
the maximum diameter DT is greater than the maximum diameter DW of the distal portion of the shaft.
28. The device of claim 21 , wherein a diameter of the coil is substantially the same as a diameter of a proximal end of the tip member.
29. A device, comprising:
a shaft;
a tip member fixed to the shaft, the tip member being a discrete component from the shaft;
a coil having a distalmost end directly attached to the tip member; and
wherein a distal portion of the shaft extends beyond a distal surface of the tip member, and a distal surface of the distal portion of the shaft is a distalmost surface of the device, wherein the distalmost surface is substantially flat and is adapted and configured to pierce an intimal layer of a blood vessel.
30. The device of claim 29 , wherein:
the distal portion of the shaft has a maximum diameter DW;
the tip member has a maximum diameter DT; and
the maximum diameter DT is greater than the maximum diameter DW of the distal portion of the shaft.
31. The device of claim 29 , wherein a proximal end of the coil is attached to the shaft.
32. The device of claim 29 , wherein a diameter of the coil is substantially the same as a diameter of a proximal end of the tip member.
33. The device of claim 29 , wherein the distalmost surface of the distal portion of the shaft is substantially transverse to a longitudinal axis of the shaft.
34. The device of claim 33 , wherein the distal portion of the shaft has a generally rectangular cross-section along a longitudinal axis of the shaft.
35. The device of claim 29 , wherein a diameter of the distal portion of the shaft is less than half of a diameter of the tip member.
36. The device of claim 29 , wherein the distal portion of the shaft includes at least one sharp edge.
37. A device, comprising:
a shaft;
a tip member fixed to the shaft, the tip member being a discrete component from the shaft; and
a coil having a distal end attached to the tip member;
wherein a distal portion of the shaft extends beyond a distal surface of the tip member and the coil, and a distal surface of the distal portion of the shaft is a distalmost surface of the device, wherein the distalmost surface is substantially flat and is configured and adapted to pierce an intimal layer of a blood vessel wall.
38. The device of claim 37 , wherein:
the distal portion of the shaft has a maximum diameter DW;
the tip member has a maximum diameter DT; and
the maximum diameter DT is greater than the maximum diameter OW of the distal portion of the shaft.
39. The device of claim 37 , wherein a proximal end of the coil is attached to the shaft.
40. The device of claim 37 , wherein a diameter of the coil is substantially the same as a diameter of a proximal end of the tip member.
41. The device of claim 37 , wherein the distalmost surface of the distal portion of the shaft is substantially transverse to a longitudinal axis of the shaft.
42. The device of claim 41 , wherein the distal portion of the shaft has a generally rectangular cross-section along the longitudinal axis.
43. The device of claim 37 , wherein a diameter of the distal portion of the shaft is less than half of a diameter of the tip.
44. The device of claim 37 , wherein the tip member has a generally convex shape.
45. The device of claim 37 , wherein the distalmost surface forms at least one sharp edge.