Plaque removal device with rotatable cutting element

1. An intravascular medical device comprising:

an elongate tubular body having a proximal end, a distal end, and an outer diameter;

a housing coupled to the distal end of the elongate tubular body, the housing having distal and proximal sections, each section having distal and proximal ends, the proximal end of the proximal section connected to the tubular body, the proximal end of the distal section connected to the distal end of the proximal section, an inner surface of the distal section of the housing defining an interior space, the distal section of the housing including a distal segment shaped to extend radially inwardly with respect to a longitudinal axis of the housing to define an opening at the distal end of the distal section of the housing;

a rotatable cutting element positioned within the interior space of the housing, the rotatable cutting element having distal and proximal ends and a lumen extending between the proximal and distal ends, the cutting element having a first outer dimension smaller than an inner dimension of the housing and larger than a dimension of the opening at the distal end of the distal section of the housing and larger than a dimension of an opening in the distal end of the proximal section of the housing;

a flexible drive shaft connected to the rotatable cutting element extending through the elongate tubular body, the flexible drive shaft having a lumen aligned with the lumen of the cutting element, the lumens being sized and configured to accept a guidewire; and

a control at the proximal end of the elongate tubular body and comprising a drive motor configured to transmit rotation to the flexible drive shaft,

wherein the cutting element has a second outer dimension smaller than the dimension of the opening at the distal end of the distal section of the housing,

wherein the cutting element comprises an outer surface with at least one cutting blade extending outwardly from the outer surface, the cutting blade extending in a helical pattern for one revolution or less about the cutting element,

wherein a distal portion of the cutting blade extends through the opening at the distal end of the distal section of the housing.

2. The intravascular medical device of claim 1 wherein the cutting blade is a plurality of cutting blades.

3. The intravascular medical device of claim 1 wherein the at least one cutting blade extends in a helical pattern for about one-half to one revolution about the cutting element.

4. The intravascular medical device of claim 1 wherein the proximal end of the distal section of the housing is connected to the distal end of the proximal section of the housing by laser welding.

5. The intravascular medical device of claim 1 wherein the distal and proximal sections of the housing are sized and configured to capture the cutting element within the interior space of the housing.

6. The intravascular medical device of claim 1 wherein the distal segment comprises an inwardly extending flange.

7. The intravascular medical device of claim 1 wherein the proximal section of the housing and the tubular body have concentric overlapping portions.

8. The intravascular medical device of claim 1 wherein the proximal section of the housing comprises a bearing surface for bearing against a surface of the cutting element.

9. The intravascular medical device of claim 1 wherein the cutting blade has a constant pitch.

10. The intravascular medical device of claim 1 wherein the cutting blade has a cross-section that varies along an axial length of the cutting blade.

11. The intravascular medical device of claim 10 wherein the cross-section of the cutting blade at a distal end of the cutting blade is less than a cross-section of the cutting blade at a proximal end of the cutting blade.

12. An intravascular medical device comprising:

an elongate tubular body having a proximal end, a distal end, and an outer diameter; a housing coupled to the distal end of the elongate tubular body, the housing having a proximal end and a distal end and an opening at the distal end;

a rotatable cutting element including a cylindrical body and at least one cutting blade, the cylindrical body having distal and proximal ends and a lumen extending between the distal and proximal ends, the cylindrical body further having an outer surface having a substantially constant diameter between the distal and proximal ends, the at least one cutting blade extending outwardly from the outer surface in a helical pattern for about one-half to one revolution about the cylindrical body of the cutting element, the rotatable cutting element being configured to axially displace relative to a longitudinal axis of the housing along a limited range of motion between a first position, in which the cylindrical body is recessed within the housing, and a second position, in which the cylindrical body at least partially protrudes through the opening in the distal end of the housing, wherein at least a portion of the cutting blade is exposed beyond the housing in the second position;

a flexible drive shaft connected to the rotatable cutting element extending through the elongate tubular body, the drive shaft having a lumen aligned with the lumen of the cylindrical body of the cutting element, the lumens being sized and configured to accept a guidewire; and

a control at the proximal end of the elongate tubular body and comprising a drive motor configured to transmit rotation to the flexible drive shaft.

13. The intravascular medical device of claim 12 wherein the cutting blade is a plurality of cutting blades.

14. The intravascular medical device of claim 12 wherein the housing comprises distal and proximal sections, the proximal section having a proximal end connected to the tubular body, the distal section having a proximal end connected to a distal end of the proximal section, the cylindrical body being recessed within the distal section when the cutting element is in the second position.

15. The intravascular medical device of claim 14 wherein the proximal end of the distal section of the housing is connected to the distal end of the proximal section of the housing by laser welding.

16. The intravascular medical device of claim 14 wherein the proximal section of the housing and the tubular body have concentric overlapping portions.

17. The intravascular medical device of claim 12 wherein the cutting blade has a constant pitch.

18. The intravascular medical device of claim 12 wherein the cutting blade has a cross-section that varies along an axial length of the cutting blade.

19. The intravascular medical device of claim 18 wherein the cross-section of the cutting blade at a distal end of the cutting blade is less than a cross-section of the cutting blade at a proximal end of the cutting blade.