Tissue-removing catheter with ball and socket deployment mechanism

1. A tissue-removing catheter comprising:

an elongate catheter body configured for insertion into a body lumen of a subject, the catheter body having opposite distal and proximal ends, a longitudinal axis extending between the distal and proximal ends, and a window adjacent the distal end;

a cutting element located generally at the distal end of the catheter body for rotation generally about the longitudinal axis of the catheter body, the cutting element having a proximal end portion, a distal end portion, and a longitudinal axis extending between the proximal and distal end portions;

a rotatable drive shaft received in the catheter body and operatively connected to the cutting element for selectively imparting rotation to the cutting element relative to the catheter body about the longitudinal axis of the cutting element; and

a deployment mechanism for selectively moving the cutting element between a retracted position, in which the cutting element does not extend through the window, and a cutting position, in which the cutting element extends at least partially through the window, the deployment mechanism including:

a socket member disposed in the catheter body, and a ball member extending distally from the cutting element and received in and operatively connected to the socket member, wherein the ball member is constrained axially relative to the socket member and is capable of pivoting relative to the socket member for allowing pivoting of the cutting element relative to the catheter body when the cutting element is moved from the retracted position to the cutting position, wherein the ball member is rotatable relative to the socket member about the longitudinal axis of the cutting element.

2. The tissue-removing catheter set forth in claim 1 , wherein the ball member is fixedly connected to the cutting element, and wherein the socket member is longitudinally movable within the catheter body.

3. The tissue-removing catheter set forth in claim 2 , wherein the deployment mechanism is configured such that proximal movement of the drive shaft relative to the catheter body causes the cutting element, the ball member, and the socket member to move proximally as an assembly relative to the catheter body to thereby impart pivoting of the cutting element relative to the socket to its cutting position, and distal movement of the driveshaft relative to the catheter body causes the cutting element, the ball member, and the socket member to move distally as an assembly relative to the catheter body to thereby impart pivoting of the cutting element relative to the socket to its retracted position.

4. The tissue-removing catheter set forth in claim 3 , wherein the deployment mechanism further includes a ramp in the catheter body, wherein the cutting element is engageable with the ramp to impart pivoting of the cutting element relative to the socket member.

5. The tissue-removing catheter set forth in claim 4 , wherein the deployment mechanism further includes a stop in the catheter body, wherein the stop is configured to engage the socket member and inhibit further proximal movement of the cutting element, the ball member, and the socket member when the cutting element is in the cutting position.

6. The tissue-removing catheter set forth in claim 4 , wherein the rotatable drive shaft is connected to the proximal portion of the cutting element.

7. The tissue-removing catheter set forth in claim 3 , wherein the cutting element includes an annular cutting edge at the proximal end portion of the cutting element for removing tissue from the wall of the body lumen.

8. The tissue-removing catheter set forth in claim 1 , wherein the driveshaft includes an external thread.

9. The tissue-removing catheter set forth in claim 8 , further comprising

a shearing member received in the catheter body adjacent to and proximal the cutting element, the shearing member defining a longitudinal bore through which the drive shaft extends, and a non-circular internal shearing edge associated with the bore and configured to interact with the external thread of the drive shaft when the drive shaft is rotated to shear removed tissue within the shearing member.

10. The tissue-removing catheter set forth in claim 9 , wherein the shearing member has a longitudinal channel extending longitudinally through an interior surface defining the longitudinal bore to form the shearing edge.

11. The tissue-removing catheter set forth in claim 9 , wherein the longitudinal bore has a generally oblong cross-sectional shape and the external thread has a generally circular cross-sectional shape, wherein the longitudinal bore is sized such that the external thread interacts with the shearing surface at two shearing regions as the drive shaft rotates.

12. The tissue-removing catheter set forth in claim 1 , wherein the drive shaft is longitudinally moveable in the catheter body, wherein longitudinal movement of the drive shaft imparts movement of the cutting element between the retracted and cutting positions.

13. The tissue-removing catheter set forth in claim 1 , wherein the cutting element has an annular cutting edge at the proximal end portion of the cutting element surrounding the longitudinal axis of the cutting element.

14. A method of removing tissue from a body lumen of a subject, the method comprising:

providing a tissue-removing catheter, the tissue-removing catheter including

an elongate catheter body configured for insertion into a body lumen of a subject, the catheter body having opposite distal and proximal ends, a longitudinal axis extending between the distal and proximal ends, and a window adjacent the distal end,

a cutting element located generally at the distal end of the catheter body for rotation generally about the longitudinal axis of the catheter body, the cutting element having a proximal end portion, a distal end portion, and a longitudinal axis extending between the proximal and distal end portions

a rotatable drive shaft received in the catheter body and operatively connected to the cutting element for selectively imparting rotation to the cutting element relative to the catheter body about the longitudinal axis of the cutting element, and

a deployment mechanism for selectively moving the cutting element between a between a retracted position, in which the cutting element does not extend through the window, and a cutting position, in which the cutting element extends at least partially through the window, the deployment mechanism including a socket member received in the catheter body, and a ball member extending distally from the distal end portion of the cutting element and received in and operatively connected to the socket member, wherein the ball member is constrained axially relative to the socket member and is capable of pivoting relative to the socket member for allowing pivoting of the cutting element relative to the socket member, wherein the ball member is rotatable relative to the socket member about the longitudinal axis of the cutting element;

inserting the catheter body into the body lumen, the cutting element being in the retracted position;

moving the cutting element, after said inserting, from the retracted position to the cutting position, whereby the ball member pivots relative to the socket member and the cutting element pivots relative to the socket.

15. The method set forth in claim 14 , further comprising moving the socket member and the ball member concurrently with said moving the cutting element so that the socket member, the ball member, and the cutting element move as an assembly.

16. The method set forth in claim 15 , further comprising rotating the drive shaft, after said moving the cutting element, to impart rotation to the cutting element and the ball member relative to the socket member about the longitudinal axis of the cutting element.

17. The method set forth in claim 16 , further comprising moving the catheter body distally within the body lumen, after said rotating the drive shaft, to remove material from the body lumen.

18. The method set forth in claim 17 , further comprising transporting the removed material proximally within the catheter body, concurrently with said moving the catheter body proximally and rotating the drive shaft, via an external thread on the rotating drive shaft.

19. The method set forth in claim 18 , further comprising pinching the removed material between the external thread on the drive shaft and a shearing member in the catheter body, concurrently with said rotating the drive shaft.