IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,727,903
Granted Patent B2
US 12,727,903 · App. 17/876,436 · Granted Sep 8, 2026

Implantable channel guides and methods and kits thereof

Inventors: Matthew A. Rootes (Crystal, MN); Nathan J. Knutson (Long Lake, MN)
Assignee: Covidien LP
A61B17/320016A61B17/04A61B2017/3484
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,727,903
App. No.
17/876,436
Granted
Sep 8, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure describes an implantable channel guide configured to identify and/or a channel created in a patient via an endoscopic navigation procedure. The channel guide includes an elongate body having at least one snare on one end portion thereof and at least one anchor member on a second opposite end portion thereof.

Claims (34)

1 . An implantable channel guide configured for deployment at least partially in an airway of a patient comprising:

an elongate body including a lumen extending between a proximal end portion and distal end portion of the elongate body, the proximal end portion of the elongate body configured to be deployed within the airway, the distal end portion of the elongate body configured to be deployed in a peripheral tissue exterior the airway wall, and the lumen configured to pass endoscopic surgical tools therethrough to a target tissue,

at least one loop snare extending from the proximal end portion of the elongate body and defining an opening therethrough, the at least one loop snare configured to rotate the elongate body around a longitudinal axis of the elongate body, wherein the at least one loop snare is formed separate from the elongate body;

and at least one corkscrew anchor member extending along a longitudinal axis from the distal end portion of the elongate body, the at least one corkscrew anchor member configured to rotate about the longitudinal axis to advance the distal end portion of the elongate body through the peripheral tissue exterior the airway wall and secure the distal end portion of the elongate body to the target tissue.

2 . The implantable channel guide of claim 1 , wherein the elongate body comprises a porous tubular elongate body.

3 . The implantable channel guide of claim 2 , wherein the porous tubular elongate body comprises a plurality of yarns wrapping circumferentially around the lumen in a crisscrossing configuration and spaced about a length of the porous tubular elongate body to define a plurality of surface pores therebetween.

4 . The implantable channel guide of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of surface pores represent a majority of an outer surface area defined by the porous tubular elongate body and the plurality of yarns represent a minority of the outer surface area defined by the porous tubular elongate body.

5 . The implantable channel guide of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of surface pores represent at least 85% of an outer surface area defined by the porous tubular elongate body and the plurality of yarns represent at most 15% of the outer surface area defined by the porous tubular elongate body.

6 . The implantable channel guide of claim 2 , wherein the porous tubular elongate body comprises a plurality of rods connected to a plurality of transverse ribs, the rods extending longitudinally and spaced circumferentially, the ribs extending circumferentially and spaced longitudinally.

7 . The implantable channel guide of claim 2 , wherein the proximal end portion of the body comprises the porous tubular elongate body and the distal end portion of the body comprises a non-porous tubular elongate body.

8 . The implantable channel guide of claim 1 , wherein the at least one loop snare comprises two loop snares positioned on opposite sides of the proximal end portion of the body.

9 . The implantable channel guide of claim 1 , wherein the at least one corkscrew anchor member defines a spiral configuration that narrows distally to a point defining a cutting edge rendering the channel guide self-feeding.

10 . The implantable channel guide of claim 1 , further comprising one or more necked portions including at least one of an extendable necked portion configured to lengthen when a longitudinal stress is applied thereto or a tearable necked portion configured to fracture when a longitudinal stress is applied thereto.

11 . The implantable channel guide of claim 1 , further comprising one or more identifying items selected from a serial number, bar code, or QR code applied thereto, the one or more identifying items designed to be registered with a surgical navigation system so that a planned pathway can be easily recalled based on the one or more identifying items.

12 . The implantable channel guide of claim 1 , further comprising one or more bioactive agents.

13 . The implantable channel guide of claim 1 , wherein the implantable channel guide is resorbable.

14 . A kit comprising:

an implantable channel guide configured to be deployed through at least a portion of a patient's airway to maintain a path through the airway to a target tissue for future delivery of endoscopic surgical tools thereto, the implantable channel guide including:

an elongate body including a lumen extending between a proximal end portion and distal end portion of the elongate body, the proximal end portion of the elongate body configured to be deployed within the airway, the distal end portion of the elongate body configured to be deployed in a peripheral tissue exterior the airway wall, and the lumen configured to pass endoscopic surgical tools therethrough to a target tissue;

at least one loop snare extending from the proximal end portion of the elongate body and defining an opening therethrough, the at least one loop snare configured to rotate the elongate body around a longitudinal axis of the elongate body, wherein the at least one loop snare is formed separate from the elongate body; and

at least one corkscrew anchor member extending along a longitudinal axis from the distal end portion of the elongate body, the at least one corkscrew anchor member configured to rotate about the longitudinal axis to advance the distal end portion of the elongate body through the peripheral tissue exterior the airway wall and secure the distal end portion of the elongate body to the target tissue; and

at least one of an endoscope, a catheter, an extended working channel (EWC), a surgical navigation system, or an endoscopic surgical tool.

15 . A surgical method, wherein an implantable channel guide includes:

an elongate body including a lumen extending between a proximal end portion and distal end portion of the elongate body, the proximal end portion of the elongate body configured to be deployed within an airway of a patient, the distal end portion of the elongate body configured to be deployed in a peripheral tissue exterior the airway wall, and the lumen configured to pass endoscopic surgical tools therethrough to a target tissue;

at least one loop snare extending from the proximal end portion of the elongate body and defining an opening therethrough, the at least one loop snare configured to rotate the elongate body around a longitudinal axis of the elongate body, wherein the at least one loop snare is formed separate from the elongate body; and

at least one corkscrew anchor member extending along a longitudinal axis from the distal end portion of the elongate body, the at least one corkscrew anchor member configured to rotate about the longitudinal axis to advance the distal end portion of the elongate body through the peripheral tissue exterior the airway wall and secure the distal end portion of the elongate body to the target tissue; and

the surgical method comprising:

navigating at least one of an endoscope, catheter, or extended working channel (EWC) through the airway of the patient to the target tissue beyond the airway;

deploying the implantable channel guide via the at least one endoscope, catheter or EWC through a length of the airway to the target tissue so that the proximal end portion of the elongate body is deployed within the airway and the distal end portion of the elongate body is deployed in the peripheral tissue exterior the airway wall; and

removing the at least one endoscope, catheter or EWC from the airway.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the step of deploying further comprises tunneling through the airway wall and peripheral tissue of the airway wall to the target tissue creating a channel from the airway to the target tissue.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the implantable channel guide is deployed within the airway, through the airway wall, and through the channel, and anchored to at least one of the target tissue, an exterior of the airway wall, or the peripheral tissue of the airway.

18 . The method of claim 15 , wherein navigating the at least one of an endoscope, catheter or EWC comprises using an electromagnetic navigation system.

19 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising performing a subsequent surgical procedure wherein one or more endoscopic surgical tools are passed through the implantable channel guide to the target tissue.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 9, 2022
From: ROOTES, MATTHEW A.; KNUTSON, NATHAN J.
To: COVIDIEN LP
Reel/Frame 060760/0133 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63243242 · Sep 13, 2021
Related Publication 20230079131A1 · Mar 16, 2023
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