Interventional catheters incorporating an active aspiration system
View Patent ↗An interventional catheter assembly comprises an operating head for removing obstructive material from a target site in a body lumen or cavity and at least one aspiration port located proximal to the operating head and penetrating the catheter assembly, the aspiration port being in communication with a sealed lumen that communicates with a vacuum system for withdrawing aspirate fluid and obstructive material from the target site. A rotatable member is positioned inside the catheter assembly at the site of the aspiration port and rotates during operation of the vacuum system. The rotatable member is provided with at least one upstanding bar that is sized to cooperate with the walls of the aspiration port and the inner surface of the catheter assembly to macerate debris that is drawn into the aspiration port.
1. An interventional catheter assembly comprising:
(a) an operating head mounted at a distal end of the catheter assembly and comprising a system for removing obstructive material from a target site in a body lumen or cavity;
(b) at least one aspiration port located proximal to the operating head and penetrating the catheter assembly, the at least one aspiration port being in communication with a first sealed lumen that communicates with a vacuum system for withdrawing aspirate fluid and obstructive material from the target site; and
(c) a rotatable member positioned within an internal cavity of the catheter assembly at the site of the aspiration port, wherein the rotatable member comprises at least one upstanding bar provided on a rotatable drive element, the at least one upstanding bar having a longitudinal axis that is aligned with a longitudinal axis of the catheter assembly, wherein the at least one upstanding bar does not extend radially beyond an inner wall of the catheter assembly and the rotatable member rotates during operation of the vacuum system.
2. The interventional catheter assembly of claim 1 , wherein The rotatable member is provided on a common central axis with the catheter assembly at the site of the aspiration port.
3. The interventional catheter assembly of claim 1 , wherein the aspiration port extends over at least 15% of the circumference of the catheter assembly.
4. The interventional catheter assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one upstanding bar is sized to interact with at least one wall of the aspiration port and an inner surface of the catheter assembly to macerate obstructive material that is drawn into the aspiration port.
5. The interventional catheter assembly of claim 1 , wherein the rotatable member comprises at least two upstanding bars provided in a radially symmetrical arrangement with respect to the longitudinal axis of the catheter assembly.
6. The interventional catheter assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one upstanding bar is provided on a central core structure and has a higher profile with respect to an outer surface of the central core structure at its proximal end than at its distal end.
7. The interventional catheter assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one upstanding bar is provided with undercut walls that facilitate movement of aspirate fluid and obstructive material proximally to the aspiration lumen.
8. The interventional catheter assembly of claim 7 , wherein the undercut walls are at an angle of from about 10° to about 60° with respect to a line bisecting the upstanding bar and intersecting a central longitudinal axis of the rotatable member.
9. The interventional catheter assembly of claim 1 , further comprising at least one infusion port located proximally to the aspiration port and communicating with a second sealed lumen for the infusion of fluids.
10. The interventional catheter assembly of claim 1 , further comprising multiple infusion ports spaced radially on an outer circumference of the catheter assembly.
11. The interventional catheter assembly of claim 10 , wherein the multiple infusion ports are located proximally to the aspiration port.
12. The interventional catheter assembly of claim 1 , wherein the aspiration port extends over at least 25% of the circumference of the catheter assembly.
13. The interventional catheter assembly of claim 1 , wherein the aspiration port extends over at least 35% of the circumference of the catheter assembly.
14. The interventional catheter assembly of claim 1 , further comprising at least one infusion port located within the operating head.
15. The interventional catheter assembly of claim 1 , wherein the operating head comprises a differential cutter assembly.
16. An interventional catheter assembly comprising:
(a) an operating head mounted at a distal end of the catheter assembly and comprising a system for removing obstructive material from a target site in a body lumen or cavity;
(b) at least one aspiration port located proximal to the operating head and penetrating the catheter assembly, the at least one aspiration port being in communication with a first sealed lumen that communicates with a vacuum system for withdrawing aspirate fluid and obstructive material from the target site; and
(c) a rotatable member positioned within an internal cavity of the catheter assembly at the site of the aspiration port, wherein the rotatable member rotates during operation of the vacuum system and comprises at least one upstanding bar provided on a rotatable drive element, wherein the at least one upstanding bar does not extend radially beyond an inner wall of the catheter assembly, has a curved exterior surface that generally matches an interior surface of the internal cavity of the catheter assembly and rotates within the internal cavity.
17. The interventional catheter assembly of claim 16 , wherein the at least one upstanding bar has a longitudinal axis that is aligned with a longitudinal axis of the catheter assembly.
18. The interventional catheter assembly of claim 16 , further comprising at least one infusion port located proximally to the aspiration port and communicating with a second sealed lumen for the infusion of fluids.
19. The interventional catheter assembly of claim 16 , further comprising multiple infusion ports spaced radially on an outer circumference of the catheter assembly.
20. The interventional catheter assembly of claim 19 , wherein the multiple infusion ports are located proximally to the aspiration port.
21. The interventional catheter assembly of claim 19 , further comprising at least one infusion port located within the operating head.
22. The interventional catheter assembly of claim 19 , wherein the operating head comprises a differential cutter assembly.
23. An interventional catheter assembly comprising:
(a) an operating head mounted at a distal end of the catheter assembly and comprising a system for removing obstructive material from a target site in a body lumen or cavity;
(b) at least one aspiration port provided as an opening in a cylindrical shell structure located proximal to the operating head, the at least one aspiration port being in communication with a first sealed lumen that communicates with a vacuum system for withdrawing aspirate fluid and obstructive material from the target site; and
(c) a rotatable member that is enclosed by and rotates within the cylindrical shell structure during operation of the vacuum system, wherein the rotatable member comprises at least one upstanding bar.
24. The interventional catheter assembly of claim 23 , wherein the at least one upstanding bar has a longitudinal axis that is aligned with a longitudinal axis of the catheter assembly.
25. The interventional catheter assembly of claim 23 , wherein the at least one upstanding bar has a tapered structure, with a narrower profile toward a proximal end of the internal cavity.
26. The interventional catheter assembly of claim 23 , wherein side walls of the at least one upstanding bar have different dimensions along the length of the upstanding bar.
27. The interventional catheter assembly of claim 23 , wherein side walls of the at least one upstanding bar have different undercut angles along the length of the upstanding bar.
28. The interventional catheter assembly of claim 23 , wherein the cylindrical shell structure remains static during rotation of the rotatable member.
29. The interventional catheter assembly of claim 23 , further comprising at least one infusion port located proximally to the aspiration pod and communicating with a second sealed lumen for the infusion of fluids.
30. The interventional catheter assembly of claim 23 , further comprising multiple infusion ports spaced radially on an outer circumference of the catheter assembly.
31. The interventional catheter assembly of claim 30 , wherein the multiple infusion ports are located proximally to the aspiration port.
32. The interventional catheter assembly of claim 23 , further comprising at least one infusion port located within the operating head.
33. The interventional catheter assembly of claim 23 , wherein the operating head is rotatable and incorporates cutter elements.
34. The interventional catheter assembly of claim 23 , wherein the operating head comprises an abrasive material.
35. The interventional catheter assembly of claim 23 , wherein the operating head comprises a differential cutter assembly.