US 12,185,968 B2
Intravascular catheter having an expandable incising portion
John P. Pigott, Sylvania, OH (US)
Assigned to VentureMed Group, Inc., Plymouth, MN (US)
Filed by VentureMed Group, Inc., Plymouth, MN (US)
Filed on Apr. 2, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/221,473.
Application 17/221,473 is a continuation of application No. 16/693,520, filed on Nov. 25, 2019, granted, now 11,123,097.
Application 16/693,520 is a continuation of application No. 15/481,552, filed on Apr. 7, 2017, granted, now 10,485,572, issued on Nov. 26, 2019.
Application 15/481,552 is a continuation of application No. 13/613,914, filed on Sep. 13, 2012, granted, now 9,615,848, issued on Apr. 11, 2017.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/534,018, filed on Sep. 13, 2011.
Prior Publication US 2021/0220007 A1, Jul. 22, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A61B 17/3207 (2006.01); A61B 17/3209 (2006.01); A61B 17/00 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 17/320725 (2013.01) [A61B 17/3209 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00986 (2013.01); A61B 17/32075 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An intravascular catheter device comprising:
a flexible catheter tube;
an expandable portion located at a distal end portion of said flexible catheter tube;
a sleeve extending, at least in part, within said expandable portion, said expandable portion comprising a proximal end connected to said flexible catheter tube, a distal tip spaced apart a distance from the proximal end and connected to said sleeve, and a plurality of struts, each comprising a first intermediate strut connected to said proximal end and a second intermediate strut connected to the first intermediate strut and the distal tip, wherein said first intermediate strut of each of said plurality of struts is capable of hinging movement relative to said proximal end and said second intermediate strut, wherein said second intermediate strut of each of said plurality of struts is capable of hinging movement relative to said distal tip and said first intermediate strut, and wherein each paired set of said first intermediate strut and said second intermediate strut of a given one of the plurality of struts collectively span the distance between, and connect, the proximal end and the distal tip; and
an incising element located at an outer surface of a first one of the plurality of struts;
wherein movement of said sleeve relative to said flexible catheter tube moves said plurality of struts between a collapsed position where each of the plurality of struts extend along an outer surface of the sleeve such that said first intermediate strut and said second intermediate strut of each of said plurality of struts are longitudinally aligned and an expanded position where said first intermediate strut and said second intermediate strut longitudinally form a non-zero angle such that the connection between the first intermediate strut and the second intermediate strut is elevated away from said outer surface of the sleeve and the distance between the proximal end and the distal tip is shortened;
wherein a sharpened edge of said incising element extends longitudinally along a longitudinal axis of the given one of said plurality of struts; and
wherein each of said plurality of struts, at least while in the collapsed position, extends longitudinally along a centerline of an underlying portion of the sleeve.