US 12,226,117 B2
Atherectomy apparatus with imaging
Paul Quentin Escudero, Menlo Park, CA (US); August Christopher Pombo, Menlo Park, CA (US); Torrey P. Smith, Menlo Park, CA (US); and Douglas E. Rowe, Menlo Park, CA (US)
Assigned to KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V., Eindhoven (NL)
Filed by AtheroMed, Inc., Menlo Park, CA (US)
Filed on Feb. 19, 2016, as Appl. No. 15/048,042.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/118,585, filed on Feb. 20, 2015.
Prior Publication US 2016/0242808 A1, Aug. 25, 2016
Int. Cl. A61B 17/3207 (2006.01); A61B 8/00 (2006.01); A61B 8/12 (2006.01); A61B 17/00 (2006.01); A61B 17/22 (2006.01); A61B 90/00 (2016.01)
CPC A61B 17/320758 (2013.01) [A61B 8/12 (2013.01); A61B 8/4488 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00685 (2013.01); A61B 2017/22038 (2013.01); A61B 2017/22042 (2013.01); A61B 2090/064 (2016.02); A61B 2090/3735 (2016.02); A61B 2090/3784 (2016.02)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A catheter device comprising:
a catheter body having first and second internal lumens, wherein the first internal lumen extends from a proximal end of the catheter body to an opening in a proximal end of a housing fixed to a distal end of the catheter body, wherein a diameter of the housing is greater than a diameter of the catheter body;
a torque shaft disposed within the first lumen of the catheter body and defining the second lumen therein;
first and second cutting elements each having cutting edges, the first cutting element extending through an opening in a distal end of the housing from a distal end of the second cutting element, the second cutting element having a proximal end fixed to the distal end of the torque shaft and a distal end fixed to a proximal end of the first cutting element, the housing surrounding the distal end of the torque shaft and the second cutting element, wherein a diameter of the first and second cutting elements is greater than the diameter of the catheter body;
an imaging element circumferentially surrounding and fixed to the housing, wherein the imaging element is configured to communicate with a signal processor via one or more signal wires extending from the imaging element through the second internal lumen to the proximal end of the catheter body, wherein the one or more signal wires are configured for transmitting signals from the signal processor to the imaging element and for transmitting signals back from the imaging element to the signal processor;
a discharge element operably associated with the catheter body, the discharge element configured to receive occlusive material morcellated by the first and second cutting elements;
wherein the catheter body, the housing at the distal end of the catheter body and the imaging element are configured to rotate in an opposite direction of the torque shaft,
wherein the cutting edges of the first cutting element include cutting blades, and the first cutting element further includes blunt crushing elements interposed between the cutting blades, wherein a distal surface of each of the blunt crushing elements is flat, and edges of the blunt crushing elements leading to the distal surface are sharp, and
wherein a height of a distal end of each cutting blade is greater than a height of the distal surface of each blunt crushing element in a longitudinal direction from a proximal base of the first cutting element.