US 11,998,311 B2
Guidewire positioning catheter
Himanshu N. Patel, San Jose, CA (US); and John B. Simpson, Woodside, CA (US)
Assigned to Avinger, Inc., Redwood City, CA (US)
Filed by Avinger, Inc., Redwood City, CA (US)
Filed on Jul. 26, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/443,398.
Application 17/443,398 is a continuation of application No. 15/480,238, filed on Apr. 5, 2017, granted, now 11,076,773.
Application 15/480,238 is a continuation of application No. 13/929,579, filed on Jun. 27, 2013, granted, now 9,642,646, issued on May 9, 2017.
Application 13/929,579 is a continuation of application No. 12/689,748, filed on Jan. 19, 2010, granted, now 8,696,695, issued on Apr. 15, 2014.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/233,093, filed on Aug. 11, 2009.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/173,542, filed on Apr. 28, 2009.
Prior Publication US 2021/0345903 A1, Nov. 11, 2021
Int. Cl. A61B 5/06 (2006.01); A61B 17/3207 (2006.01); A61M 25/01 (2006.01); A61B 17/00 (2006.01); A61B 17/22 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 5/066 (2013.01) [A61B 17/320758 (2013.01); A61M 25/01 (2013.01); A61M 25/0138 (2013.01); A61B 2017/003 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00309 (2013.01); A61B 2017/22038 (2013.01); A61B 2017/320775 (2013.01); A61M 25/0147 (2013.01); A61M 25/0155 (2013.01); A61M 25/0172 (2013.01)] 22 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A catheter device for positioning a guidewire across an occluded portion of a vessel, the catheter device comprising:
a catheter body having a central lumen and a steerable distal region, the steerable distal region configured to bend laterally toward a predetermined side of the catheter body, wherein a distal end of the catheter body includes spiral shaped wedge members; and
a driveshaft extending within the central lumen and configured to rotate with respect to of the catheter body, the driveshaft coupled to and configured to rotate a distal tip having one or more cutting edges, wherein the driveshaft is configured to move longitudinally relative to the catheter body to extend the distal tip distally out of a central opening of the distal end of the catheter body and retract the distal tip proximally within the catheter body, wherein the one or more cutting edges are arranged in a spiral that is radially aligned with the spiral shaped wedge members of the distal end of the catheter body when the one or more cutting edges are extended out of the distal end of the catheter body, wherein the catheter device is configured to lock at least a portion of the distal tip in an extended position out of the central opening of the distal end of the catheter body, wherein the steerable distal region of the catheter body is configured to bend laterally toward the predetermined side of the catheter body upon application of a longitudinal pushing force on the driveshaft.