US 12,329,411 B2
Tether assemblies for medical device retrieval systems
Ronald A. Drake, St. Louis Park, MN (US); Lester O. Stener, Hudson, WI (US); Brian P. Colin, Anoka, MN (US); Zhongping C. Yang, Woodbury, MN (US); and Thomas A. Anderson, New Hope, MN (US)
Assigned to Medtronic, Inc., Minneapolis, MN (US)
Filed by Medtronic, Inc., Minneapolis, MN (US)
Filed on Jun. 15, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/807,081.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/221,616, filed on Jul. 14, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0017564 A1, Jan. 19, 2023
Int. Cl. A61B 17/34 (2006.01); A61B 17/00 (2006.01); A61M 25/00 (2006.01); A61N 1/05 (2006.01); A61N 1/362 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 17/3468 (2013.01) [A61B 2017/00323 (2013.01); A61M 25/005 (2013.01); A61M 25/0082 (2013.01); A61N 2001/0578 (2013.01); A61N 1/362 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system comprising:
a catheter comprising an elongated shaft defining a lumen; and
a tether assembly comprising:
an elongate body;
a tether head assembly attached to a distal end of the elongate body, the tether head assembly comprising an attachment mechanism configured to releasably attach to an attachment member of a medical device; and
a positioning element fixedly positioned over the elongate body and configured to align the attachment mechanism with the attachment member when the tether head assembly is extended distally out of the lumen, wherein the positioning element comprises:
a distal end;
a proximal end; and
a length between the distal end and proximal end that is less than a length of the elongate body; and
wherein the tether head assembly, elongate body, and positioning element are movable within the lumen of the elongated shaft.