US 12,415,038 B2
Endoscopic cannula
Phillip Jack Snoke, Winston-Salem, NC (US); Philip Morrison Allred, III, Kernersville, NC (US); John Joseph Smith, Winston Salem, NC (US); and Ted Belleza, LaSelva Beach, CA (US)
Assigned to URO-1, Inc., Winston-Salem, NC (US)
Filed by URO-1, Inc., Winston-Salem, NC (US)
Filed on Mar. 22, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/208,955.
Application 17/208,955 is a continuation in part of application No. 16/564,668, filed on Sep. 9, 2019, granted, now 10,953,159.
Application 16/564,668 is a continuation in part of application No. PCT/US2018/050087, filed on Sep. 7, 2018.
Application PCT/US2018/050087 is a continuation of application No. 15/834,333, filed on Dec. 7, 2017, granted, now 10,463,797.
Application 16/564,668 is a continuation in part of application No. 15/834,333, filed on Dec. 7, 2017, granted, now 10,463,797.
Application 16/564,668 is a continuation in part of application No. 15/722,168, filed on Oct. 2, 2017, granted, now 10,456,164.
Application 15/834,333 is a continuation in part of application No. 15/697,640, filed on Sep. 7, 2017, granted, now 10,286,459.
Prior Publication US 2021/0299358 A1, Sep. 30, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A61B 1/307 (2006.01); A61B 1/00 (2006.01); A61M 5/31 (2006.01); A61M 5/315 (2006.01)
CPC A61M 5/3137 (2013.01) [A61B 1/00135 (2013.01); A61B 1/307 (2013.01); A61M 5/3156 (2013.01); A61M 5/31595 (2013.01); A61M 2005/3131 (2013.01); A61M 2205/3379 (2013.01); A61M 2205/581 (2013.01); A61M 2205/582 (2013.01); A61M 2210/1085 (2013.01)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A medical device for insertion into a patient's body, said device comprising:
an elongated hollow cannula made of a biocompatible, non-metallic material;
said cannula having a first shape when confined by first external forces acting thereon;
said cannula having a distal portion that reverts to a second shape, different from the first shape, when free of said first external forces, and said distal portion having a distal end;
said second shape having a predetermined curvature defined by an inverse tangent function and comprising two bends in different directions;
whereby said distal end of the cannula is radially spaced from an axis of said first shape when said distal portion of the cannula has reverted to said second shape; and
wherein said cannula is sufficiently flexible to assume said first shape when in a working channel of an introducer or endoscope but at least said distal portion of the cannula has a flexural modulus that is sufficiently high when in said second shape to force said distal end against tissue defining an internal wall of an internal body cavity for selected medical action on said tissue when a selected distal force is exerted on a proximal portion of the cannula by the introducer or endoscope.