US 12,433,640 B2
Biostimulator retrieval system having cincher tube
David Rickheim, Bloomington, MN (US); Daniel Coyle, St. Louis, MN (US); and Adam Weber, Minnetonka, MN (US)
Assigned to PACESETTER, INC., Sylmar, CA (US)
Filed by Pacesetter, Inc., Sylmar, CA (US)
Filed on Jul. 11, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/862,238.
Application 17/862,238 is a continuation of application No. 16/450,640, filed on Jun. 24, 2019, granted, now 11,382,663.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/843,130, filed on May 3, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0338903 A1, Oct. 27, 2022
Int. Cl. A61B 17/50 (2006.01); A61B 17/00 (2006.01); A61B 17/34 (2006.01); A61N 1/375 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 17/50 (2013.01) [A61B 17/3468 (2013.01); A61N 1/3756 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00358 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00367 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A biostimulator retrieval system, comprising:
an outer catheter having an inner lumen;
a docking cap having a docking cavity to receive an attachment feature of a biostimulator;
an inner shaft extending through the inner lumen, wherein the inner shaft is attached to the docking cap, and wherein the inner shaft has a shaft lumen in communication with the docking cavity;
a cincher tube extending through the shaft lumen in a longitudinal direction, wherein the cincher tube has a tube lumen;
a snare including a snare loop, wherein the snare extends through the tube lumen and is separated from the inner shaft by the cincher tube; and
a handle including
a distal handle portion coupled to the outer catheter,
a proximal handle portion slidably mounted on the distal handle portion, wherein the proximal handle portion is coupled to the inner shaft and the snare, wherein the proximal handle portion includes a shroud slot having a locking segment, and
a snare shroud extending circumferentially around the proximal handle portion, wherein the snare shroud includes a prong in the shroud slot, wherein the snare shroud is directly coupled to the cincher tube such that axial movement of the snare shroud causes axial movement of the cincher tube, wherein the snare shroud is rotatable about the proximal handle portion to move the prong into the locking segment, wherein, when the snare shroud is moved axially to advance the cincher tube distally in the longitudinal direction and cause the snare to grasp the attachment feature of the biostimulator, and the snare shroud is rotated to move the prong into the locking segment, a back force is applied to the cincher tube to move the cincher tube proximally in the longitudinal direction by the biostimulator to catch the prong within the locking segment and lock the snare relative to the cincher tube.
 
8. A biostimulator retrieval system, comprising:
a docking cap having a docking cavity to receive an attachment feature of a biostimulator;
an inner shaft having a distal shaft end fixed to the docking cap, wherein the inner shaft has a shaft lumen in communication with the docking cavity;
a snare including a snare loop, wherein the snare extends through the shaft lumen and the docking cavity;
a cincher tube surrounding the snare within the shaft lumen, wherein the cincher tube is independent from and moveable relative to the inner shaft in a longitudinal direction; and
a snare shroud extending circumferentially around a handle, wherein the snare shroud includes a prong in a shroud slot of the handle, wherein the snare shroud is directly coupled to the cincher tube such that axial movement of the snare shroud causes axial movement of the cincher tube, wherein the snare shroud is rotatable about the handle to move the prong into a locking segment of the shroud slot, wherein, when the snare shroud is moved axially to advance the cincher tube distally in the longitudinal direction and collapse the snare on the attachment feature of the biostimulator, and the snare shroud is rotated to move the prong into the locking segment, a back force is applied to the cincher tube to move the cincher tube proximally in the longitudinal direction by the biostimulator to catch the prong within the locking segment and lock the snare relative to the cincher tube.
 
15. A method, comprising:
advancing a biostimulator retrieval system toward a biostimulator, wherein the biostimulator retrieval system includes an outer catheter having an inner lumen, a docking cap having a docking cavity to receive an attachment feature of the biostimulator, an inner shaft extending through the inner lumen, wherein the inner shaft is attached to the docking cap, and wherein the inner shaft has a shaft lumen in communication with the docking cavity, a cincher tube extending through the shaft lumen in a longitudinal direction, wherein the cincher tube has a tube lumen, a snare including a snare loop, wherein the snare extends through the tube lumen and is separated from the inner shaft by the cincher tube, and a handle including a distal handle portion, a proximal handle portion, and a snare shroud extending circumferentially around the proximal handle portion, wherein the distal handle portion is coupled to the outer catheter, wherein the proximal handle portion is slidably mounted on the distal handle portion and is coupled to the inner shaft and the snare, wherein the proximal handle portion includes a shroud slot having a locking segment, wherein the snare shroud includes a prong in the shroud slot, and wherein the snare shroud is directly coupled to the cincher tube;
placing the snare loop over the attachment feature of the biostimulator;
advancing the snare shroud to move the cincher tube distally in the longitudinal direction over the snare to cause the snare to grasp the attachment feature;
rotating the snare shroud about the proximal handle portion to move the prong into the locking segment, wherein, when the snare shroud is rotated to move the prong into the locking segment, a back force is applied to the cincher tube to move the cincher tube proximally in the longitudinal direction by the biostimulator to catch the prong within the locking segment and lock the snare relative to the cincher tube, and
sliding the proximal handle portion relative to the distal handle portion to retract the attachment feature of the biostimulator.