Methods, devices and therapeutic platform for automated, selectable, soft tissue resection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10835312-B2
Application number	US-201514615750-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 6, 2015
Priority date	Apr 16, 2013
Publication date	Nov 17, 2020
Grant date	Nov 17, 2020

Abstract

An excisional device may comprise an introducer comprising a distal trough portion and a cutting assembly. The cutting assembly may comprise an axial hand element configured to selectively bow out of and away from the distal trough portion and to retract into the distal trough portion and a helical cutting element wound around the axial band element. A rotating drum may be provided to cause the cutting assembly to selectively rotate, bow and retract according to a mechanically-driven first cutting profile that is defined by a shape of a channel formed in the drum. An optical guidance projector assembly may be coupled to the excisional device and may be configured to visually indicate when a distal portion of the excisional device is aligned with an imaging plane of an imaging probe and in a desired position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An excisional device, comprising:
an introducer comprising a distal trough portion; and
a cutting assembly disposed within the introducer and comprising:
an axial band element comprising an outer circumference and configured to selectively change shape and extend out of and away from the distal trough portion and retract back into the distal trough portion; and
a helical cutting element wound fully around the outer circumference of the axial band element and configured for rotation about the outer circumference of the axial band element, the helical cutting element comprising coils that are spaced apart to define interstitial empty spaces between adjacent coils such that the interstitial empty spaces expose the axial band element between adjacent coils.

2. The excisional device of claim 1 , wherein the axial band element comprises at least one opening configured to enable and evacuation and delivery of at least one of smoke and a fluid at least through the interstitial empty spaces between adjacent coils.

3. The excisional device of claim 1 , wherein the axial band comprises at least one edge.

4. The excisional device of claim 1 , wherein the helical cutting element is configured to be energized with radio frequency (RF) energy.

5. The excisional device of claim 1 , wherein the axial band element comprises a first axial band and a second axial band disposed adjacent and coupled to the first axial band.

6. The excisional device of claim 5 , further comprising an insulating layer disposed between the first axial band and the second axial band.

7. The excisional device of claim 1 , wherein the helical cutting element is configured to rotate while the axial band element extends out of and back into the distal trough portion.

8. The excisional device of claim 1 , wherein the interstitial empty spaces between adjacent coils reveals portions of the axial band around which the helical coil element is wound.

9. The excisional device of claim 1 , wherein the device is configured for bipolar RF operation.

10. The excisional device of claim 9 , wherein the axial band has a same electrical polarity as does the helical cutting element.

11. The excisional device of claim 9 , wherein the axial band has a different electrical polarity as does the helical cutting element.

12. A bipolar radio frequency (RF) excisional device, comprising:
an introducer comprising a distal trough portion; and
a cutting assembly disposed within the introducer and comprising:
an axial band element comprising an outer circumference and configured to selectively change shape and extend out of and away from the distal trough portion and retract back into the distal trough portion; and
a helical cutting element wound fully around the outer circumference of the axial band element and configured for rotation about the outer circumference of axial band element,
wherein at least one of the introducer, the axial band element and the helical cutting element is charged with RF energy of a first electrical polarity and at least one other of the introducer, the axial band element and the helical cutting element is charged with RF energy of a second electrical polarity that is opposite the first electrical polarity.

13. The excisional device of claim 12 , wherein the axial band element is charged to the first polarity and the helical cutting element is charged to the second polarity.

14. The excisional device of claim 12 , wherein the introducer is charged to the first electrical polarity and wherein both the axial band element and the helical cutting element are charged to the second polarity.

15. The excisional device of claim 12 , wherein the axial band comprises at least one edge.

16. The excisional device of claim 12 , wherein the axial band element comprises a first axial band and a second axial band disposed adjacent and coupled to the first axial band.

17. The excisional device of claim 16 , further comprising an insulating layer disposed between the first axial band and the second axial band.

18. The excisional device of claim 12 , wherein the helical cutting element is configured to rotate while the axial band element extends out of or retracts back into the distal trough portion.

19. The excisional device of claim 12 , wherein the helical cutting element comprises coils that are spaced apart to define interstitial empty spaces between adjacent coils.

20. The excisional device of claim 19 , wherein the interstitial empty spaces between adjacent coils reveals portions of the axial band around which the helical coil element is wound.

21. An excisional device, comprising:
an introducer comprising a distal trough portion; and
a cutting assembly disposed within the introducer and comprising:
an axial band assembly comprising an outer circumference and configured to selectively change shape and extend out of and away from the distal trough portion and retract back into the distal trough portion, the axial band assembly comprising a first axial band element and a second, generally co-extensive second axial band element coupled to the first axial band element; and
a helical cutting element wound fully around the outer circumference of the axial band assembly and configured for rotation about the outer circumference of the axial band assembly.

22. The excisional device of claim 21 , wherein at least one of the first and second axial band elements defines an edge.

23. The excisional device of claim 21 , further comprising an insulating coating disposed on at least a portion of the first and second axial band elements.

24. The excisional device of claim 21 , wherein at least one of the first and second axial band elements comprises at least one opening configured to enable and evacuation and delivery of at least one of smoke and a fluid.

25. The excisional device of claim 21 , further comprising an insulating layer disposed between the first axial band element and the second axial band element.

26. The excisional device of claim 21 , wherein the helical cutting element is configured to be energized with radio frequency (RF) energy.

27. The excisional device of claim 26 , wherein the device is configured for bipolar RF operation.

28. The excisional device of claim 27 , wherein at least one of the first and second axial bands has a same electrical polarity as does the helical cutting element.

29. The excisional device of claim 27 , wherein the first and second axial bands have a different electrical polarity as does the helical cutting element.

30. The excisional device of claim 21 , wherein the helical cutting element is configured to rotate while the axial band element extends out of or retracts back into the distal trough portion.

31. The excisional device of claim 21 , wherein the helical cutting element comprises coils that are spaced apart to define interstitial empty spaces between adjacent coils that expose portions of the first and second axial bands around which the helical coil element is wound.

32. An excisional device, comprising:
an introducer comprising a distal end, the introducer defining a longitudinal axis; and
a cutting assembly comprising:
an axial band element comprising an outer circumference and configured to selectively change shape and extend away from the longitudinal ax

Assignees

• Transmed7 Llc

Inventors

• Vetter James W

Classifications

• A61B2018/00208

  actively driven, e.g. by a motor · CPC title

• A61B2090/378

  using ultrasound · CPC title

• A61B2018/00982

  combined with or comprising means for visual or photographic inspections inside the body, e.g. endoscopes · CPC title

• A61B2018/141

  Snare · CPC title

• A61B2018/1435

  Spiral · CPC title