Biostimulator retrieval system having cincher tube

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12433640-B2
Application number	US-202217862238-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 11, 2022
Priority date	May 3, 2019
Publication date	Oct 7, 2025
Grant date	Oct 7, 2025

Abstract

A retrieval system for a biostimulator, such as a leadless cardiac pacemaker, is described. The biostimulator retrieval system includes a docking cap rotatably coupled to an outer catheter by a bearing. A torque shaft extends through the outer catheter and attaches to the docking cap to transmit torque to the docking cap to cause rotation of the docking cap relative to the outer catheter. The rotating docking cap can transmit torque to an attachment feature of a biostimulator received within the docking cap. The attachment feature can be captured by a snare that extends through the torque shaft. A cincher tube extends through the torque shaft around the snare, and advances over the snare independently from the torque shaft that is attached to the docking cap, to cinch the snare onto the attachment feature. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

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.

2. The biostimulator retrieval system of claim 1 , wherein the cincher tube has a tube wall in sliding contact with the snare within the shaft lumen.

3. The biostimulator retrieval system of claim 2 , wherein the tube wall has a solid inner surface over a tube length of the cincher tube.

4. The biostimulator retrieval system of claim 2 , wherein the cincher tube includes a distal tube portion coupled to a proximal tube portion, wherein the tube wall in the distal tube portion is more flexible than the tube wall in the proximal tube portion and the distal tube portion has a plurality of tubular layers.

5. The biostimulator retrieval system of claim 4 , wherein the tube wall in the proximal tube portion includes a metallic tube.

6. The biostimulator retrieval system of claim 1 , wherein the proximal handle portion is rotatable relative to the distal handle portion.

7. The biostimulator retrieval system of claim 6 , wherein rotational movement of the proximal handle portion relative to the distal handle portion is transmitted to the inner shaft.

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.

9. The biostimulator retrieval system of claim 8 , wherein the cincher tube has a tube wall in sliding contact with the snare within the shaft lumen.

10. The biostimulator retrieval system of claim 9 , wherein the tube wall has a solid inner surface.

11. The biostimulator retrieval system of claim 9 , wherein the cincher tube includes a distal tube portion coupled to a proximal tube portion, wherein the tube wall in the distal tube portion is more flexible than the tube wall in the proximal tube portion and the distal tube portion has a plurality of tubular layers.

12. The biostimulator retrieval system of claim 11 , wherein the tube wall in the proximal tube portion includes a metallic tube.

13. The biostimulator retrieval system of claim 8 , wherein the snare shroud is coupled to the handle, and wherein rotation of the snare shroud relative to the handle locks the snare relative to the cincher tube.

14. The biostimulator retrieval system of claim 8 , wherein the handle includes a proximal handle portion rotatable relative to a distal handle portion.

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.

16. The biostimulator retrieval system of claim 15 , wherein the c

Assignees

• Pacesetter Inc

Inventors

• Rickheim David
• Coyle Daniel
• Weber Adam

Classifications

• A61B17/3468

  for implanting or removing devices, e.g. prostheses, implants, seeds, wires (devices for implanting seeds A61M37/0069) · CPC title

• A61B2017/00358

  Snares for grasping · CPC title

• A61N1/3756 Primary

  Casings with electrodes thereon, e.g. leadless stimulators · CPC title

• A61B2017/00367

  Details of actuation of instruments, e.g. relations between pushing buttons, or the like, and activation of the tool, working tip, or the like · CPC title

• A61B17/221

  Gripping devices in the form of loops or baskets {for gripping calculi or similar types of obstructions (surgical snare instruments A61B17/32056)} · CPC title