Torque apparatus for use with a guidewire

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9814864-B2
Application number	US-201313896360-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 17, 2013
Priority date	May 17, 2013
Publication date	Nov 14, 2017
Grant date	Nov 14, 2017

Abstract

A torque apparatus for facilitating manipulation of a guidewire includes a handle member dimensioned for engagement by a clinician and defining a longitudinal axis and a torque member mounted to the handle member. The torque member defines a lumen configured for reception and passage of a guidewire and is configured to rotate relative to the handle member to impart rotational movement to the guidewire. A gripper member associated with the torque member is adapted to releasably secure the guidewire relative to the torque member and a trigger member depending from the handle member is actuable to cause the gripper member to release the guidewire to thereby permit the guidewire to be moved within the lumen of the torque member. An actuator is operatively coupled to the torque member and is movable to impart rotational movement to the torque member to thereby cause corresponding rotational movement of the guidewire.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A torque apparatus for manipulation of a guidewire, the torque apparatus comprising:
a handle member dimensioned for engagement by a clinician and defining a longitudinal axis;
a torque member mounted to the handle member and defining a lumen configured for reception and passage of a guidewire, the torque member being configured to rotate about the longitudinal axis and relative to the handle member to impart rotational movement to the guidewire;
a gripper member associated with the torque member, the gripper member adapted to releasably secure the guidewire relative to the torque member;
a trigger member depending from the handle member and operatively coupled to the gripper member, the trigger member actuable to cause the gripper member to release the guidewire to thereby permit the guidewire to move through the lumen of the torque member; and
an actuator operatively coupled to the torque member, the actuator rotatable to impart rotational movement to the torque member to thereby cause corresponding rotational movement of the guidewire.

2. The torque apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a counter member associated with the torque member, the counter member dimensioned and adapted to count incremental rotational movements of the torque member.

3. The torque apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the gripper member is movable between a first engaged position in engagement with the guidewire to substantially prevent movement of the guidewire through the lumen of the torque member and to operatively couple the guidewire to the torque member whereby rotational movement of the torque member causes corresponding rotational movement of the guidewire, and a second release position released from the guidewire to permit movement of the guidewire through the lumen.

4. The torque apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the gripper member is biased to the first engaged position.

5. The torque apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the trigger member is adapted for pivotal movement relative to the handle member between an initial position corresponding to the first engaged position of the gripper member and a pivoted position corresponding to the second release position of the gripper member.

6. The torque apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the trigger member is biased to the initial position.

7. The torque apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the torque member includes a shaft defining the lumen therethrough for reception of the guidewire and the gripper member includes at least one spring member mounted to the shaft, the at least one spring member arranged to engage the guidewire in general secured frictional relation therewith when the gripper member is the first engaged position and arranged to release the guidewire when the gripper member is in the second release position.

8. The torque apparatus according to claim 7 including a plurality of spring members extending in a general longitudinal direction with respect to the longitudinal axis.

9. The torque apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the handle member defines a substantially pistol grip arrangement.

10. The torque apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the actuator is concentric with the longitudinal axis.

11. A method comprising:
actuating a trigger member of a torque apparatus to permit movement of a guidewire within a lumen of the torque apparatus, the trigger member being actuable by a finger on a first hand of a user, wherein the torque apparatus comprises:
a handle member dimensioned for engagement by the user and defining a longitudinal axis;
a torque member mounted to the handle member and defining the lumen configured for reception and passage of the guidewire, the torque member being configured to rotate about the longitudinal axis and relative to the handle member to impart rotational movement to the guidewire;
a gripper member associated with the torque member, the gripper member adapted to releasably secure the guidewire relative to the torque member;
the trigger member depending from the handle member and operatively coupled to the gripper member, the trigger member actuable to cause the gripper member to release the guidewire to thereby permit the guidewire to move through the lumen of the torque member; and
an actuator operatively coupled to the torque member, the actuator rotatable to impart rotational movement to the torque member to thereby cause corresponding rotational movement of the guidewire;

releasing the trigger member to secure the guidewire within the lumen of the torque apparatus;
advancing the guidewire by moving the torque apparatus;
torquing the guidewire by rotating the actuator of the torque apparatus, the actuator being rotatable by a thumb on the first hand of the user;
actuating the trigger member to release the guidewire and permit movement of the guidewire within the lumen, the trigger member being actuable by the finger; and
releasing the trigger member to secure the guidewire within the lumen of the torque apparatus.

12. The method according to claim 11 wherein the torque apparatus further comprises a counter member associated with the torque member, the counter member dimensioned and adapted to count incremental rotational movements of the torque member.

13. The method according to claim 11 ,
wherein releasing the trigger member to secure the guidewire within the lumen of the torque apparatus comprises moving the gripper member to a first engaged position, in which the gripper member is in engagement with the guidewire to substantially prevent movement of the guidewire through the lumen of the torque member and operatively couples the guidewire to the torque member whereby rotational movement of the torque member causes corresponding rotational movement of the guidewire; and
wherein actuating the trigger member to release the guidewire and permit movement of the guidewire within the lumen comprises moving the gripper member to a second release position released from the guidewire to permit movement of the guidewire through the lumen.

14. The method according to claim 13 wherein the gripper member is biased to the first engaged position.

15. The method according to claim 13 , wherein moving the gripper member to the first engaged position comprises pivoting the trigger member relative to the handle member to an initial position corresponding to the first engaged position of the gripper member, and
wherein moving the gripper member to the second release position comprises, moving the gripper member to a pivoted position corresponding to the second release position.

16. The method according to claim 15 wherein the trigger member is biased to the initial position.

17. The method according to claim 16 wherein the torque member includes a shaft defining the lumen therethrough for reception of the guidewire and the gripper member includes at least one spring member mounted to the shaft, the at least one spring member arranged to engage the guidewire in general secured frictional relation therewith when the gripper member is the first engaged position and arranged to release the guidewire when the gripper member is in the second release position.

18. The method according to claim 17 wherein the at least one spring member includes a plurality of spring members extending in a general longitudinal direction with respect to the longitudinal axis.

19. The method according to claim 11 wherein the handle member defines a substantially pistol grip arrangement.

20. The me

Assignees

• Covidien Lp

Inventors

• Scarpine Frank
• Burns Lawrence Craig

Classifications

• A61M25/09041 Primary

  Mechanisms for insertion of guide wires · CPC title

• A61M2025/09125

  Device for locking a guide wire in a fixed position with respect to the catheter or the human body · CPC title

• A61M2025/09116

  Design of handles or shafts or gripping surfaces thereof for manipulating guide wires · CPC title