Arrow Precision Products, Inc.

Ballard Medical Products, Inc.

Medical Innovations, LLC

Damond C Holsinger

George W Weaver

Harold Jacob

David F Leighton

Edward B Madsen

Multi-lumen catheters are intended for advancement through the accessory channel on endoscope into a body passage into the gastrointestinal system. The catheters have two or more independent lumens extending continuously to ports at the distal tip for injection of a contrast medium simultaneously with a guide wire for ERCP procedures and for passage of accessories such as visualization devices, polypectomy snares, cytology brushes, papillotomes and stone baskets for catheterization, diagnosis and treatment within the biliary tract. Use of balloons for maintaining a catheter in fixed position in the biliary tract and for dilatation is also disclosed. The catheters employed are extrusions of a resin comprised of nylon and PEBA. The catheters may also be extruded from polyurethane. Multi-lumen catheters having a reduced diameter distal tip portion on which a dilatation balloon is located are also disclosed. The reduced diameter distal tip portion may serve as a platform for support of a stent.

Multi-lumen endoscopic catheter

A surgical apparatus is provided having a first instrument and a second instrument which are independently operable, but may be used in tandem. The first instrument may comprise a needle and the second instrument may comprise a snare for cutting, excising, or trapping tissue. An actuator extends the needle a fixed first length relative to a distal end of the catheter for independently extending or retracting the second instrument a variable second length relative to the catheter distal end. The needle may be biased to retract relative to the distal end of the catheter. The actuator has a support and a slider. The slider is connected to the support for movement in opposite directions relative the support to allow freedom of action. The first instrument is secured to the support and rail, and the second instrument is secured to the slider. A rail enables independent but non-simultaneous sliding movement of the first instrument, or needle, while the slider facilitates independent operation of the second instrument, or snare.

Surgical combination apparatus having first and second instruments operated from a common actuator

A surgical combination apparatus includes a first instrument (e.g., an injection needle), a second instrument (e.g., a snare) and a catheter for sheathing the first and second instruments. An actuator is included for extending the first instrument and the second instrument independent of each other. A biasing mechanism is also provided to bias the first instrument into a retracted position. A locking mechanism is also preferably provided to hold the first instrument in either the extended or retracted position.

Surgical combination apparatus having first and second instruments

An extension regulator for catheter carried medical instruments which extend from the distal end of the catheter or a point adjacent thereto, includes a regulator which is disposed on a hand-held deployment mechanism used to extend and retract the medical instrument. The deployment mechanism includes a body, and a sliding member which is attached to the connector and which slides along the body between a first position, wherein the medical instrument is retracted, and a second position wherein the medical instrument is fully extended. The regulator limits movement of the sliding member toward the second position to thereby limit extension of the medical instrument from the catheter.

Extension regulator for catheter carried medical instruments

A method of electrosurgically obtaining access to the biliary tree of a patient and visualizing a duct thereof using a catheter having at least a first lumen and a second lumen defined therethrough, each lumnen terminating in an opening defined at a distal end of the catheter, the first lumen of the catheter having a needle-knife disposed therein and the second lumen of the catheter enabling infusion of a contrast medium to visualize the duct of the patient while the needle-knife remains in the first lumen of the catheter, the needle-knife having a distal end and being connected to a deployment mechanism at a proximal end of the catheter for extending and retracting the needle-knife between a deployed position and a fully sheathed position relative to the distal end of the catheter, the deployment mechanism having an adjustable stop for adjusting the distance between the distal end of the needle-knife and the distal end of the catheter, the needle-knife electrically communicating with a power source to enable the operator to electrosurgically incise tissue in the duct of the patient.

Method for electrosurgically obtaining access to the biliary tree with

A surgical apparatus for simultaneously deploying a first instrument while retrieving a second instrument from the distal end of a sheath and vice versa with a single stroke actuator. The actuator includes an elongated support having a provision for grasping at one end thereof, a first sliding member having provisions for grasping and which is movable in first and second directions relative to the support, and a second sliding member operably coupled to the first sliding member such that translation of the first and second sliding members is in opposite directions relative to the support. The first sliding member is connected to the first instrument and the second sliding member is connected to the second instrument.

Surgical combination inject and snare apparatus

A method of electrosurgically obtaining access to the biliary tree of a patient and visualizing a duct thereof using a catheter having a least a first lumen and a second lumen. The first lumen has a needle-knife disposed therein, which knife may be moved between a deployed position and a sheathed position and is in electrical communication with a power source. The method includes the steps of (1) inserting the catheter through an endoscope and into the duodenum of a patient proximal to the entrance to the common bile duct, (2) deploying the needle-knife, (3) manipulating the needle-knife and applying current thereto to incise tissue proximal to the entrance to the common bile duct, (4) withdrawing the needle-knife into the sheathed position, (5) advancing the catheter into the common bile duct to a desired location within said duct; and (6) infusing a contrast medium through a second lumen of the catheter to visualize the common bile duct through the use of the contrast medium while the needle-knife remains in the first lumen of the catheter.

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New Holland, PA, United States of America

Damond C Holsinger