Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.

Scimed Life Systems, Inc.

William R Little

Ronald A Sahatjian

James A Teague

David W Robertson

Arthur R Madenjian

James W Riley

Jason W Kear

Stabilizing an object in the body of a patient involves the injection of a lower critical solution temperature (LCST) material or other flowable material into the body of the patient so that the material contacts the object. The LCST material or other flowable material then forms a gel in the body such that the object is contained at least partially within the gel and thereby stabilized by the gel such that the object can then be easily fragmented within the body and/or retrieved from the body.

Immobilizing objects in the body

The invention relates to a medical retrieval device with a basket that has at least one leg that is frangible (i.e., easily breakable) and/or able to dissociate from at least one other leg upon the application of a predetermined force to the basket. The invention allows an operator to release captured material (e.g., a stone) from the basket when the device is still inserted in the body. In an embodiment, the basket legs associate by a magnetic interaction that can be overcome by applying a predetermined force to the basket. In another embodiment, at least a portion of at least one basket leg is made from, or coated with, a substance that is adhesive or that joins at least two legs together when the substance is solid but which melts, dissolves or weakens upon the application of an electrical, thermal or chemical change. In yet another embodiment, the invention provides a basket with at least two legs that are joined together by a joining member that can break, or from which one or more legs can dissociate, upon the application of a predetermined force. In yet another embodiment, the invention provides a basket with at least two legs that are joined together by a joining member by means of at least one shear pin that can break upon the application of a predetermined force.

Medical retrieval device with frangible basket

An embodiment of a medical retrieval device includes a sheath having a proximal end and a distal end, a handle at the proximal end of the sheath, and a basket. The basket has a collapsed position when the basket is within the sheath and collapsed and an expanded position when the basket is positioned beyond the distal end of the sheath and expanded. The basket includes a plurality of legs, at least one leg having a frangible portion wherein the at least one leg breaks upon application of a predetermined force to the basket. A distal portion of the plurality of legs may be formed from a single piece of material.

Growing community of inventors

Medway, MA, United States of America

William R Little