The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 06, 1993
Filed:
Jan. 13, 1992
Gary W Gomringer, La Mesa, CA (US);
Thomas A Trozera, Del Mar, CA (US);
Interventional Technologies, Inc., San Diego, CA (US);
Abstract
An expandable endarterectomy cutting tool for use in incising plaque at a stenosis in an artery of a patient includes a guide wire, an over-the-wire catheter, and a camming mechanism which is attached near the distal end of the guide wire. The cam mechanism is formed with a plurality of ramps which incline outwardly from the guide wire in a distal direction along the guide wire. A plurality of tethers each have one end attached to the catheter and their other end slidably mounted on one of the ramps in the camming mechanism. A cutting blade is attached to each tether near the end of the tether in the ramp so that as the guide wire is pulled in a proximal direction relative to the catheter, the blades are pushed by the tether up their respective ramp to be radially extended from the cam mechanism. On the other hand, pushing the guide wire in a distal direction relative to the catheter will draw each extended blade back down its respective ramp to retract the blades. In operation, the cam mechanism of the tool is placed distal to the stenosis and the blades are extended. The blades are then drawn across the plaque in the stenosis to weaken the plaque for subsequent dilation of the artery in an angioplasty procedure. The blades are then retracted and the tool is withdrawn from the artery.