Method of and apparatus for navigating medical devices in body lumens

Abstract

A guide wire combined with a catheter or medical device for moving through a body lumen to a desired position in the body with the aid of an applied magnetic field. The guide wire is provided with a magnet on its distal end that can be oriented or oriented and moved by the application of a magnetic field to the magnet. A catheter or other medical device can be advanced over the guide wire. Once the medical device is in its desired position, the magnet can be withdrawn through the lumen of the catheter. Alternatively, a guide wire with a magnet on its distal end can be docked at the distal end of a catheter or medical device and can be oriented, or oriented and moved by the application of a magnetic field.

1 .- 20 . (canceled)  
   
   
       21 . A method of navigating a medical device having a proximal end portion, a distal end portion, and a magnetically responsive element disposed on the distal end portion of the medical device, the method comprising: 
 introducing the distal end portion of the medical device having the magnetically responsive element into a subject's body;    applying a magnetic field to the area of the subject in which the medical device is located, the magnetic field being effective for orienting the magnetically responsive element on the distal end portion of the medical device with the magnetic field, wherein the application of the magnetic field is controlled to allow an operator to guide the distal end portion of the medical device in a desired direction; and    applying a subsequent magnetic field to the area of the subject in which the medical device is located, the subsequent magnetic field being effective for pulling the magnetically responsive element on the distal end portion of the medical device to advance the medical device in the desired direction.    
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21  further comprising the steps of iteratively applying a magnetic field effective for orienting the magnetically responsive element on the distal end portion of the medical device with the magnetic field to re-orient the distal end in a desired direction, and a subsequent magnetic field effective for pulling the magnetically responsive element on the distal end portion of the medical device to advance the medical device in the desired direction, to incrementally guide the medical device to a desired location within a subject's body.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 21  further comprising the steps of advancing a catheter over the medical device, the catheter having a passage therethrough in which the medical device is received, such that the catheter may be advanced over the medical device to guide the catheter to where the distal end portion of the medical device is located within the subject's body.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 21  further comprising the steps of advancing an endoscope over the medical device, the catheter having a passage therethrough in which the medical device is received, such that the endoscope may be advanced over the medical device to guide the endoscope to where the distal end portion of the medical device is located within the subject's body.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 21  further comprising the step of pushing the proximal end portion of the medical device to assist in advancing the medical device in the desired direction.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 23  further comprising the step of retracting the medical device from the catheter once the catheter has been guided to a desired location within the subject's body.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 24  further comprising the step of retracting the medical device from the endoscope once the endoscope has been guided to a desired location within the subject's body.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the medical device is inserted within the vasculature of a subject's body.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the magnetic field is applied from a location external to the subject.  
   
   
       30 . A method of navigating a catheter device having a passageway therein through a subject's body, the method comprising: 
 introducing the distal end portion of the catheter device into a subject's body;    introducing the distal end portion of a medical device into the passage in the catheter device, the medical device having a proximal end portion, a distal end portion, and a magnetically responsive element disposed on the distal end portion of the medical device;    applying a magnetic field to the area of the subject in which the medical device is located, the magnetic field being effective for orienting the magnetically responsive element on the distal end portion of the medical device with the magnetic field, wherein the application of the magnetic field is controlled to allow an operator to guide the distal end portion of the medical device in a desired direction;    applying a subsequent magnetic field to the area of the subject in which the medical device is located, the subsequent magnetic field being effective for pulling the magnetically responsive element on the distal end portion of the medical device to advance the medical device in the desired direction; and    advancing the catheter device, if necessary, over the medical device received within the passage in the catheter device.    
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 30  further comprising the steps of iteratively applying a magnetic field effective for orienting the magnetically responsive element on the distal end portion of the medical device with the magnetic field to re-orient the distal end in a desired direction, and a subsequent magnetic field effective for pulling the magnetically responsive element on the distal end portion of the medical device to advance the medical device in the desired direction, to incrementally guide the medical device to a desired location within a subject's body.  
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 30  further comprising the step of pushing the proximal end portion of the medical device to assist the subsequent magnetic field in advancing the medical device in the desired direction.  
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 30  wherein the catheter device is advanced over the medical device by pushing the proximal end portion of the catheter device to advance the catheter device towards the distal end portion of the medical device.  
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 31  further comprising the step of retracting the medical device from the catheter once the catheter device has been guided to a desired location within the subject's body.  
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 30  wherein the medical device is inserted within the vasculature of a subject's body.  
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 34  wherein the medical device comprises a guide wire having a distal end portion including a core wire on which the magnetically responsive element is disposed, the distal end portion being sufficiently flexible adjacent the magnetically responsive element to allow the wire to flex in response to a magnetic field applied to the magnetically responsive element.  
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 30  wherein the magnetic field is applied from a location external to the subject.  
   
   
       38 . A method of navigating a medical device having a proximal end portion, a distal end portion, and a magnetically responsive element disposed on the distal end portion of the medical device, the method comprising: 
 introducing the distal end portion of the medical device having the magnetically responsive element into a subject's body;    applying a magnetic field to the area of the subject in which the medical device is located, the magnetic field being effective for orienting the magnetically responsive element on the distal end portion of the medical device with the magnetic field, wherein the application of the magnetic field is controlled to allow an operator to guide the distal end portion of the medical device in a desired direction; and    pushing the proximal end of the medical device, while the magnetic field is being applied to orient the magnetically responsive element on the distal end portion of the medical device with the magnetic field, to advance the medical device in the desired direction.    
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 38  further comprising the steps of iteratively applying a magnetic field effective for orienting the magnetically responsive element on the distal end portion of the medical device with the magnetic field to re-orient the distal end in a desired direction, and pushing the proximal end of the medical device to advance the medical device in the desired direction, to incrementally guide the medical device to a desired location within a subject's body.  
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 39  further comprising the steps of advancing a catheter over the medical device, the catheter having a passage therethrough in which the medical device is received, such that the catheter may be advanced over the medical device to guide the catheter to where the distal end portion of the medical device is located within the subject's body.