Cutting wire assembly for use with a catheter

Abstract

A method of treating a lesion in a body lumen to enlarge a passageway in the lumen including providing a cutting member, connecting a tracking member to the cutting member to form an assembly, inserting the connected cutting member and tracking member through a first lumen of a catheter, withdrawing the catheter from the cutting member and tracking member, inserting the catheter over the tracking member and leaving the cutting member outside the catheter, and expanding a portion of the catheter to move the cutting member into cutting contact with the lesion. A device for treating a lesion in a body lumen including a cutting member having a coupler to connect a tracking member is also provided.

1 - 16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . A device for treating a lesion in a body lumen to enlarge a passageway in the body lumen, the device comprising a cutting member having a proximal portion, a distal portion and a coupler for coupling a separate tracking member to the cutting member by a clinician, the cutting member with coupled tracking member being insertable into the body lumen as a unit, the cutting member configured for movement in a direction transverse to a longitudinal axis of the tracking member to widen a gap between the cutting member and tracking member at least at a distal region. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 17 , wherein the cutting member has a cutting surface on a first surface opposite a second surface facing the tracking member. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein the second surface has a convex surface. 
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 17 , wherein the tracking member and cutting member are composed of wires and the coupler includes a collar at the distal portion of the cutting member. 
     
     
         21 . The device of  claim 17 , wherein the cutting member is a wire and the tracking member is a wire. 
     
     
         22 . The device of  claim 21 , wherein the cutting member has a cutting surface on a first surface opposite a second surface facing the tracking member, and transverse movement of the cutting member moves the cutting surface into contact with the lesion. 
     
     
         23 . The device of  claim 20 , wherein the collar includes a lumen and the tracking member is frictionally engaged within the lumen. 
     
     
         24 . The device of  claim 17 , wherein a length of the tracking member exceeds a length of the cutting member. 
     
     
         25 . The device of  claim 17 , wherein the cutting member has a first portion of a first configuration and a second portion of a second configuration, the second portion including a cutting surface and the first portion being atraumatic. 
     
     
         26 . The device of  claim 17 , wherein the coupler is a separate component from the cutting member. 
     
     
         27 . The device of  claim 17 , wherein the coupler is integral with the cutting member. 
     
     
         28 . The device of  claim 17 , further comprising a second cutting member coupled to the coupler and configured for movement in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the tracking member to widen a gap between the second cutting member and tracking member. 
     
     
         29 . A device for treating a lesion in a body lumen to enlarge a passageway in the body lumen, the device comprising at least one cutting member having a proximal portion, a distal portion and a coupler for coupling a separate tracking member to the at least one cutting member by a clinician to form a cutting assembly, the cutting member having a cutting surface engageable with the lesion, the cutting assembly being insertable into the body lumen and advanceable to a region adjacent the lesion, the cutting member configured by application of a radial force for movement in a direction transverse to the tracking member to widen a gap between the cutting member and tracking member so at least at a distal region so the cutting surface of the cutting member applies a cutting action to the lesion. 
     
     
         30 . The device of  claim 29 , wherein the coupler is attached to the distal portion of the cutting member. 
     
     
         31 . The device of  claim 29 , wherein the cutting surface is positioned on a distal region of the cutting member and other portions of the cutting member are atraumatic. 
     
     
         32 . The device of  claim 29 , wherein the cutting member is a wire. 
     
     
         33 . The device of  claim 29 , wherein the tracking member is a guidewire. 
     
     
         34 . The device of  claim 29 , wherein the at least one cutting member includes two cutting members movable in different directions with respect to the tracking member.