Method for removing kidney stones

Abstract

A method for removing a kidney stone from a ureter may involve: advancing a distal end of an elongate, flexible kidney stone removal device into the ureter to a location near the kidney stone; advancing an expandable stone retention member out of an inner shaft of the device; visualizing at least part of the stone retention member with a camera disposed coaxially within the stone retention member; trapping the kidney stone in the stone retention member; surrounding at least a portion of the stone retention member and the trapped kidney stone with a wall protection member on the distal end of the kidney stone removal device; and removing the kidney stone removal device from the ureter while the stone retention member and the kidney stone are at least partially surrounded by the wall protection member.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for removing a kidney stone from a ureter, the method comprising:
 advancing a distal end of an elongate, flexible kidney stone removal device into the ureter to a location near the kidney stone;   exposing an expandable, stone retention portion of a stone retention member out of a distal end of an inner shaft of the stone removal device, to allow the stone retention portion to expand;   visualizing at least part of the stone retention member with a camera disposed coaxially within a retention member shaft of the stone retention member so that a distal end of the camera is located at or near a distal end of the inner shaft;   trapping the kidney stone in the stone retention portion of the stone retention member;   surrounding at least a portion of the stone retention member and the trapped kidney stone with a ureteral wall protection member disposed on the distal end of the kidney stone removal device, wherein a first end of the wall protection member is attached to an outer shaft of the device and a second end of the wall protection member is attached to a wall protection member shaft disposed between the inner and outer shafts; and   removing the kidney stone removal device from the ureter while the stone retention member and the kidney stone are at least partially surrounded by the wall protection member.   
     
     
         2 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein the camera is disposed in the stone retention member shaft such that a distal end of the camera is located at or near a distal end of the inner shaft. 
     
     
         3 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein the surrounding step comprises moving the stone retention portion and the trapped kidney stone into the wall protection member. 
     
     
         4 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein the ureteral wall protection member comprises an inflatable balloon, the method further comprising inflating the balloon. 
     
     
         5 . A method as in  claim 4 , wherein surrounding at least part of the stone retention member and the trapped kidney stone invaginates the balloon. 
     
     
         6 . A method as in  claim 5 , wherein the surrounding step automatically partially deflates the balloon and thus causes a plunger of an inflation syringe used to inflate the balloon to retract. 
     
     
         7 . A method as in  claim 4 , wherein the balloon is inflated before the surrounding step. 
     
     
         8 . A method as in  claim 7 , wherein the kidney stone removal device is advanced at least part of the way to the location with the inner shaft extended out of the outer shaft and the wall protection member shaft of the device. 
     
     
         9 . A method as in  claim 4 , further comprising inflating the balloon at least one additional time during the step of removing the device from the ureter to dilate at least one of a stricture or a narrowing of the ureter. 
     
     
         10 . A method as in  claim 9 , further comprising at least partially deflating the balloon at least one time during the step of removing the device from the ureter. 
     
     
         11 . A method as in  claim 1 , further comprising passing a fluid comprising at least one of irrigation fluid, lubrication fluid or anesthetic out of the kidney stone removal device in an area near the kidney stone. 
     
     
         12 . A method as in  claim 11 , wherein passing the fluid comprises passing the fluid through a space between two of the shafts of the device. 
     
     
         13 . A method as in  claim 1 , further comprising removing the camera from the device after use. 
     
     
         14 . A method as in  claim 1 , further comprising, before exposing the stone retention portion, advancing the device so that the distal end of the inner shaft is located on an opposite side of the kidney stone from the outer shaft. 
     
     
         15 . A method as in  claim 14 , wherein trapping the stone comprises retracting the stone removal device to trap the stone in the stone retention portion of the stone retention member. 
     
     
         16 . A method as in  claim 15 , wherein the surrounding step comprises moving the stone retention portion and the trapped kidney stone into the wall protection member. 
     
     
         17 . A method as in  claim 1 , further comprising visualizing at least one of the trapping, surrounding or removing steps, using the camera.