Methods and Systems for Capturing and Removing Urinary Stones from Body Cavities

Abstract

A stone capture device comprises a shaft with a deployable sweeping structure at its distal end. The shaft is adapted to be removably placed over and connected to a conventional ureteroscope. The combination of the stone capture device and ureteroscope can be introduced into the urinary tract to capture, fragment, and remove stones from the bladder and kidney.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for removing a stone from a body cavity selected from the group consisting of a kidney and a bladder, said method comprising:
 introducing a viewing scope having an optical element at its distal end into an open volume of the body cavity;   deploying a perforate sweeping structure from the distal end of the viewing scope;   steering and advancing the viewing scope within the open volume to engage the perforate sweeping structure against the stone and urge the stone against an entrapping structure to capture the stone between the sweeping structure and the entrapping structure; and   applying energy through the viewing scope against the captured stone to break up the stone and produce stone fragments.   
     
     
         2 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein the entrapping structure is a wall structure of the body structure. 
     
     
         3 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein the viewing scope is introduced transluminally. 
     
     
         4 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein the viewing scope is introduced percutaneously. 
     
     
         5 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein deploying the perforate sweeping structure comprises foreshortening a tubular structure disposed over a distal portion of the viewing scope to a concave structure which extends distally from the distal end of the viewing scope and surrounds the optical element, wherein the width of the concave structure is determined by the amount of foreshortening. 
     
     
         6 . A method as in  claim 5 , wherein the concave structure has a generally conical or hemispherical geometry. 
     
     
         7 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein deploying the perforate sweeping structure comprises opening a collapsed structure extending distally from the distal end of the viewing scope to a concave structure extending distally from the viewing structure and surrounding the optical element. 
     
     
         8 . A method as in  claim 7 , wherein the concave structure has a generally conical or hemispherical geometry. 
     
     
         9 . A method as in  claim 5 , further comprising steering the viewing scope within the body cavity while said distal portion of the viewing scope is within the tubular configuration of the sweeping structure and the sweeping structure is sufficiently flexible to allow such steering. 
     
     
         10 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein deploying the sweeping structure comprises advancing a carrier sleeve over the viewing scope and advancing a self-opening sweeping structure from the carrier sleeve. 
     
     
         11 . A method as in  claim 10 , further comprising retracting the sweeping structure back into the carrier sleeve after stone fragments have been captured in said sweeping agent. 
     
     
         12 . A method as in  claim 10 , further comprising advancing the carrier sleeve over the viewing scope in as a monorail deployment. 
     
     
         13 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein the deployed perforate structure is sufficiently rigid to engage and manipulate stones while being sufficiently porous to allow fluids to pass freely. 
     
     
         14 . A method as in  claim 10 , wherein the porosity of the deployed perforate structure will not allow stones or stone fragments larger than 2 mm in any dimension to pass. 
     
     
         15 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein applying energy comprises advancing an energy applying tool through a working channel of the viewing scope. 
     
     
         16 . A method as in  claim 15 , wherein applying energy comprises delivering light energy and the energy applying tool comprises a laser fiber. 
     
     
         17 . A method as in  claim 15 , wherein applying energy comprises delivering ultrasonic energy and the energy applying tool comprises a sonic transmission column. 
     
     
         18 . A method as in  claim 15 , wherein applying energy comprises delivering mechanical or pneumatic energy. 
     
     
         19 . A method as in  claim 1 , further comprising viewing the stone using the optical element of the viewing scope while steering and advancing the perforate sweeping structure distally from the viewing scope to engage and capture the stone. 
     
     
         20 . A method as in  claim 1 , further comprising viewing the stone using the optical element of the viewing scope while applying energy through the viewing scope against the captured stone. 
     
     
         21 . A method as in  claim 1 , further comprising irrigating a region around the captured stone to wash the stone fragments into the sweeping structure. 
     
     
         22 . A method as in  claim 21 , wherein the stone fragments are washed into and entrapped by the sweeping structure. 
     
     
         23 . A method as in  claim 22 , wherein the entrapped stone fragments do not obscure the view of the optical element. 
     
     
         24 . A method as in  claim 22 , further comprising closing the sweeping structure over the entrapped stone fragments to secure the fragments within the sweeping structure. 
     
     
         25 . A method as in  claim 24 , further comprising removing the viewing scope and the sweeping structure from the kidney. 
     
     
         26 . A method as in  claim 25 , further comprising removing he sweeping structure from the viewing scope, disposing of the sweeping structure, and reusing the viewing scope. 
     
     
         27 . A stone capture device for use with a steerable viewing scope, said device comprising:
 a sheath having a distal end, a proximal end, and a lumen positionable over a shaft of the viewing scope; and   a perforate sweeping structure extending distally from the distal end of the sheath, wherein the perforate sweeping structure is shiftable between a tubular configuration with a width about the same as that of the sheath and a concave configuration which increases in width in the distal direction, wherein a distal end of the steerable viewing scope is disposed within the concave sweeping structure when deployed.   
     
     
         28 . A device as in  claim 27 , further comprising:
 means for closing a distal end of the deployed concave sweeping structure to capture stone fragments therein.   
     
     
         29 . A device as in  claim 28 , wherein the means for closing a distal end of the deployed concave structure comprises a tether extending around the distal end of the deployed concave sweeping structure, wherein the tether can be drawn to close the distal end. 
     
     
         30 . A device as in  claim 29 , wherein the sweeping structure comprises woven or braided filaments arranged as a mesh tube which can be foreshortened to evert into a double-walled concave structure. 
     
     
         31 . A device as in  claim 29 , wherein the double-walled concave structure has a generally conical or hemispherical geometry. 
     
     
         32 . A device as in  claim 27 , wherein the sheath is configured to position the perforate sweeping structure distally over a distal region of the viewing scope while the sweeping structure is in the tubular configuration and to position the sweeping structure distally of the viewing scope while the sweeping structure is in its concave configuration. 
     
     
         33 . A device as in  claim 32 , wherein the sweeping structure in its tubular configuration is sufficiently bendable to allow steering of the viewing scope while the distal region is covered by the sweeping structure. 
     
     
         34 . A device as in  claim 33 , wherein the sweeping structure in its concave configuration is sufficiently stiff to engage stones within a body cavity and urge said stones against a cavity wall. 
     
     
         35 . A device as in  claim 27 , wherein the sweeping structure in its concave configuration has a width which is at least twice that of the sheath. 
     
     
         36 . A device as in  claim 35 , wherein the width of the sweeping structure is from twice to eight fold larger than the sheath width. 
     
     
         37 . A device as in  claim 27 , wherein the sheath has a length less than that of the shaft of the associated viewing scope. 
     
     
         38 . A device as in  claim 27 , wherein a distal end of the perforate sweeping structure is removably connectable to a distal end of the steerable viewing scope, wherein a proximal end of the structure can be distally advanced by the sheath to shift the sweeping structure from its tubular configuration to its conical configuration. 
     
     
         39 . A device as in  claim 27 , wherein a proximal end of the sweeping structure is connectable to a distal end of the steerable viewing scope, further comprising means for drawing the distal end of the sweeping structure proximally to shift the sweeping structure from its tubular configuration to its conical configuration. 
     
     
         40 . A device as in  claim 27 , further comprising a package wherein the device is maintained in the sterile package. 
     
     
         41 . A system for fragmenting and capturing a stone in a body cavity, said system comprising:
 a steerable viewing scope adapted for transureteral introduction to the kidney, said scope having a shaft with an optical viewing element at its distal end and a working channel; and   a device as in  claim 27 , wherein the device is receivable over the shaft of the steerable viewing scope.   
     
     
         42 . A system as in  claim 38 , further comprising an optical wave guide advanceable through the working channel and capable of delivering laser energy to ablate a stone captured by the sweeping structure of the stone capture device. 
     
     
         43 . A system as in  claim 42 , further comprises a mechanical tool advanceable through the working channel and capable of mechanically disrupting a stone capture by the sweeping structure of the stone capture device.