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 . An assembly formed by a clinician for treating a lesion in a body lumen to enlarge a passageway in the body lumen, the assembly comprising a separate cutting member and a separate tracking member initially unattached to the cutting member, the cutting member having a proximal portion, a distal portion and a coupler for the clinician to couple the separate tracking member to the cutting member to form the assembly, the assembly having the proximal portion of the cutting member and the proximal portion of the tracking member extending outside the body and separated for insertion of a member over the tracking member and not over the cutting member such that the tracking member is internal of the member and the cutting member is external of the member, the coupler having an opening dimensioned to receive the tracking member, the cutting member with coupled tracking member being insertable into the body lumen as a unit, the cutting member configured for movement by the member inserted over the tracking member 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. 
     
     
         2 - 19 . (canceled)