Method and apparatus for deploying and retrieving objects in a cavity

Abstract

The present invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for deploying and/or retrieving an object (e.g., a vena cava filter) in a cavity (e.g., a vena cava) using a system configured to: (i) maintain grip of the unsheathed object in the cavity until deliberately released, (ii) prevent premature release of the object in the cavity, and/or (iii) facilitate retrieval by first everting said object, then withdrawing the object through a guiding catheter (e.g., retrieval via eversion).

1 . A system configured to deliver an object to, and retrieve the object from, a location in a cavity, the system comprising:
 a guiding catheter configured to provide a conduit to and from the location for the object;   object deployment components configured to facilitate deployment of the object through the guiding catheter at the location in the cavity; and   a retention mechanism configured to secure the object while the object is in the cavity, the retention mechanism comprising:   (i) an outer tube with distal fingers that protrude distally through an opening in an end of the object; and   (ii) an inner rod or inner tube within the outer tube that prevents the distal fingers on the outer tube from collapsing;   wherein, responsive to the inner rod or inner tube being withdrawn proximally with respect to the outer tube, the distal fingers of the outer tube collapse to facilitate withdrawal of the distal fingers through the opening in the end of the object, and withdrawal of the inner rod or inner tube and the outer tube from the object, thereby releasing the object at the location within the cavity.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the object deployment components comprise a balloon configured to expand the object at the location. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , further comprising an interlock mechanism configured to prevent release of the object at the location in the cavity before a target position of the object in the cavity is achieved. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein actuation of the interlock mechanism enables the release of the object by the retention mechanism, thereby facilitating deployment of the object at the location in the cavity. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the interlock mechanism is configured to prevent premature release of the object before the object is balloon expanded to a predetermined pressure. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the interlock mechanism comprises:
 (i) a piston in a cylinder that is advanced through the cylinder by balloon pressure; and   (ii) a spring loaded trigger operatively coupled to the piston configured to move responsive to movement by the piston to disengage a release switch to facilitate release of the object at the location in the cavity.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the interlock mechanism further comprises an orifice configured to conduct the balloon pressure to the cylinder, the orifice having a diameter that is smaller than a diameter of the cylinder. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the spring loaded trigger includes a body, a foot portion, and a leg portion extending between the body and the foot portion; the foot portion operatively coupled to the piston, the foot portion supported by a ledge and configured to be pushed off the ledge by the piston and cause the spring loaded trigger to disengage the release switch. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein, prior to release of the object at the location in the cavity the retention mechanism enables a user to pull proximally on the end of the object causing the object to evert, and with continued pulling advance the object into the guiding catheter for removal from the cavity. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the cavity is the vena cava and the object is a vena cava filter. 
     
     
         11 . A system configured to retrieve an object from a location in a cavity, the system comprising:
 a guiding catheter configured to provide a conduit to and from the location for the object; and   an extraction device catheter comprising grasping and extraction components for grasping and extracting the object, the extraction device catheter configured such that the grasping and extraction components are located at a distal end of the extraction device catheter and actuator controls for the grasping and extraction components are located at a proximal end of the extraction device catheter.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the extraction device catheter is configured such that the actuator controls comprise a sliding handle and thumb grip located at the proximal end of the extraction device catheter configured to be compressed relative to each other to cause the grasping and extraction components to grasp the object and extend relative to each other to cause the grasping and extraction components to release the object. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the extraction device catheter is advanced through the guiding catheter to the location of the object and the grasping and extraction components grasp and secure the object responsive to the sliding handle and thumb grip being compressed relative to each other, which enables a user to pull proximally on an end of the object causing the object to evert, and with continued pulling advance the object into the guiding catheter for removal from the cavity. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the grasping and extraction components comprise jaws configured to close around the end of the object responsive to the sliding handle and thumb grip being compressed relative to each other. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the cavity is the vena cava and the object is a vena cava filter. 
     
     
         16 . A method for delivering an object to, and retrieving the object from, a location in a cavity with a delivery system, the system comprising a guiding catheter, object deployment components, and a retention mechanism, the method comprising:
 forming, with the guiding catheter, a conduit to and from the location for the object;   facilitating, with the object deployment components, deployment of the object through the guiding catheter at the location in the cavity; and   securing, with the retention mechanism, the object while the object is in the cavity, the retention mechanism comprising:
 (i) an outer tube with distal fingers that protrude distally through an opening in an end of the object; and 
 (ii) an inner rod or inner tube within the outer tube that prevents the distal fingers on the outer tube from collapsing, 
 wherein, responsive to the inner rod or inner tube being withdrawn proximally with respect to the outer tube, the distal fingers of the outer tube collapse to facilitate withdrawal of the distal fingers through the opening in the end of the object, and withdrawal of the inner rod or inner tube and the outer tube from the object, thereby releasing the object at the location within the cavity. 
   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the object deployment components comprise a balloon configured to expand the object at the location, and the method further comprises deploying the object with the balloon. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the system further comprises an interlock mechanism, and the method further comprises preventing, with the interlock mechanism, release of the object at the location in the cavity before a target position of the object in the cavity is achieved. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the method further comprises receiving, with the interlock mechanism, actuation to enable the release of the object by the retention mechanism, thereby facilitating deployment of the object at the location in the cavity. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising preventing, with the interlock mechanism, premature release of the object before the object is balloon expanded to a predetermined pressure. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the interlock mechanism comprises:
 (i) a piston in a cylinder that is advanced through the cylinder by balloon pressure; and   (ii) a spring loaded trigger operatively coupled to the piston configured to move responsive to movement by the piston to disengage a release switch to facilitate release of the object at the location in the cavity.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising conducting, with an orifice, the balloon pressure to the cylinder, the orifice having a diameter that is smaller than a diameter of the cylinder. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the spring loaded trigger includes a body, a foot portion, and a leg portion extending between the body and the foot portion;
 the foot portion operatively coupled to the piston, the foot portion supported by a ledge and configured to be pushed off the ledge by the piston and cause the spring loaded trigger to disengage the release switch.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising, prior to release of the object at the location in the cavity before the target position of the object in the cavity is achieved, enabling a user to pull proximally on the end of the object causing the object to evert, and with continued pulling advance the object into the guiding catheter for removal from the cavity. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the cavity is a vena cava, wherein the object is a vena cava filter. 
     
     
         26 . A method for retrieving an object from a location in a cavity with a retrieval system, the system comprising a guiding catheter and an extraction device catheter, the method comprising:
 grasping, with the extraction device catheter, the object at the location in the cavity, the extraction device catheter configured such that grasping and extraction components are located at a distal end of the extraction device catheter and actuator controls for the grasping and extraction components are located at a proximal end of the extraction device catheter; and   enabling with the extraction device catheter, a user to pull proximally on an end of the object causing the object to evert, and with continued pulling advance the object into the guiding catheter for removal from the cavity.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the extraction device catheter is configured such that the actuator controls comprise a sliding handle and thumb grip located at the proximal end of the extraction device catheter, and wherein the method further comprises compressing the sliding handle and thumb grip relative to each other to cause the grasping and extraction components to grasp the object and extending the sliding handle and thumb grip relative to each other to cause the grasping and extraction components to release the object. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the grasping and extraction components comprise jaws configured to close around the end of the object responsive to the sliding handle and thumb grip being compressed relative to each other. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the cavity is a vena cava, wherein the object is a vena cava filter.