Patent ID: 6277125
Filing Date: 2001-08-21
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
A vasoocclusive coil deployment system for use in placing a coil at a preselected site within a vessel comprising:an elongated flexible positioning member having a lumen extending therethrough and having proximal and distal ends;an embolic coil;retaining jaws affixed to the distal end of the positioning member, said jaws having a closed position for gripping and retaining said embolic coil and an open position for releasing said embolic coil, and said jaws being resiliently biased to the open position;an energy transmission conductor extending through the lumen of the positioning member and extending from the proximal end to the distal end of the positioning member;a heat responsive coupling member bonded to said retaining jaws to hold the jaws in the closed position, said heat responsive coupling member exhibits the characteristic of, upon being heated, softening thereby decreasing its tensile strength; and,a heating element mounted in close proximity to the beat responsive coupling member and being coupled to the energy transmission conductor whereby upon applying energy through the energy transmission conductor to the heating element, the heating element causes the heat responsive coupling member to soften and yield thereby causing the retaining jaws to move from the normally closed position to the open position to release the embolic coil at the preselected site.