Patent ID: 6110184
Filing Date: 2000-08-29
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
A surgical instrument adapted to be inserted through a puncture in a wall of a patient's blood vessel for use in placing a medical device into the lumen of the blood vessel, the instrument comprising:(a) an elongated introducer having a substantially cylindrical wall with an exterior surface and an interior surface, the interior surface defining an inner bore traversing the length of the introducer, in which (i) the introducer has a proximal end and a distal end with the distal end configured to be inserted through the puncture into the vascular lumen, (ii) the inner bore is dimensioned to receive the medical device and opens at the distal end so that the medical device may protrude from the distal end into the vascular lumen when the distal end is inserted into the vascular lumen, and (iii) the wall has a channel therein that opens to the exterior surface at one point adjacent the distal end and at another point adjacent the proximal end to define a distal window and a proximal window, respectively; and(b) a vessel-engaging component comprising an elongated filament engaged in the channel having a first end, a second end, and an expandable part at the second end changeable from a first configuration to at least a second, expanded configuration, in which (i) the first end protrudes from the proximal window beyond the exterior surface and is adjustable from a first state to at least a second state, and (ii) the second end is disposed adjacent the distal window with the expandable part positioned at the distal window such that, when the first end is in the first state, the expandable part is seated substantially within the channel adjacent the distal window, and when the first end is adjusted from the first state to the at least second state, the expandable part is changed from the first configuration to the at least second configuration and is pushed out of the distal window, whereby the diameter of the expandable part in the second configuration together with the diameter of the distal end of the introducer are adapted to be larger than the size of the puncture,whereby the vessel-engaging component is adapted for use in determining the location of the puncture in that, when the distal end of the introducer is inserted into the vascular lumen, the proximal end of the introducer and the first end of the filament protrude beyond the patient's skin such that the first end of the filament may be adjusted from the first state to the at least second state to change the expandable part from the first configuration to the at least second expanded configuration, such that pulling the introducer in a direction opposite the blood vessel causes the expandable part to be engaged on the vascular wall at the location of the puncture to provide resistance in pulling the introducer away from the blood vessel.