Patent ID: 7776052

Claim:
A medical grasping device for grasping an object comprising: an elongate control member continuously extending to an atraumatic distal tip section and a proximal end portion, said elongate control member further including a plurality of loops fixed to the elongate control member and located proximal said distal tip section; an outer sheath with a passageway therethrough surrounding said elongate control member and relatively movable with respect thereto; and the outer sheath and the elongate control member being relatively moveable to urge said plurality of loops from a distal end of said outer sheath and retraction thereinto, a radius of each loop expanding to overlap adjacent loops as the plurality of loops are urged distally from the distal end, the radius of each loop decreasing to tighten around the object as the plurality of loops are retracted into the outer sheath, when fully deployed each loop extending substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the elongate control member, the plurality of loops being substantially arranged in a cross-sectional region proximal from the atrumatic tip section, each loop extending radially outward from the elongate control member in the cross-sectional region and being equally spaced angularly around the elongate control member in the cross-sectional region, wherein said elongate control member is a flexible cannula defining a lumen extending therethrough into which a guide wire is receivable and movable with respect thereto.