US-12622712-B2 - Devices, systems and methods for improving suction in medical procedures

Abstract

Systems and methods for removing material from a blood vessel or cavity inside a body by suction, wherein the magnitude of suction is increased by applying extracorporeal positive pressure. Positive pressure outside the body is increased such that the potential negative pressure inside the body may be increased. Methods include inserting a catheter into a blood vessel or cavity and positioning a distal opening of the catheter proximate the material to be removed. Extracorporeal positive pressure is applied to at least a portion of the body containing the material to be removed, and suction is simultaneously applied to the catheter to more effectively remove the material.

Inventors

• Chad J. Kugler

Assignees

• Seigla Holdings Limited

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20220912

Claims (8)

1. 1 . A method of removing material from a blood vessel or cavity inside a body, the method comprising: inserting a catheter into the blood vessel or cavity, the catheter having an elongate shaft, a proximal portion, a distal portion and a lumen extending therethrough to a distal opening; positioning the distal opening of the catheter in the blood vessel or cavity proximate the material to be removed; applying extracorporeal positive pressure to at least a portion of the body containing the material to be removed; applying suction to the proximal portion of the catheter while the extracorporeal positive pressure is being applied; and wherein the extracorporeal positive pressure is applied by a pressure chamber surrounding the entire body.
2. 2 . The method as in claim 1 , wherein the extracorporeal positive pressure is applied at a location that surrounds the portion of the body containing the material to be removed.
3. 3 . The method as in claim 1 , wherein the extracorporeal positive pressure is applied at locations that are proximal and distal of the portion of the body containing the material to be removed.
4. 4 . The method as in claim 1 , wherein the suction is applied before applying the extracorporeal positive pressure, and wherein the suction continues while the extracorporeal positive pressure is being applied.
5. 5 . The method as in claim 1 , wherein the catheter is inserted into the body at an access site, and wherein the access site is proximal of the portion of the body where extracorporeal pressure is applied.
6. 6 . A method of removing material from a blood vessel or cavity inside a body, the method comprising: inserting a catheter into the blood vessel or cavity, the catheter having an elongate shaft, a proximal portion, a distal portion and a lumen extending therethrough to a distal opening; positioning the distal opening of the catheter in the blood vessel or cavity proximate the material to be removed; applying extracorporeal positive pressure to at least a portion of the body containing the material to be removed; and applying suction to the proximal portion of the catheter while the extracorporeal positive pressure is being applied; wherein the extracorporeal positive pressure is applied by a compression device; wherein the compression device applies dynamic pressure; and wherein the dynamic pressure is applied progressively in a distal to proximal direction.
7. 7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the compression device comprises an inflatable table device.
8. 8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the compression device is an elastic device.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/242,875, filed Sep. 10, 2021, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein FIELD The present disclosure generally relates to devices, systems and methods for providing intracorporeal suction to remove material from the body, with utility to, for example, removing blood clots from blood vessels to restore blood flow. BACKGROUND Many medical procedures use suction to remove material from inside the body. For example, a blood clot may be removed from a blood vessel to restore blood flow by applying suction via a catheter disposed in the blood vessel proximate the blood clot. In this case, the efficiency of clot removal by suction is limited by several factors including the magnitude of suction (i.e., negative pressure or vacuum), catheter characteristics, clot composition and morphology, and clot location. While it may not be possible to change the clot composition, morphology or location, improvements have been made to catheter designs to increase the proficiency of clot removal. In addition, improvements have been made to suction pump designs to increase the magnitude of suction. However, such improvements are limited by atmospheric or ambient pressure which, under normal circumstances, is about 1 ATM (14.7 PSI or 760 mmHg), and thus a perfect vacuum is limited to about −1 ATM (−14.7 PSI or −760 mmHg). There is an ongoing need to improve material removal systems to address challenging clinical conditions that limit their efficacy. SUMMARY The present disclosure describes various devices, systems and methods for improving suction magnitude used in medical procedures. In one general embodiment, positive pressure outside the body is increased such that the potential negative pressure inside the body may be increased. Positive pressure outside the body may be increased by selectively applying compression, for example. By way of illustration, if X ATM of positive compression is applied outside the body, the potential negative pressure or vacuum inside the body may increase to −(1 +X) ATM, and thus the magnitude of suction may be proportionately increased. As used herein, positive pressure or compression outside the body may be referred to as extracorporeal positive pressure or compression, and the actual or potential negative pressure or vacuum inside the body may be referred to as intracorporeal potential negative pressure or vacuum. Extracorporeal compression may be applied in a variety of ways in terms of means, magnitude, location, time and sequence. For example, extracorporeal compression may be applied systemically (e.g., around the whole body) or locally (e.g., at or around the location of the material to be removed). Extracorporeal compression may be applied continuously, intermittently, simultaneously, sequentially or alternatively at multiple locations, for example. Extracorporeal compression may be applied mechanically or pneumatically, for example. The embodiments described herein may be applied to a number of diseases that occur when obstructive material such as thrombus collects in blood vessels. Deep vein thrombosis (DVT), for example, occurs when blood clots and/or thrombus collect in the blood veins of the legs. If DVT is left untreated, blood clots can break free and travel through the bloodstream toward the heart. These blood clots can lodge in the blood vessels of a lung, blocking blood flow and causing a pulmonary embolism. An example embodiment provides a method of removing material from a blood vessel or cavity inside a body. A catheter may be inserted into the blood vessel or cavity, wherein the catheter includes an elongate shaft, a proximal portion, a distal portion and a lumen extending therethrough to a distal opening. The distal opening of the catheter may be positioned in the blood vessel or cavity proximate the material to be removed. Extracorporeal positive pressure may be applied to at least a portion of the body containing the material to be removed. Suction may be applied to the proximal portion of the catheter while the extracorporeal positive pressure is being applied. The suction may be applied before applying extracorporeal positive pressure, and the suction may continue while the extracorporeal positive pressure is being applied. The catheter may be inserted into the body at an access site, wherein the access site is proximal of the portion of the body where extracorporeal pressure is applied. The extracorporeal positive pressure may be applied at a location that surrounds the portion of the body containing the material to be removed, and/or at locations that are proximal and distal of the portion of the body containing the material to be removed. The extracorporeal positive pressure may be applied by a pressure chamber surrounding the entire body, or a pressure chamber surrounding less than the entire body, such as an upper torso or a l