Occlusion device and surgical instrument and method for its implantion/explantation

Abstract

An occlusion device includes a braiding of thin wires or threads tapering to the diameter of a catheter used for an intravascular implantation / explantation procedure and having a proximal retention area, a distal retention area at which ends of the wires or threads converge into a holder, and a cylindrical crosspiece interposed between the proximal retention area and the distal retention area, whereby the two retention areas are positioned on two sides of a shunt to be occluded in a septum following implantation while the crosspiece transverses the shunt. The holder exhibits a head section at its free end having an eyelet as a cross-hole which can be gripped and held in form-fit fashion by an implantation / explantation instrument. A surgical instrument having such a holder includes gripper tongs with gripping jaws which open and close by a push / pull system, and which force-fit grips the head section of the holder.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] The present application is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11 / 271,752, filed Nov. 14, 2005, the contents of which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. [0002] The present invention relates to an occlusion device and a surgical instrument for the implantation / explantation of an implant.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] 1. Field of the Invention [0004] The present invention relates to an occlusion device consisting of a braiding of thin wires given a suitable form by means of a molding and heat treatment procedure and which tapers to the diameter of a catheter used for an intravascular implantation or explantation procedure having a proximal retention area, a distal retention area, at which the ends of the wires or threads converge into a holder, and having a cylindrical crosspiece interposed between said proximal retention area and said distal retention area, whereby the two retention areas pos...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0021] Finally, a method for the repeatable coupling of an implant having a holder, in particular an occlusion device, to a surgical instrument includes a fastening loop of defined length being fastened to eyelet of the holder of the implant; said fastening loop being then inserted into the cross-groove of the cylindrical sleeve such that the knot of the fastening loop fits centrically through the protrusion and the section of fastening loop positioning in cross-groove is held diametrically; where upon a defined forward shifting of the hook, the section of the fastening loop in the cross-groove slips over the hook in the second longitudinal groove and remains anchored there; where withdrawing of said hook pulls and clamps the holder of the implant to the proximal face side of sleeve; where a renewed defined forward displacing of hook will again loosen fastening loop and the proximal front side of sleeve loosens from holder and the seating of the implant can be checked; where the use of the fastening loop allows recoupling of sleeve to the holder of the implant at any time.

[0035] In the third embodiment of the surgical instrument, the push / pull system essentially comprises the following components: a coil spring, an actuator means extending axially through its interior which is sufficiently rigid in the axial direction yet still flexible and having a shaft of the hook attached at its proximal end and a first gripping section affixed to its distal end; a cylindrical sleeve which receives the proximal end of the coil spring by abutting against a stop at its the distal end section and which accommodates the shaft of the hook in axially-displaceable fashion; and a second gripping section which receives the distal end of the coil spring by abutting against a stop whereby the hook is axially displaced away from the eyelet from the force exerted by the coil spring and which is moved toward the eyelet by the forward advancing of the actuator means. This push-pull system likewise enables a very easy and reliable manipulating of the occlusion device both before and during the surgical procedure.

Problems solved by technology

However, a disadvantage to such prior art occlusion devices turns out to be the relatively complicated, difficult and complex implantation procedure.

Apart from the complicated implantation of the occlusion system in the septal defect to be occluded, the umbrellas utilized are susceptible to material fatigue along with fragment fracture.

Furthermore, thromboembolic complications are frequently to be anticipated.

In a situation such as this, the operating surgeon cannot discern whether the occluder will assume its predetermined fit once uncoupled.

This gives rise to great uncertainty for the surgeon, in particular since his only means of repositioning an uncoupled occluder is a non-minimally invasive procedure.

However, seen as problematic with the Lock-Clamshell occluder is the fact that the insertion instruments necessary to implant the device need to be of relatively large size.

A further disadvantage seen with other systems, e.g. the so-called “Amplatz occluder,” is that many different occluder sizes are needed in order to cope with the respective dimensions of the septal defects to be occluded.

This results in incomplete endothelialization.

It has furthermore been shown that many of the systems implanted into patients' bodies exhibit material fatigue and fractures in the metallic structures due to the substantial mechanical stresses over a longer period.

Because the collar protrudes past the proximal retention area of the occluder, the problem can arise that the inserted implant causes embolic-related problems, in particular consecutive embolization.

Furthermore, a complete endothelialization of occluder implant is often hindered.

This device, however, does not have a holder such that this occluder cannot be guided during introduction by an insertion instrument in the same way as is the case with the devices described above, nor can it be—in the case of a poor seating—retracted again prior to being uncoupled.

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