Ablation burr

Abstract

A catheter including an elongate drive shaft having a proximal end and a distal end, an ablation burr disposed at the distal end expandable between a first position and a second position, wherein in the second position has a greater transverse dimension than in the first position. The catheter of the present invention can include a mechanism for positioning the burr eccentrically within a vessel lumen. In this context, expansion means that the burr can ablate a lumen having a larger diameter than the diameter of the lumen of the guide catheter to which the device is advanced.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A catheter assembly, comprising: 
 an elongate shaft having a proximal end and a distal end, the shaft defining a lumen therethrough;    a burr deflector disposed at the distal end of the shaft, the burr deflector including a burr engaging surface;    an elongate drive shaft extending through the lumen, the drive shaft having a proximal end and a distal end; and    a burr disposed at the distal end of the drive shaft, the drive shaft and burr being shiftable relative to the burr deflector between a first position and a second position, wherein the burr is transversely shifted relative to the burr-deflector.    
     
     
         2 . A catheter assembly in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the burr engaging surface is disposed at an angle greater than zero degrees relative to the length of the elongate shaft.  
     
     
         3 . The catheter assembly in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the burr includes a burr deflector engaging surface disposed at an angle greater than zero degrees relative to the length of the drive shaft.  
     
     
         4 . The catheter assembly in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the burr includes an abrasive surface.  
     
     
         5 . A catheter assembly, comprising: 
 an elongate shaft having a proximal end and a distal end, the shaft defining a lumen;    an elongate drive shaft extending through the lumen, the drive shaft having a proximal end and a distal end;    a burr disposed at the distal end of the drive shaft;    a bushing disposed around the drive shaft proximate the burr; and    a steering line having a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end being connected to the bushing.    
     
     
         6 . A catheter assembly in accordance with  claim 5 , further comprising a second steering line.  
     
     
         7 . The catheter assembly in accordance with  claim 5 , wherein the burr includes an abrasive surface.  
     
     
         8 . A catheter assembly, comprising: 
 an elongate drive shaft having a proximal end and a distal end;    means for ablating disposed at the distal end of the drive shaft, the means for ablating including means for transverse expansion of a portion of the ablation means by centrifugal force when the burr rotates.    
     
     
         9 . A catheter assembly in accordance with  claim 8 , wherein the expansion means is generally tubular.  
     
     
         10 . A catheter assembly in accordance with  claim 9 , wherein the expansion means has a proximal end and a distal end and the distal end is constrained against expansion.  
     
     
         11 . A catheter assembly in accordance with  claim 10 , wherein the proximal end of the expansion means includes an abrasive.  
     
     
         12 . A catheter assembly in accordance with  claim 8 , wherein the expansion means has a generally helical transverse cross section.  
     
     
         13 . The catheter assembly in accordance with  claim 8 , wherein the expansion means includes a line having a proximal end and a distal end, the ends being held a distance apart less than the length of the line.  
     
     
         14 . The catheter assembly in accordance with  claim 13 , further comprising an abrasive disposed on the line.  
     
     
         15 . A catheter assembly in accordance with  claim 8 , wherein the expansion means includes a plurality of bristles.  
     
     
         16 . A catheter assembly, comprising: 
 an elongate drive shaft having a proximal end and a distal end, and defining a lumen therethrough;    a balloon including an outer surface, and defining a balloon enclosure; and    an abrasive disposed on the outer surface of the balloon.    
     
     
         17 . The catheter assembly in accordance with  claim 16 , further comprising a quantity of fluid disposed within the balloon to force transverse expansion of the outer surface when the balloon is rotated.  
     
     
         18 . The catheter assembly in accordance with  claim 17 , wherein the fluid is sealed within the balloon.  
     
     
         19 . A catheter assembly in accordance with  claim 17 , wherein the fluid is bodily fluid.  
     
     
         20 . A catheter assembly, comprising: 
 an elongate shaft having a proximal end and a distal end, the shaft defining a drive shaft lumen and an inflation lumen;    a drive shaft having a proximal and a distal end, the drive shaft being disposed in the drive shaft lumen;    an ablating burr disposed at the distal end of the drive shaft; and    a balloon disposed eccentrically on the shaft proximate the burr.    
     
     
         21 . The catheter assembly in accordance with  claim 20 , wherein the burr includes an abrasive.  
     
     
         22 . The catheter assembly in accordance with  claim 20 , further comprising a second balloon disposed eccentrically on the shaft proximate the burr.  
     
     
         23 . The catheter assembly, comprising: 
 an elongate drive shaft having a proximal end and a distal end; and    an ablated burr eccentrically connected to the drive shaft at the distal end thereof.    
     
     
         24 . A catheter assembly in accordance with  claim 23 , further comprising a counter weight connected to the burr.  
     
     
         25 . The catheter assembly in accordance with  claim 23 , wherein the burr includes an abrasive surface.  
     
     
         26 . The catheter assembly, comprising: 
 an elongate shaft having a proximal end and a distal end and defining a lumen therethrough;    a drive shaft having a proximal end and a distal end and extending through the lumen; and    an ablated burr including a plurality of spring members, the drive shaft and the burr being shiftable between a first position and a second position, in the first position the spring members being disposed at least in part within the lumen and being transversely restrained thereby, in the second position the spring members being transversely restrained less than in the first position such that the burr has a greater transverse dimension in the second position than in the first position.    
     
     
         27 . The catheter assembly in accordance with  claim 26 , wherein the lumen has a diameter, and the diameter of the lumen increases proximate the distal end of the shaft.  
     
     
         28 . The catheter assembly in accordance with  claim 26 , wherein the spring members are elongate ribbon members each having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal ends being connected to each other and the distal ends being connected to each other to form a generally elliptically-shaped burr.  
     
     
         29 . The catheter assembly in accordance with  claim 26 , wherein the burr includes an abrasive.  
     
     
         30 . The catheter assembly, comprising: 
 an elongate drive shaft having a proximal and a distal end and a generally helically shaped portion proximate the distal end; and    an abrasive disposed on the helically shaped portion.    
     
     
         31 . The catheter assembly in accordance with  claim 30 , further comprising an ablating burr disposed at the distal end of the drive shaft.  
     
     
         32 . A method of performing atherectomy, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a catheter having an elongate drive shaft having a proximal and a distal end, and an ablation burr disposed at the distal end;    positioning the burr eccentrically within a blood vessel; and    rotating the burr.