Medical device anchor and delivery system

Abstract

A method and apparatus for anchoring a medical implant device after the device has been brought to rest at a desired position within a blood vessel or other body passageway. An anchor delivery system is provided which houses one or more uniquely configured expandable anchors which are connected to the medical implant device. The anchors remain housed in a non expanded configuration until after the medical implant device has come to rest in a desired position within the body, and then the anchors are positively propelled through a body wall from a first side to a second side where each anchor expands outwardly from an anchor shaft. In one configuration, the anchors are each formed in the shape of a compressible closed loop which extends outwardly from an anchor shaft and loops back to cross over and extend beyond the anchor shaft. To positively propel the anchors, a drive shaft for the anchor shafts extends back to a triggering unit which, when activated, causes the drive shaft to drive the anchor shafts in a direction which results in propulsion of the anchors through the body wall.

1 . A medical device anchor for penetration through a body wall from a first side to a second side thereof and expansion against said second side comprising: 
 an anchor shaft having a proximal end and a distal end,    an expandable anchor at the distal end of said anchor shaft having one or more anchor sections, said expandable anchor having a first collapsed configuration wherein said anchor is substantially coextensive with said anchor shaft and a second expanded configuration wherein said one or more anchor sections extend arcuately outwardly from said anchor shaft and loop back to cross and extend beyond said anchor shaft to form a closed loop.    
   
   
       2 . The medical device anchor of  claim 1  wherein said expandable anchor includes a pointed lead end.  
   
   
       3 . The medical device anchor of  claim 1  wherein said one or more anchor sections are configured to extend outwardly from said anchor shaft and loop back to cross over said anchor shaft in the second expanded configuration of said expandable anchor.  
   
   
       4 . The medical device anchor of  claim 1  wherein said one or more anchor sections are configured to extend outwardly from said anchor shaft and loop back to cross under said anchor shaft in the second expanded configuration of said expandable anchor.  
   
   
       5 . The medical device anchor of  claim 3  wherein said one or more anchor sections compress against said body wall and change configuration to form a smaller closed loop in response to forces which draw said one or more anchor sections against said body wall in the second expanded configuration of said expandable anchor.  
   
   
       6 . The medical device anchor of  claim 2  wherein said expandable anchor is formed of shape memory material which is compliable and compressible in a first state and which is self-expandable in a second state to a substantially rigid, predetermined spiral configuration.  
   
   
       7 . The medical device anchor of  claim 1  wherein the proximal end of said anchor shaft is connected to a shaft support hub, said shaft support hub having a connector for receiving a drive shaft.  
   
   
       8 . A medical device anchor and delivery system for propelling an anchor through a body wall from a first side to a second side where said anchor expands against said second side comprising: 
 an anchor shaft having a proximal end and a distal end,    an expandable anchor at the distal end of said anchor shaft having one or more anchor sections, said expandable anchor having a first collapsed configuration wherein said anchor is substantially coextensive with said anchor shaft and a second expanded configuration wherein said one or more anchor sections extend arcuately outwardly from said anchor shaft and loop back to cross and extend beyond said anchor shaft to form one or more closed loops,    a shaft support hub connected to the proximal end of said anchor shaft,    an elongate tube having an entry end and an exit end, said tube containing said anchor shaft with said expandable anchor in said collapsed configuration adjacent to said exit end, and    a drive shaft having a first end in engagement with said shaft support hub and operative when propelled to cause said shaft support hub to move said anchor shaft longitudinally of said elongate tube to propel said expandable anchor outwardly from the exit end of said tube.    
   
   
       9 . The medical device anchor and delivery system of  claim 8  wherein said drive shaft includes a second end opposite to said first end, said second end being connected to a propulsion unit operative to propel said drive shaft.  
   
   
       10 . The medical device anchor and delivery system of  claim 9  wherein the entry end of said elongate tube is connected to a tube retention sleeve, said anchor shaft extending outwardly from the entry end of said elongate tube to said shaft support hub spaced from said tube retention sleeve when said expandable anchor is in said collapsed configuration within said elongate tube, 
 said drive shaft operating when propelled to move said shaft support hub toward said tube retention sleeve.    
   
   
       11 . The medical device anchor and delivery system of  claim 10  wherein said expandable anchor includes a pointed lead end.  
   
   
       12 . The medical device anchor and delivery system of  claim 11  wherein said one or more anchor sections curve outwardly from said anchor shaft and back to cross over said anchor shaft in the second expanded configuration of said expandable anchor.  
   
   
       13 . The medical device anchor and delivery system of  claim 11  wherein said one or more anchor sections curve outwardly from the anchor shaft and back to cross under said anchor shaft in the second expanded configuration of said expandable anchor.  
   
   
       14 . The medical device anchor and delivery system of  claim 11  wherein said expandable anchor is formed of thermal shape memory material having a temperature transformation level where at temperatures below said temperature transformation level said shape memory material is relatively pliable and compressible and at temperatures at least at or above said temperature transformation level said shape memory material is self-expandable to a substantially rigid predetermined configuration.  
   
   
       15 . A blood clot filter with an anchor delivery system for propelling one or more anchors through the wall of a blood vessel from a first inner side to a second outer side, the blood clot filter having a central longitudinal axis and being collapsible to a collapsed configuration toward said longitudinal axis and expandable in an expanded configuration outwardly from said longitudinal axis for contact with said inner side of the wall of said blood vessel, said blood clot filter with anchor delivery system comprising: 
 a plurality of elongate, spaced legs each having a distal end and a proximal end, the proximal ends of said elongate legs being secured together adjacent to the longitudinal axis of said blood clot filter, said plurality of elongate spaced legs being formed to extend outwardly away from said longitudinal axis to bring the distal ends thereof into contact with the first inner side of a blood vessel in the expanded configuration of said blood clot filter, one or more of said elongate spaced legs being tubular in configuration with an open distal and an open proximal end,    an elongate anchor shaft mounted for longitudinal movement in each of said tubular elongate legs, each said elongate anchor shaft having first and second opposed ends,    an expandable anchor at the second end of each of said anchor shafts, said expandable anchor having one or more anchor sections with a first collapsed configuration wherein said anchor is substantially coextensive with said anchor shaft and a second expanded configuration wherein said one or more anchor sections extend outwardly from said anchor shaft and loop back to cross and extend beyond said anchor shaft to form one or more closed loops,    said tubular elongate legs each containing said expandable anchor in the first collapsed condition adjacent to the open distal end thereof, and    a shaft support hub connected to the first end of each elongate anchor shaft, said shaft support hub being spaced from the proximal ends of said elongate legs when an expandable anchor in the first collapsed condition is contained in said tubular elongate legs, said shaft support hub being movable toward said proximal ends of said elongate legs to move said anchor shafts longitudinally to propel said expandable anchors out from the open distal ends of said tubular elongate legs and through the wall of a blood vessel.    
   
   
       16 . The blood clot filter with anchor delivery system of  claim 15  wherein each said expandable anchor includes one or more anchor sections which expand outwardly from said anchor shaft and loop back to cross over said anchor shaft when said expandable anchor is propelled out from the open distal end of a tubular elongate leg and through the wall of a blood vessel, said expandable anchor being oriented such that that the loop formed by each of said one or more anchor sections compresses against said blood vessel wall and changes configuration to form a smaller loop in response to forces which draw said loop against said blood vessel wall.  
   
   
       17 . The blood clot filter with anchor delivery system of  claim 15  wherein each said expandable anchor includes one or more anchor sections which expand outwardly from said anchor shaft and loop back to cross under said anchor shaft when said expandable anchor is propelled out from the open distal end of a tubular elongate leg and through the wall of a blood vessel.  
   
   
       18 . The blood clot filter with anchor delivery system of  claim 15  which includes a drive shaft having a first drive shaft end connected to said shaft support hub to move said shaft support hub relative to the proximal ends of said elongate legs.  
   
   
       19 . The blood clot filter with anchor delivery system of  claim 18  wherein said drive shaft is mounted for movement within an elongate filter centering shaft having an inner end spaced adjacent to said shaft support hub, said filter centering shaft having a plurality of elongate, spaced, centering arms secured at one end to said centering shaft inner end, said centering arms being adapted to expand outwardly into engagement with said blood vessel wall inner side.  
   
   
       20 . The blood clot filter with anchor delivery system of  claim 19  wherein said drive shaft includes a second drive shaft end opposite to said first drive shaft end, said second drive shaft end being connected to a propulsion device to cause said drive shaft to propel said shaft support hub toward the proximal ends of said elongate legs.  
   
   
       21 . A method for positioning and anchoring a blood clot filter having a plurality of elongate spaced legs adapted to expand outwardly from a filter longitudinal axis to bring a side portion of each of said legs above but adjacent to a free end thereof into contact with the inner surface of a blood vessel wall having an inner and outer surface which includes: 
 enclosing an expandable anchor in a non expanded state within one or more of said elongate spaced legs,    causing said elongate spaced legs to collapse toward the longitudinal axis of said filter,    transporting said blood clot filter with the legs collapsed through a blood vessel to a desired position,    causing said elongate spaced legs to expand to bring the side portion thereof into contact with the inner surface of said blood vessel wall, and    subsequently propelling said expandable anchor in the non expanded state out of the side portion of one or more of said elongate legs at a position spaced above the free end thereof and through the blood vessel wall for expansion against the outer side of the blood vessel wall.    
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21  which includes propelling said expandable anchor out of the side portion of one or more elongate legs laterally of said elongate legs.  
   
   
       23 . A medical device anchor and delivery system for propelling an anchor through a body wall from a first side to a second side where said anchor expands against said second side comprising: 
 an anchor shaft having a proximal end and a distal end,    an expandable anchor at the distal end of said anchor shaft having one or more anchor sections, said expandable anchor having a first collapsed configuration wherein said anchor is substantially coextensive with said anchor shaft and a second expanded configuration wherein said one or more anchor sections extend outwardly from said anchor shaft,    a shaft support hub connected to the proximal end of said anchor shaft,    an elongate tube having an open entry end and a closed free end opposite to said entry end with a side opening in said tube spaced above said closed free end, said tube containing said anchor shaft and said expandable anchor when said expandable anchor is in said collapsed configuration, and    a drive shaft having a first end for engagement with said shaft support hub, said drive shaft being movable to cause said shaft support hub to move said anchor shaft longitudinally of said elongate tube in the direction of the closed free end thereof to propel said expandable anchor outwardly from the side opening of said tube.    
   
   
       24 . The medical device anchor and delivery system of  claim 23  wherein said side opening in said tube has a lower edge spaced above the free end of said tube, said tube including an internal curved guidewall extending across said tube from a position opposite to and above said lower edge of said side opening to the lower edge of said side opening, said curved guidewall operating to engage and guide said anchor out through said side opening when said anchor shaft moves longitudinally of said elongate tube in the direction of the free end thereof.  
   
   
       25 . A blood clot filter with an anchor delivery system for propelling one or more anchors through the wall of a blood vessel from a first inner side to a second outer side, the blood clot filter having a central longitudinal axis and being collapsible to a collapsed configuration toward said longitudinal axis and expandable to an expanded configuration outwardly from said longitudinal axis for contact with said inner side of the wall of the blood vessel, said blood clot filter with anchor delivery system comprising: 
 a plurality of elongate spaced legs each having a distal end, a proximal end, and a leg side portion above but adjacent to said distal end, the proximal ends of said elongate legs being secured together adjacent to the longitudinal axis of said blood clot filter, said plurality of elongate spaced legs being formed to extend outwardly away from said longitudinal axis to bring the leg side portions thereof adjacent to the first inner side of a blood vessel in the expanded configuration of the blood clot filter, one or more of said elongate spaced legs having an open proximal end, an internal passage extending from the open proximal end, a closed distal end opposite to said open proximal end. and a side opening to said internal passage formed in said leg side portion above said closed distal end,    an elongate anchor shaft mounted for longitudinal movement in the internal passage of said one or more elongate spaced legs, each said elongate anchor shaft having first and second opposed ends,    an expandable anchor at the second end of each of said anchor shafts having a first collapsed configuration wherein said anchor within said internal passage is substantially coextensive with said anchor shaft and adjacent to said side opening and a second expanded configuration wherein said anchor expands outwardly from said anchor shaft,    and a shaft propulsion unit for engaging the first end of each elongate anchor shaft to move the elongate anchor shafts longitudinally toward the closed distal ends of said one or more elongate legs to propel said expandable anchors out of the side openings of said one or more elongate legs and through the wall of a blood vessel.    
   
   
       26 . The blood clot filter and anchor delivery system of  claim 25  wherein said side opening has a lower edge spaced above the distal end of said respective elongate leg, the elongate leg having an internal curved guidewall extending across said internal passage from a position opposite to and above said lower edge of the side opening to the lower edge of the side opening, said curved guidewall operating to engage and guide said anchor out through said side opening when each said anchor shaft moves longitudinally toward the distal end of an elongate leg.