Withdrawal catheter and method

Abstract

A withdrawal catheter and method for removing a material from a specific area includes a first tubing positioned within a second tubing. The first and second tubing has a plurality of holes for withdrawal of the material, such as fluid and small particulates. The first and second tubing may have different wall thicknesses, and the holes may be positioned staggered and have different diameters. At least one of the first and second open ends of the first tubing is connected to a fastener, having a bore for passage of material therethrough. A third tubing is attachable to the fastener for providing a path for the flow of the material from the first and second tubing. The material is aspirated through the first tubing for withdrawing the material. The second tubing substantially prevents larger pieces of material from contacting the first tubing and clogging the holes of the first tubing.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A method of withdrawing a material from a specific area of bodily tissue, comprising the steps of:
 coupling at least one first tubing of a withdrawal catheter to a piece of equipment for aspirating the material through the at least one first tubing, the at least one first tubing having a first end, a second end, and a bore therethrough, the at least one first tubing having a plurality of holes positioned in spaced apart relationship to one another between the first and second ends and positioned in communication with the bore of the at least one first tubing, the at least one first tubing having a first wall extending from the first end to the second end, the first wall having an inner surface and an outer surface defining an outer diameter of the at least one first tubing, the withdrawal catheter further including at least one second tubing having a first end, a second end, and a bore therethrough, the at least one second tubing having a plurality of holes positioned in spaced apart relationship to one another between the first and second ends of the at least one second tubing and positioned in communication with the bore of the at least one second tubing, the at least one second tubing having a second wall extending from the first end to the second end, the second wall having an outer surface and an inner surface defining an innermost diameter of the at least one second tubing, the at least one first tubing disposed within the bore of the at least one second tubing and forming a channel between the at least one first tubing and the at least one second tubing, the innermost diameter of the at least one second tubing being greater than the outer diameter of the at least one first tubing such that the positioning of the at least one first tubing relative to the at least one second tubing may be concentric or non-concentric wherein there may be intermittent contact between the outer surface of the at least one first tubing and the inner surface of the at least one second tubing along a length of the at least one second tubing;   positioning the withdrawal catheter in the specific area;   aspirating the material through the plurality of holes of the at least one first tubing and the plurality of holes of the at least one second tubing for removing the material from the specific area through the withdrawal catheter.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of holes of the at least one first tubing and the plurality of holes of the at least one second tubing are positioned in communication with one another, in communication with the bores of both of the at least one first and second tubing, and in communication with the channel for enabling the material to be withdrawn through at least one of the plurality of holes of the at least one second tubing, through at least a portion of the channel, through at least one of the plurality of holes of the at least one first tubing, and through at least a portion of the bores of the at least one first and second tubing, and wherein at least a portion of the plurality of holes of the at least one first tubing and the at least one second tubing positioned are staggered and unaligned with one another. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the withdrawal catheter has at least one connector having at least one connector end and a bore therethrough, the at least one connector end sized for coupling to the bore of the at least one first tubing for attaching the at least one first tubing to the at least one connector for withdrawing the material out of the at least one first tubing, out of the bore of the at least one connector, and out of the withdrawal catheter. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein the first end of the at least one first tubing is attached to the at least one connector and the second end of the at least one first tubing is attached to the at least one connector for forming a continuous loop for the material to flow through. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 3 , further comprising a third tubing having a bore therethrough and attachable to the at least one connector for withdrawing the material from the specific area. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the plurality of holes of the least one first tubing have a different diameter than at least a portion of the plurality of holes of the at least one second tubing. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of holes of the at least one first tubing have a diameter smaller than a diameter of the plurality of holes of the at least one second tubing for facilitating withdrawal of the material. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 3 , the withdrawal catheter further comprising:
 a first set having one of the at least one first tubing and one of the at least one second tubing; and   a second set having another of the at least one first tubing and another of the at least one second tubing;   wherein the at least one connector has a first connector end, a second connector end, and a third connector end forming a y-shaped connector, one of the at least one first tubing of the first set attached to the first connector end, one of the at least one first tubing of the second set attached to the second connector end, the method including withdrawing the material from multiple areas comprising the specific area simultaneously.   
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising the at least one first tubing having a thinner wall thickness than a wall thickness of the at least one second tubing, the thinner wall thickness providing flexibility to the at least one first tubing for preventing kinking in the at least one first tubing and the wall thickness of the at least one second tubing providing rigidity to the at least one second tubing for supporting the at least one first tubing within the bore of the at least one second tubing. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising the at least one first tubing having a wall thickness that is approximately three-quarters of a wall thickness of the at least one second tubing. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 3 , further comprising:
 the at least one second tubing having at least one of the first and second ends open and the other of the first and second ends closed; and   at least one of the first and second ends of the at least one first tubing connected to the at least one connector and the other of the first and second ends of the at least one first tubing unattached and extending toward the closed end of the at least one second tubing.   
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one second tubing includes several segments of tubing disposed about the at least one first tubing.