Methods and apparatus for securing medical instruments to desired locations in a patient's body

Abstract

A medical device includes a shaft having a distal end and a distal tip. An anchor mechanism is coupled to the distal end proximal to the distal tip. The anchor mechanism includes a rolled sheet of material and a sleeve located to surround the rolled sheet of material to maintain the rolled sheet of material in an initial rolled configuration, and is configured such that when the sleeve is retracted, the rolled sheet of material unrolls to expand radially to anchor the medical device.

1 - 48 . (canceled) 
     
     
         49 . A medical device, comprising:
 a shaft having a distal end and a distal tip;   an anchor mechanism coupled to the distal end proximal to the distal tip, the anchor mechanism including a rolled sheet of material and a sleeve located to surround the rolled sheet of material to maintain the rolled sheet of material in an initial rolled configuration, and configured such that when the sleeve is retracted, the rolled sheet of material unrolls to expand radially to anchor the medical device.   
     
     
         50 . The medical device of  claim 49 , wherein the rolled sheet of material is a rolled stent structure. 
     
     
         51 . The medical device of  claim 49 , comprising a cutting element disposed on the distal end of the shaft, the cutting element configured for cutting target tissue that surrounds the shaft. 
     
     
         52 . The medical device of  claim 51 , wherein the cutting element is a radially expandable electrosurgical cutting element. 
     
     
         53 . The medical device of  claim 49 , comprising a tip end cutting element disposed at the distal tip of the shaft, the tip end cutting element configured to facilitate longitudinal entry into tissue. 
     
     
         54 . The medical device of  claim 53 , further comprising a radially expandable cutting element. 
     
     
         55 . The medical device of  claim 54 , wherein each of the tip end cutting element and the radially expandable cutting element is an electrosurgical cutting element. 
     
     
         56 . A method of operating a medical device, comprising:
 providing a medical device having a shaft having a distal end and a distal tip;   providing an anchor mechanism coupled to the medical device, the anchor mechanism including a rolled sheet of material and a sleeve located to surround the rolled sheet of material; and   retracting the sleeve to permit the rolled sheet of material to unroll and expand radially to anchor the medical device.   
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 56 , comprising radially expanding a cutting element from a longitudinal extent of the shaft. 
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 57 , comprising rotating the shaft to cause the cutting element to sever tissue surrounding the shaft. 
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 56 , comprising operating a tip end cutting element to facilitate longitudinal entry of the shaft into tissue. 
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 59 , comprising:
 radially expanding a longitudinally oriented cutting element from a longitudinal extent of the shaft; and   rotating the shaft to cause the longitudinally oriented cutting element to sever tissue surrounding the shaft.   
     
     
         61 . A method of operating a medical device, comprising:
 providing a medical device having a shaft having a distal end with a distal tip configured for entry into a patient's body within target tissue, and having a radially extendable fixation member;   positioning the distal end of the shaft within target tissue; and   expanding the radially expandable fixation member to engage the target tissue so that the shaft becomes secured within the target tissue.   
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 61 , wherein the radially expandable fixation member includes a rolled sheet of material and a sleeve located to surround the rolled sheet of material, the method further comprising retracting the sleeve to permit the rolled sheet of material to unroll and expand radially to anchor the medical device to the target tissue. 
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 62 , comprising radially expanding a cutting element from a longitudinal extent of the shaft. 
     
     
         64 . The method of  claim 63 , comprising rotating the shaft to cause the cutting element to sever tissue surrounding the shaft. 
     
     
         65 . The method of  claim 61 , comprising operating a tip end cutting element to facilitate longitudinal entry of the shaft into the target tissue. 
     
     
         66 . The method of  claim 65 , comprising:
 radially expanding a longitudinally oriented cutting element from a longitudinal extent of the shaft; and   rotating the shaft to cause the longitudinally oriented cutting element to sever tissue surrounding the shaft.   
     
     
         67 . The method of  claim 66 , wherein each of the tip end cutting element and the longitudinally oriented cutting element is a respective electrosurgical cutting element.