Tissue cutter with differential hardness

Abstract

Disclosed is a tubular cutting element for axial reciprocal movement within an outer tubular sleeve. The cutting element has an elongate tubular body, having a proximal end, a distal end and a cutting tip. The tubular body is formed in a drawing operation and the cutting tip is formed in a milling operation. The tubular body may have a Rockwell C hardness of no more than about 40, and the cutting tip may have a Rockwell C hardness of at least about 50.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12 / 432,686, filed Apr. 29, 2009 (titled “TISSUE CUTTER WITH DIFFERENTIAL HARDNESS”), which is a continuation in part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12 / 098,250, filed Apr. 4, 2008 (titled “METHOD, SYSTEM AND DEVICE FOR TISSUE REMOVAL”), which claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of U.S. Provisional Application 60 / 910,618, filed Apr. 6, 2007, U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60 / 910,625, filed Apr. 6, 2007, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60 / 986,912, filed Nov. 9, 2007, and all of the above applications are hereby incorporated herein by reference. U.S. application Ser. No. 12 / 432,686 is also a continuation in part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12 / 098,318, filed Apr. 4, 2008 (titled “SYSTEM FOR USE IN PERFORMING A MEDICAL PROCEDURE AND INTRODUCER DEVICE SUITABLE FOR USE IN SAID SYSTEM”), which claims the benefit under 35...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

Enables effective uterine fibroid removal with reduced surgical risks and without the need for general anesthesia, as the device can be used in a less invasive setting with smaller cervix dilation, improving patient comfort and reducing procedure costs.

Problems solved by technology

In many instances, uterine fibroids can grow to be several centimeters in diameter and may cause symptoms like menorrhagia (prolonged or heavy menstrual bleeding), pelvic pressure or pain, and reproductive dysfunction.

However, current pharmacological therapies are largely ineffective and merely palliative.

However, despite their widespread use, hysterectomies also possess certain disadvantages, such as a loss of fertility, sexual dysfunction, and the risks commonly associated with a major surgical procedure, such as hemorrhaging, lesions, infections, pain and prolonged recovery.

Small particles are then injected from the catheter into the fibroid artery, blocking its blood supply and causing it to eventually shrink and die.

Although this procedure is less invasive than a hysterectomy, it often results in pain-related, post-surgical complications.

Moreover, the physicians that are trained to perform uterine artery embolization are typically interventional radiologists, as opposed to physicians trained specifically to take care of gynecological problems, whereas the physicians trained specifically to take care of gynecological problems typically do not possess the skill to perform catheter-based uterine artery embolization.

However, because the distending fluid is administered under pressure (which pressure may be as great as 100 mm Hg or greater), there is a risk, especially when tissue is cut, that the distending fluid may be taken up by a blood vessel in the uterus, i.e., intravasation, which uptake may be quite harmful to the patient.

As a result, due to the need for anesthesia, hysteroscopic resection is typically performed in a hospital operating room and, as a result, bears a large cost due to the setting and the support personnel required.

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