Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 36
Claim 1
Independent Claim
77 words
An intracardiac catheter, including: a sheath; an umbrella sized to fit within a patient's pulmonary artery connected to said sheath, said umbrella allowing blood and plasma to pass through freely but trapping emboli; a means for biasing said umbrella to an open position away from said sheath; means for controlling the degree of opening of said umbrella; means for detecting the presence of emboli trapped in said umbrella; and means for treating emboli trapped in said umbrella.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
77 words
An intracardiac catheter, including: a sheath; an umbrella sized to fit within a patient's pulmonary artery connected to said sheath, said umbrella allowing blood and plasma to pass through freely but trapping emboli; a means for biasing said umbrella to an open position away from said sheath; means for controlling the degree of opening of said umbrella; means for detecting the presence of emboli trapped in said umbrella; and means for treating emboli trapped in said umbrella.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
An intracardiac catheter as recited in claim 1 wherein said umbrella is comprised of a mesh material connected at one end to said sheath and connected at another end to a tubular member which encircles said sheath.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
An intracardiac catheter as recited in claim 2 wherein said tubular member is an inflatable balloon.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
An intracardiac catheter as recited in claim 3 wherein said balloon has a larger outside surface for contacting the wall of said pulmonary artery and a smaller inside surface connected to said meshwork.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
45 words
An intracardiac catheter as recited in claim 1 wherein said means for biasing said umbrella to an open position includes flexed members positioned within said umbrella that are connected at one end to said sheath and are biased away from said sheath at another end.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
52 words
An intracardiac catheter as recited in claim 1 wherein said means for controlling the degree of opening of said umbrella includes cords connected to said umbrella at points distant from said sheath, said cords being retractable such that a free end of said umbrella is capable of being drawn towards said sheath.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
An intracardiac catheter as recited in claim 6 wherein said cords can be retracted to a point where said free end of said umbrella is in contact with said sheath.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
44 words
An intracardiac catheter as recited in claim 6 wherein said means for contolling the degree of opening of said umbrella further includes an inflatable balloon positioned at the free end of said umbrella and a means for controlling the pressure inside said inflatable balloon.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
40 words
An intracardiac catheter as recited in claim 1 wherein said means for detecting the presence of larger emboli trapped in said umbrella includes an ultrasound probe which outputs signals to a display, said display capable of showing two dimensional images.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
An intracardiac catheter as recited in claim 9 wherein said ultrasound probe is slidable towards and away from said umbrella.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
31 words
An intracardiac catheter as recited in claim 1 wherein said means for detecting the presence of larger emboli trapped in said umbrella includes means for detecting a differential across said umbrella.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
28 words
An intracardiac catheter as recited in claim 11 wherein said means for detecting a differential comprises first and second pressure gauges positioned on opposite sides of said umbrella.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
28 words
An intracardiac catheter as recited in claim 11 wherein said means for detecting a differential comprises first and second doppler transducers positioned on opposite sides of said umbrella.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
28 words
An intracardiac catheter as recited in claim 11 wherein said means for detecting a differential comprises first and second impedance transducers positioned on opposite sides of said umbrella.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
28 words
An intracardiac catheter as recited in claim 11 wherein said means for detecting a differential comprises first and second flow transducers positioned on opposite sides of said umbrella.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
31 words
An intracardiac catheter as recited in claim 1 wherein said means for detecting the presence of emboli trapped in said umbrella includes a chemical sensor positioned in front of said umbrella.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
49 words
An intracardiac catheter as recited in claim 1 wherein said means for detecting the presence of emboli trapped in said umbrella includes an ultrasound probe which outputs signals to a display, said display capable of showing two dimensional images, and a means for sensing a differential across said umbrella.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
32 words
An intracardiac catheter as recited in claim 1 wherein said means for treating emboli trapped in said umbrella includes a means for transporting lysing agents to said emboli trapped in said umbrella.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
33 words
An intracardiac catheter as recited in claim 1 wherein said means for treating emboli trapped in said umbrella includes an ultrasound probe positioned adjacent said umbrella for applying ultrasound energy to said emboli.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
42 words
An intracardiac catheter as recited in claim 1 wherein said means for treating emboli trapped in said umbrella includes a means for moving said emboli inside said sheath and a means for applying vacuum suction to said emboli from inside said sheath.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
30 words
An intracardiac catheter as recited in claim 1 wherein said means for treating emboli trapped in said umbrella includes a means for retracting said sheath from said patient's pulmonary artery.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
66 words
A method for protecting a patient from a pulmonary embolism during surgery, comprising the steps of: placing a catheter having an attached umbrella inside said patient's pulmonary artery, said umbrella allowing blood and plasma to pass through freely but trapping emboli; opening said umbrella inside said patient's pulmonary artery; detecting the presence of emboli trapped in said umbrella; and treating said emboli trapped in said umbrella.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
66 words
A method for protecting a patient from a pulmonary embolism during surgery, comprising the steps of: placing a catheter having an attached umbrella inside said patient's pulmonary artery, said umbrella allowing blood and plasma to pass through freely but trapping emboli; opening said umbrella inside said patient's pulmonary artery; detecting the presence of emboli trapped in said umbrella; and treating said emboli trapped in said umbrella.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method as recited in claim 22 wherein said step of placing is performed by fluoroscopic guidance.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method as recited in claim 22 wherein said step of placing is performed by echo guidance.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method as recited in claim 22 wherein said step of opening said umbrella is performed by providing outward biasing members in said umbrella.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method as recited in claim 22 wherein said step of detecting is performed by ultrasound imaging.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method as recited in claim 22 wherein said step of detecting is performed by monitoring a differential across said umbrella.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method as recited in claim 22 wherein said step of detecting is performed by chemically sensing the presence of emboli in said umbrella.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method as recited in claim 22 wherein said step of treating is performed by transporting lysing agents directly to said emboli trapped in said umbrella.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method as recited in claim 22 wherein said step of treating is performed by using ultrasound energy to break apart said emboli trapped in said umbrella.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method as recited in claim 22 wherein said step of treating is performed by drawing said emboli into said catheter and subjecting said emboli to vacuum suction.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method as recited in claim 22 wherein said step of treating is performed by closing said umbrella on said trapped emboli and withdrawing said emboli from said pulmonary artery.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
98 words
An intracardiac catheter, including: first and second sheaths; first and second umbrellas sized to fit within a patient's pulmonary artery each of which are connected respectively to said first and second sheaths, said first and second umbrellas allowing blood to pass through freely but trapping emboli; a means for biasing said first and second umbrellas to an open position away from said sheath; a means for controlling the degree of opening of said umbrella; a means for detecting the presence of emboli trapped in said first umbrella; and a means for treating emboli trapped in said first umbrella.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
98 words
An intracardiac catheter, including: first and second sheaths; first and second umbrellas sized to fit within a patient's pulmonary artery each of which are connected respectively to said first and second sheaths, said first and second umbrellas allowing blood to pass through freely but trapping emboli; a means for biasing said first and second umbrellas to an open position away from said sheath; a means for controlling the degree of opening of said umbrella; a means for detecting the presence of emboli trapped in said first umbrella; and a means for treating emboli trapped in said first umbrella.