Patents Assigned to Avinger
  • Patent number: 11076773
    Abstract: A catheter for positioning a guidewire across an occluded portion of a vessel includes an elongate catheter body, an integrated rotatable distal tip, a proximal handle region, and a catheter lumen extending through the elongate catheter body. The elongate body has a distal region configured to be bent to a set angle. The integrated rotatable distal tip includes one or more channeled flutes extending around the distal tip that are configured to be rotated in a first direction to dissect tissue and a second direction for bluntly contacting tissue. A proximal handle region includes a control for rotating the distal tip in either the first or second directions. The catheter lumen is configured to pass a guidewire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Avinger, Inc.
    Inventors: Himanshu N. Patel, John B. Simpson
  • Patent number: 11033190
    Abstract: A catheter system for optical coherence tomography includes an elongate catheter body, an optical fiber in the elongate catheter body, and an anamorphic lens assembly coupled with a distal end of the optical fiber. The optical fiber and the lens assembly are together configured to provide a common path for optical radiation reflected from a target and from a reference interface between the distal end of the optical fiber and the lens assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: Avinger, Inc.
    Inventors: Himanshu N. Patel, Manish Kankaria, Kin F. Chan
  • Patent number: 10952763
    Abstract: A catheter device for crossing occlusions includes an elongate catheter shaft, a rotatable tip configured to rotate relative to the elongate catheter shaft, a drive shaft, and an OCT imaging sensor. The rotatable tip includes a housing coupled with the elongate catheter shaft and cutting wedges extendable from the housing. The drive shaft has a central lumen extending therethrough and extends within the elongate catheter shaft. The drive shaft is coupled with the wedges and is configured to rotate the rotatable tip. The OCT sensor includes an optical fiber coupled with the rotatable tip and configured to rotate therewith. The elongate catheter shaft is configured to move axially over the drive shaft to extend and retract the wedges from the housing while maintaining a fixed position of the imaging sensor relative to the cutting wedges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Avinger, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard R. Newhauser, Theodore W. Ketai, Peter H. Smith, Myra L. Fabro
  • Patent number: 10952615
    Abstract: A system for optical coherence tomography includes a source of optical radiation, an optical fiber, and a graded index fiber attached to a distal end of the optical fiber. The optical fiber and the graded index fiber are together configured to provide a common path for optical radiation reflected from a reference interface at a distal end of the graded index fiber and from a target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Avinger, Inc.
    Inventor: Manish Kankaria
  • Publication number: 20210059713
    Abstract: A catheter system includes a catheter body that includes an outer shaft and a rotatable inner shaft. The inner shaft can include one or more imaging sensors for collecting images outside of the catheter body. The catheter body can include one or more windows for providing imaging access for the imaging sensor(s) outside of the catheter body. A distal portion of the catheter body can include a selective bending feature for bending the distal portion in a defined direction. The catheter body can include one or more markers that the imaging sensor can detect to determine a relative orientation of the catheter body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2019
    Publication date: March 4, 2021
    Applicant: AVINGER, INC.
    Inventors: Himanshu N. PATEL, Daniel LEONG
  • Patent number: 10932670
    Abstract: Optical pressure sensor assemblies that can be used with existing catheters and imaging systems. Pressure sensors may be compatible with atherectomy and occlusion-crossing catheters, where intravascular pressure measurements at various vessel locations are needed to determine treatment efficacy. The pressure sensors may employ an optical pressure measurement mechanism using optical interferometry, and may be integrated with existing imaging modalities such as OCT. The pressure sensor assemblies may include a movable membrane that deflects in response to intravascular pressure; an optical fiber that transmits light to the movable membrane and receives light reflected or scattered back from the movable membrane into the fiber; and a processor or controller configured to determine the distance traveled by the light received in the fiber from the movable membrane, where the distance traveled is proportional to the intravascular pressure exerted against the membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Avinger, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter H. Smith, Manish Kankaria
  • Patent number: 10869685
    Abstract: A rotating cutting head catheter for passage through chronic total occlusions or other refractory atherosclerotic plaque from diseased arteries is disclosed. The catheter's rotating cutting head is designed to reside safely within an outer protective sheath when not in use. The outer protective sheath contains one or more helical grooves or slots, and the cutting head contains protruding blades or projections that fit into these helical grooves or slots. Application of torque to an inner catheter or wire attached to the cutting head applies spin to the cutting head, and the force of the sheath's helical grooves or slots against the cutting head's protruding blades or projections advances the cutting head outward from the protective sheath. Once extended, the cutting head may now rotate freely. The device may use a guidewire to direct the cutting head to the desired position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: Avinger, Inc.
    Inventors: Himanshu N. Patel, John B. Simpson
  • Patent number: 10806484
    Abstract: Described herein is a system and method for identifying elastic lamina during interventional procedures, such as atherectomy. Such identification can be used to avoid trauma to the external elastic lamina during the procedure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: Avinger, Inc.
    Inventors: John B. Simpson, Xuanmin He, Ryan Radjabi, Richard R. Newhauser
  • Patent number: 10729326
    Abstract: A system for imaging a body lumen includes a controller and a display. The controller is configured to connect to a proximal end of a catheter having an optical fiber extending along the length of an elongate catheter body. The controller is further configured to rotate a distal end of the optical fiber from a location near a proximal end of the elongate catheter body, acquire optical coherence tomography (OCT) images using the optical fiber as the distal end of the optical fiber rotates, and determine a rotational lag of the distal end of the optical fiber. The display is configured to display one or more OCT images corrected for the rotational lag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: Avinger, Inc.
    Inventors: Maegan K. Spencer, Christopher B. White, Charles W. McNall, Dennis W. Jackson, Michael Zung, Nicholas J. Spinelli, Benjamin Ngo, Evangeline Lumabas, Kin F. Chan, John F. Black, Michael H. Rosenthal, John B. Simpson
  • Patent number: 10722121
    Abstract: An imaging device includes a hollow flexible shaft having a central longitudinal axis and an imaging window therein. An optical fiber extends within the hollow flexible shaft substantially along the central axis. A distal tip of the optical fiber is attached to the hollow flexible shaft and aligned with the imaging window so as to transfer an optical coherence tomography signal through the imaging window. A handle is attached to the hollow flexible shaft configured rotate the hollow flexible shaft at speeds of greater than 1,000 rpm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: Avinger, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter H. Smith, Manish Kankaria, Priyanshu Gupta, Nicholas J. Spinelli, Charles W. McNall
  • Patent number: 10568655
    Abstract: Atherectomy catheters and methods of using them are described herein. In particular, described herein are optical coherence tomography (OCT) catheters that may include a distal tip that can be deflected away from the long axis of the device using a multi-channel bushing. The bushing may include at a hinge point that is offset (e.g., located on a side of the elongate body near the distal end of the elongate body) and a rotatable cutter near an imaging assembly that can be driven against the wall with a high mechanical advantage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: Avinger, Inc.
    Inventors: John B. Simpson, Himanshu N. Patel, Anthony J. Fernandez, Richard R. Newhauser
  • Patent number: 10568520
    Abstract: A catheter system for optical coherence tomography includes an elongate catheter body, an optical fiber in the elongate catheter body, and an anamorphic lens assembly coupled with a distal end of the optical fiber. The optical fiber and the lens assembly are together configured to provide a common path for optical radiation reflected from a target and from a reference interface between the distal end of the optical fiber and the lens assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: Avinger, Inc.
    Inventors: Himanshu N. Patel, Manish Kankaria, Kin F. Chan
  • Patent number: 10548478
    Abstract: An atherectomy catheter includes an elongate flexible catheter body, a cutter near the distal end of the catheter body, a drive shaft connected to the cutter and extending within the catheter body, an imaging element near the distal end of the catheter body and an imaging shaft connected to the imaging element and extending within the catheter body. The cutter and the imaging element are mechanically isolated, and the drive shaft is configured to be axially translated relative to the imaging shaft and the catheter body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: Avinger, Inc.
    Inventors: John B. Simpson, Priyanshu Gupta, Michael Zung, Wendy N. Lam, Maegan K. Spencer, Peter H. Smith, Stephen C. Davies, Nicholas J. Spinelli, Charles W. McNall, Theodore W. Ketai, Manish Kankaria, Mark W. Askew, Kent C. B. Stalker
  • Patent number: 10470795
    Abstract: Atherectomy catheter devices having a C-shaped balloon opposite a cutting window out of which a rotating cutter may extend and a proximal annular balloon. The C-shaped first balloon may be used to drive the cutter against a vessel and to deploy the cutter by assisting in deflecting a nosecone (distal tip) to expose the distal-facing cutting edge of the cutter. The proximal annular balloon may be used to occlude blood flow. The device may pulled, pushed or rotated in a vessel with the balloons inflated or deflated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: Avinger, Inc.
    Inventors: Himanshu N. Patel, John B. Simpson, Wendy Ngo Lam
  • Patent number: 10363062
    Abstract: An atherectomy catheter includes a deflectable distal tip, a rotatable cutter proximal to the distal tip, a cutter drive shaft configured to rotate the rotatable cutter, and a pull shaft concentric with the drive shaft and coupled to the distal tip. The pull shaft is configured such that pulling the pull shaft deflects the distal tip, thereby exposing the rotatable cutter. Also disclosed herein is a magnetic drive system configured for non-contact actuation of a catheter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: Avinger, Inc.
    Inventors: Maegan K. Spencer, Nicholas J. Spinelli
  • Patent number: 10357277
    Abstract: An occlusion crossing device includes an outer shaft, an inner shaft, an optical fiber, and a handle attached to the inner shaft and the outer shaft. The inner shaft extends within the outer shaft. The inner shaft includes a drill tip at a distal end thereof. The optical fiber extends within the inner shaft substantially along a central axis of the inner shaft. The distal tip of the optical fiber is attached to the drill tip. The handle is configured to rotate the inner shaft and drill tip at speeds of greater than 500 rpm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: Avinger, Inc.
    Inventors: Himanshu N. Patel, John B. Simpson, Ryan Radjabi
  • Patent number: 10342491
    Abstract: Described herein are catheters for use with Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) that include an optical fiber core having a first refractive index and an interface medium having a second refractive index, where the first and second refractive indexes are mismatched such that receiving electronics configured to receive optical radiation reflected from the reference interface and the target operate in a total noise range that is within 5 dB of the shot noise limit. These OCT catheters may include a silicon die mirror having a reflective coating that is embedded in the interface medium. The optical fiber can be fixed at just the distal end of the catheter, and may be managed within a handle that is attached to the proximal end of the catheter body, and is configured to allow rotation of the both catheter body and the optical fiber relative to the handle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: Avinger, Inc.
    Inventors: John F. Black, Maegan K. Spencer, Michael Zung, Charles W. McNall, Evangeline Lumabas, Michael H. Rosenthal, John B. Simpson
  • Patent number: 10335173
    Abstract: A stylet for re-entry into a vessel includes an elongate body including a proximal portion, a middle curved portion, a pointed distal end, and a longitudinal axis extending through the proximal portion, the middle curved portion, and the pointed distal end. The proximal portion and the middle curved portion have substantially circular cross-sections. The middle curved portion has a pre-shaped curve along the longitudinal axis configured to match a curve of an occlusion-crossing device. The pointed distal end has an s-curve along the longitudinal axis and a flattened portion along the longitudinal axis, the flattened portion having a substantially oblong cross-section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: Avinger, Inc.
    Inventors: John B. Simpson, Myra L. Fabro, Eduardo Sucgang, Priyanshu Gupta, Theodore W. Ketai
  • Patent number: 10244934
    Abstract: A drive assembly for driving an imaging catheter has a rotatable fiber and a rotatable drive shaft. The drive assembly includes a fiber optic rotating junction and a motor configured to rotate the rotatable portion of the fiber optic rotating junction. In some embodiments, the drive assembly includes a sensor configured to detect a rotational position of the fiber optic rotating junction and a processor configured to obtain the detected rotational position and stop the motor only when the fiber optic rotating junction is in a predetermined rotational position. In some embodiments, the motor includes a hollow shaft through which at least a portion of the fiber optic rotating junction extends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: Avinger, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Y. Tachibana, Charles W. McNall, Michael Zung, Peter Howard Smith, Brian Chiu, Douglas Joseph Scott Bourne, Priyanshu Gupta
  • Publication number: 20190021679
    Abstract: A catheter system includes a catheter body, an imaging sensor, a drive motor, a current sensor, a display, and a controller. The catheter body includes a drive shaft. The imaging sensor is fixed relative to the distal end of the driveshaft and is configured to rotate therewith. The drive motor is configured to rotate the drive shaft. The current sensor is configured to measure an amount of current drawn by the drive motor as the drive shaft is rotated. The display is configured to display one or more images obtained by the imaging sensor as the imaging sensor is rotated. The controller is configured to adjust a rotational orientation of the one or more images displayed by the display based upon the measured current.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2017
    Publication date: January 24, 2019
    Applicant: AVINGER, INC.
    Inventor: Bjarne B. CHRISTENSEN