Atherectomy advancing probe and method of use

DETAILED DESCRIPTION A preferred embodiment of an atherectomy advancing probe of the present invention comprises a distal support and a proximal support for slideably supporting a torque tube having a cutter attached at its distal end.
The torque tube is rotated about its longitudinal axis by a motor which is slideably mounted inside the housing of a drive unit that is fixedly attached to the proximal support.
A rod, having one end fixedly attached to the distal support is extended substantially parallel to the torque tube for selective engagement of its proximal end portion with the housing of the drive unit.
Aligned adjacent and substantially parallel to the rod is an elongated advancement tape having juxtaposed dual layers which are attached between the distal support and the proximal support to surroundingly engage the torque tube.
A tape divider is positioned on the advancement tape intermediate the distal support and the proximal support and a tape advancer is engageable with the tape divider to separate the layers of the advancement tape.
Specifically, to separate the layers, two pins extending from the tape advancer are inserted between the layers of the tape for laterally separating the layers to advance the proximal support and the distal support toward each other.
Because the housing is fixedly attached to the proximal support, this interaction causes the housing of the drive unit to advance toward the distal support.
In the operation of the atherectomy advancing probe, a guide wire is inserted into an artery and extended to and through the reduced lumen of the obstructive tissue which is to be removed.
The atherectomy cutter and its associated torque tube, in combination with the tube-shaped sheath which surrounds the torque tube and is connected to the distal support of the atherectomy probe, are then introduced into the artery over the guide wire.
The cutter at the distal end of the torque tube is positioned slightly beyond the distal end of the sheath and is rotated by the torque tube and advanced to cut through the obstructive tissue until further advancement is prevented by the proximal end of the torque tube abutting the proximal end of the sheath