METHOD FOR TREATING VARICOSE VEINS AND INTRALUMINAL DEVICE USED IN SUCH METHOD

摘要

A method of treating a varicose vein involves inserting the distal portion of an intraluminal device into a varicose vein, wherein the device includes an elongated outer sheath and an expandable expansion member at the distal end of the outer sheath. The method also involves relatively moving the distal and proximal ends of the expandable spiral expansion member to reduce the distance between the distal and proximal ends of the expansion member and cause the expansion member positioned inside the varicose vein to outwardly expand to an expanded expansion member comprising a plurality of contact members in contact with the inner wall of the varicose vein. The method further includes axially moving the expanded expansion member while the contact members are in contact with the inner wall of the varicose vein and rotating the expanded expansion member during the axial movement.

主权项

1. A method of treating a vein comprising:
inserting a portion of an intraluminal device into a vein, the vein possessing an inner wall, the intraluminal device comprising an elongated inner member positioned inside an outer sheath, the elongated inner member possessing a distal end portion and the outer sheath possessing a distal end portion and a proximal end portion, the intraluminal device also including an expandable spiral expansion member positioned between the distal end portion of the elongated inner member and the distal end portion of the outer sheath, the elongated inner member being fixed to a distal end portion of the expandable spiral expansion member and the distal end portion of the outer sheath being fixed to a proximal end of the expandable spiral expansion member so that movement of the elongated inner member relative to the outer sheath axially expands and contracts the expandable spiral expansion member; moving the elongated inner member in a proximal direction relative to the outer sheath while the expandable spiral expansion member is positioned in the vein to cause the expandable spiral expansion member to move in the proximal direction relative to the proximal end portion of the outer sheath; the movement of the expandable spiral expansion member relative to the proximal end portion of the outer sheath causing the expandable spiral expansion member positioned inside the vein to outwardly expand to a first expanded state so that the spiral expansion member becomes an expanded spiral expansion member possessing a first outer dimension, the expanded spiral expansion member comprising a plurality of spirally extending contact members in contact with the inner wall of the vein; axially moving the expanded spiral expansion member in the first expanded state while the contact members are in contact with the inner wall of the vein and rotating the expanded spiral expansion member during the axial movement so that the spirally extending contact members which are in contact with the inner wall of the vein damage the inner wall of the vein; moving the elongated inner member in a proximal direction relative to the outer sheath while the expandable spiral expansion member is positioned in the vein in the first expanded state to cause the spiral expansion member positioned inside the vein to outwardly expand to a second expanded state so that the spiral expansion member becomes an expanded spiral expansion member possessing a second outer dimension larger than the first outer dimension in which the spirally extending contact members are in contact with the inner wall of the vein; damaging the inner wall of the vein by the contact of the contact members of the expanded spiral expansion member in the second expanded state with the inner wall of the vein; injecting fluid into the vein; and withdrawing the intraluminal device from the vein.