Methods and systems for capturing and removing urinary stones from body cavities

摘要

A stone capture device comprises a shaft with a deployable sweeping structure at its distal end. The shaft is adapted to be removably placed over and connected to a conventional ureteroscope. The combination of the stone capture device and ureteroscope can be introduced into the urinary tract to capture, fragment, and remove stones from the bladder and kidney.

主权项

1. A method for removing a stone from a body cavity selected from the group consisting of a kidney and a bladder, said method comprising:
mounting a perforate sweeping structure over a distal end of a viewing scope such that the perforate sweeping structure is removably coupled to and encloses the distal end of the viewing scope, the viewing scope having an optical element at the distal end thereof; advancing the viewing scope and the perforate sweeping structure in the distal direction into an open volume of the body cavity; deploying the perforate sweeping structure from the distal end of the viewing scope, wherein the deployed perforate sweeping structure is in an open concave configuration which increases in width in the distal direction and has an open distal end; steering and advancing the viewing scope within the open volume to pass the stone through the open distal end of the deployed perforate sweeping structure, engage the deployed perforate sweeping structure against the stone, and urge the stone and the open distal end of the deployed perforate sweeping structure against a wall of the body cavity to enclose the stone between the deployed perforate sweeping structure and the body cavity wall; and applying energy through the viewing scope against the captured stone to break up the stone and produce stone fragments wherein applying energy comprises advancing an energy applying tool through a working channel of the viewing scope, and wherein applying energy comprises delivering mechanical or pneumatic energy.