107PCT 0508

Catheter device having a coupling device for a drive device

The invention resides in the field of mechanics or mechanical engineering and precision engineering and can be used in particular in the construction of small instruments for invasive use in medical technology.

Instruments which can be actuated from outwith the body via flexible shafts are often used in particular in minimally invasive medicine. These shafts are normally guided through catheters which are introduced into the body through small openings or naturally occurring body vessels under particularly sensitive surrounding conditions.

A particular application form resides for example in the actuation of liquid pumps in microconstructional form which are used for example as heart pumps and which can be introduced into a ventricle with a heart catheter. Particular requirements thereby reside not only in the small constructional size of the corresponding pumps, as also when using other microinvasive instruments actuated via such a shaft, but also during operation of the flexible shaft. In particular at the high speeds of rotation often required, intensive deformation of the shaft takes place which causes high mechanical and thermal stress. Therefore it is normal to fill corresponding hollow catheters with a biocompatible liquid for lubrication and cooling of the shaft.

In order to ensure shielding of such a hollow catheter relative to the body exterior, frequently motor drives with magnetic couplings are used as drives at the proximal end of the shaft, externally of the body, which drives act through hermetically sealed housing walls of corresponding shaft connection housings.

Magnetic couplings of this type are however substantially more expensive and sensitive relative to conventional couplings. In order to transmit the required torque reliably, a significant over-dimensioning is required because of the normally low efficiency of such a magnetic coupling.

In addition, normally the motor drive together with the hollow catheter and the shaft and possibly a connected instrument must be certificated. This is particularly inefficient if at least one of the parts, either the motor drive or the catheter, is intended to be used multiple times and if these are only assembled during actual use.

In connection with a hollow catheter which houses a guide wire and a rotating imaging ultrasonic device, sterile shielding of an end region of a slowly rotating shaft is known from the US patent specification No. 5368035, which shaft essentially comprises a sleeve and is assembled with the hollow catheter if required or is again detached from the latter in order to push an element via the guide wire. The sleeve prevents toxic substances from passing through in that it forms a mechanical obstacle for these substances.

The object underlying the present invention is to produce a catheter device having a hollow catheter and a moveable shaft which, in a constructionally simple and economical manner, can be coupled reliably to a corresponding drive unit whilst maintaining the normal requirements for asepsis.

The object is achieved according to the invention by the features of patent claim 1.

Basically, the object within the scope of the invention is achieved by provision of means for reducing the pathogenicity of pathogenic substances or microorganisms in the proximal region of a hollow catheter of a catheter device, in particular a blood pump device.

According to patent claim 1 , a hollow catheter which can be introduced into a body, in particular for a blood pump, is thereby provided with a catheter cavity in which a moveable shaft is guided, and also a proximal coupling device for preferably detachable coupling of a drive device. The coupling device has a coupling cavity which is open towards the drive device and into which the shaft or an extension of the shaft protrudes. The shaft is preferably provided with a connection element for mechanical coupling of a motor shaft. The coupling device, in particular the coupling cavity, thereby has means for reducing the pathogenicity of pathogenic substances or microorganisms, preferably in the form of a germ barrier.

More detail is given further on with respect to possible types and modes of operation of germ barriers. There are thereby understood as germ barriers not only those means which basically destroy all germs but also those means which reduce and partially destroy and/ or suppress living germs.

It is thereby important that the coupling cavity per se is open towards the motor side so that the motor shaft can be coupled in an easy and simple manner to the shaft to be actuated or a corresponding extension or connection part. The corresponding connection part can thereby provide in addition a length compensation possibility for example by form-fit adaptation to the motor shaft in the direction of rotation and axial displaceablity of the connection part relative to the motor shaft. The coupling cavity can be closed, during connection of a drive direction, advantageously by corresponding elements of the drive device, for example a sleeve which is inserted in a form-fit and in a seal around a coupling sleeve forming the coupling cavity or into said sleeve. If the coupling sleeve is configured as a cylindrical sleeve, a corresponding cover advantageously provided with a seal can be configured on the sides of the drive device.

The coupling cavity can be sealed by a shaft seal relative to the catheter cavity. As a result, shielding relative to the catheter cavity, in addition to a germ barrier, is produced, which in fact per se normally does not fulfil the requirements for clinical asepsis but minimises substance exchange between the coupling cavity and the catheter cavity and hence reduces the requirements on the germ barrier or makes its effect more reliable. The design of the shaft seal is thereby all the more difficult the more rapidly the shaft is intended to rotate. In the present case, the shaft can be provided for operation at at least 10,000 rpm.

A particular embodiment of the means for reducing the pathogenicity of pathogenic substances or microorganisms, in particular in the form of a germ barrier, provides that these are configured as a partial chamber of the coupling cavity which can be filled with a germicidal gel. This partial chamber is penetrated by the shaft so that no living germs or those only in a reduced number can migrate in particular along the shaft. The use of a gel ensures, on the one hand, that the latter does not flow because of its thixotropic properties, i.e. remains stationary, and, on the other hand, cavities which could possibly be produced are constantly closed. Instead of the gel, also a viscous liquid can possibly be used.

It can thereby be provided that the partial chamber is delimited, on the drive side, by a seal or a bearing for the shaft. In addition to the corresponding support and guidance of the shaft, the gel or possibly liquefied partial quantities of the gel is hence retained in the partial chamber.

Furthermore, a shaft or a bearing can also be provided on the catheter cavity side which represents further guidance for the shaft so that the partial chamber is delimited axially on both sides with respect to the shaft respectively by a bearing or a shaft.

Advantageously, the partial chamber has a filling opening through which gel can be introduced when the drive device is coupled. This means that, for example in the coupling sleeve, a closeable opening, e.g. with a connection pipe, is provided, through which the gel can be introduced before or after coupling of the drive and hence the germ barrier can be provided.

A further advantageous embodiment of the means for reducing the pathogenicity of pathogenic substances or microorganisms, in particular in the form of a germ barrier, provides that the latter is configured as an irradiation chamber which is penetrated by the shaft or an extension of the shaft and can be supplied with germicidal radiation, in particular light, preferably UV light, further preferred light of a wavelength between 255 and 265 nm or X-rays. The corresponding irradiation chamber can be configured as a partial chamber of the coupling cavity or include this in its entirety. It can be provided that reflection elements for the radiation are provided in order to be able to reach all regions of the irradiation chamber with as few radiation sources as possible. The constitution of such reflection elements depends inter alia also upon the wavelength of the radiation which is used.

In particular, the irradiation chamber can advantageously have a radiation window which is permeable for the germicidal radiation and hermetically seals the irradiation chamber.

A radiation source, in particular an ultraviolet diode, can be inserted in front of the radiation window. If a corresponding radiation window is integrated in the diode, a sealing receiving means for the diode can also serve in a simple manner as radiation window. A corresponding radiation source can be disposed if necessary also in the irradiation chamber itself.

In order to supply the entire irradiation chamber reliably with radiation, also two or more radiation windows can be provided with corresponding diodes.

The coupling sleeve which surrounds the coupling cavity at least partially is advantageously sealed hermetically with the hollow catheter, in particular is connected non-detachably, preferably in one piece. The connection can be produced by the known integral connection methods, such as glueing and welding.

If the catheter device is provided with a drive, then a cover sleeve which is connected in one piece to a drive housing or at least in a sealing manner can be provided and can be pushed onto the coupling sleeve from outside. Hence, in particular if the inner diameter of the cover sleeve corresponds to the outer diameter of the coupling sleeve, a long sealing region between the coupling sleeve and the cover sleeve is provided.

The corresponding seal can be improved further by inserting an elastomer seal between the coupling sleeve and the cover sleeve.

The cover sleeve advantageously has a shaft for the radiation source, which shaft opens in front of the radiation window after assembly and into which the radiation source can be inserted.

For a reliable and easily producible connection between the hollow catheter and the coupling device, on the one hand, and the drive device, on the other hand, a locking connection device can advantageously be provided so that the corresponding connection can also be easily detached. This is particularly advantageous if one of the elements, normally the drive device, is intended to be used multiple times and the parts are separated after use on one patient. The catheter-side elements are normally delivered in sterile packaging, used on the patient after unpacking and connected to an individually sterilised drive device.

In order to increase the safety of the patient and the functional capacity of the shaft further, it can be provided advantageously in addition that, in addition to the mentioned germ barrier, an additional germ barrier is provided on the distal side of the shaft seal and of the coupling cavity, said germ barrier being able to be configured for example in the shape of a shaft rinsing device. In order to assist their flexibility, the normally used shafts are generally combined and twisted from thinner strands so that a spindle-like surface structure is produced, which leads, at rapid rotation, to conveyance of the fluid situated in the catheter along the shaft. This effect is in general not necessarily desired but is scarcely avoidable. Correspondingly, new fluid must subsequently flow from the drive-side end of the catheter. This can be delivered by a corresponding shaft rinsing device which however requires special elements in order to convey the fluid into the catheter chamber without germs and bubbles. In order to form optimised flow conditions within a shaft rinsing device, a so-called counterflow sleeve for example can be provided there, which sleeve rotates with the shaft and has drive elements for the fluid, for example in the form of blades which act counter to the conveying direction acting on the fluid by means of the shaft surface structure.

In the cooperation of the germ barrier with this additional germ barrier, additional safety for the patient is produced.

In the following, the invention is shown and subsequently described in a drawing with reference to an embodiment. There are thereby shown

Fig. 1 in a schematic longitudinal section, the end region of a hollow catheter on the drive- or proximal side with a connected drive and a germ barrier in the form of a gel- filled partial chamber,

Fig. 2 likewise schematically in longitudinal section, a similar device to Fig. 1 , the germ barrier being configured as an irradiation chamber, and also

Fig. 3 schematically, the configuration of an additional germ barrier in the form of a shaft rinsing device in the end region of the hollow catheter.

On the left side, Fig. 1 shows the hollow catheter 1 with the flexible shaft 2 which is guided in the catheter cavity and is connected in a non- rotatable manner to a first connection part 3. The first connection part 3 is situated in the region of a shaft rinsing device 4 which is dealt with in more detail further on in connection with Fig. 3. On the other side of the first connection part 3, an extension 5 of the shaft 2 is connected and is guided through a shaft seal 6 in a sealed manner from the shaft rinsing device 4 to a coupling cavity 7.

On the other side of the shaft seal 6, a first bearing 8 is connected, which guides the shaft extension 5 and delimits a partial chamber 9 which can be filled or is filled with gel on the catheter side. A second bearing 10 delimits the partial chamber 9 towards the drive device 11.

A filling opening 12 through which the partial chamber 9 can be filled with a germicidal gel or a viscous germicidal liquid is provided. The shaft extension 5 extends up to a second connection part 13 and is connected securely thereto.

The second connection part 13 has a polygonal opening on the inside, for example a hexagonal opening, into which a corresponding hexagon 14 of a motor shaft can be introduced in a non-rotatable manner but axially displaceable for length compensation. The coupling chamber 7 is surrounded in total by a coupling sleeve 15 which can be introduced into a corresponding cover sleeve 16 of the drive housing 17 and can be sealed thereon by means of an elastomer seal 18. The cover sleeve 16 has locking noses 19 which engage behind corresponding shoulder parts 20 of locking arms 21 of the coupling sleeve 15 and produce a detachable connection between the drive 11 and the catheter.

The represented device has the effect that the coupling cavity 7 which is open on the drive side during mounting of the drive device 11 is hermetically separated from the shaft rinsing device and the catheter cavity by a gel barrier in the partial chamber 9, the shaft extension 5 being embedded in the gel so that no germs can migrate from the open end of the coupling cavity towards the catheter cavity along the shaft extension 5. Hence asepsis can be ensured even when coupling the drive device 11 in a chamber which is not completely aseptic. In Fig. 2 elements which remain the same or perform the same functions relative to Fig. 1 are provided with the same reference numbers. In Fig. 2, in contrast to Fig. 1 , an irradiation chamber 9 ' is provided as partial chamber of the coupling cavity 7 and extends from the shaft seal 6 up to the drive-side opening 22 of the coupling cavity. Said irradiation chamber is characterised inter alia by a radiation window 23 which consists of for example Plexiglas or another material which is permeable for the corresponding radiation, in particular ultraviolet radiation. The radiation window 23 is fitted into the coupling sleeve 15 in a hermetically sealed manner.

On the drive side, a shaft 27 is integrated in the cover sleeve 16, into which shaft a radiation source in the form of a UV diode 24 can be inserted, which diode is fitted in an actuation unit 25 and is connected thereto.

In addition, reflection elements for the UV radiation, which are not represented in detail, can be provided in the partial chamber 9 ' .

The two represented embodiments of a germ barrier can also be combined with each other such that, in addition to the irradiation chamber 9' , a germicidal gel is inserted between the bearings 8, 10, as described according to Fig. 1.

Basically, also alternatively or additionally to the above-described types of germ barriers, a radiation source for germicidal radiation, advantageously a UV radiation source, can be provided at any position along the shaft or the hollow catheter, even on the distal side of the last bearing seal. The irradiation device can be constructed like the represented germ barrier on the coupling cavity, however it can also be configured as a cover sleeve with a radiation source directed inwardly towards the catheter. It can be provided for example at the level of the shaft rinsing device, as represented in Fig. 2, and provided with the reference number 30. The radiation sources themselves are designated there with 31, 32. The sleeve can be at least partially silvered on the inside in order to reflect and diffuse the radiation. The energy supply of the radiation source(s) can be produced by electrical lines extending parallel to the catheter. This configuration of a germ barrier demands a partially radiation-permeable design of the hollow catheter. It can be applied basically both to catheters which have a drive shaft and without drive shaft, for example also in the case of hoses conducting a fluid and introduced into a body.

The motor which is accommodated in the drive housing 17 and has a motor shaft 26 which ends in the hexagon 14 and is actuated electrically, is not represented in detail in the drawing.

Furthermore, an instrument which is connected to the shaft 2 and can be actuated by means of the latter, such as for example a micropump which can be used as heart pump, or a microcutter, is not represented at the distal end.

The shaft rinsing device which is connected on the catheter side to the germ barrier is represented in more detail in Fig. 3. The germ barrier itself has been omitted in Fig. 3 for the sake of clarity.

The shaft rinsing device 4 has the first connection part 3 to which the shaft 2 is connected non-rotatably. A rinsing chamber 28 which is connected to the catheter cavity 29 is provided. An aseptic or germicidal rinsing liquid can be introduced into the rinsing chamber 28 via a filling opening 30 by means of a pump 31 which is connected to a reservoir 32. The liquid is discharged again partially through an outlet opening 33 which also serves for ventilation.

The rinsing liquid is distributed, according to the illustrated flow direction arrows 34, 35, in the direction of the catheter cavity and along the shaft 2 and also from the filling opening 30 in the opposite direction, as represented by the arrows 36, 37, towards the drive side. This is effected in particular by the coυnterflow sleeve 38 which has drive elements 39 is the form of blade-like webs and which rotates with the first connection part 3. The counterflow sleeve 38 can be connected also in one piece to the connection part 3.

Within the rinsing chamber 28, a slight excess pressure which prevents or at least reduces penetration of air through the ventilation opening 33 is produced by the counterflow sleeve in the axial region which is designated with 40. At the same time, the pressure is lowered slightly in the axial chamber designated with 41 and in the entire catheter chamber 39 and hence the flow of rinsing medium in the direction of the shaft towards the distal end is prevented. This is desirable for reducing the substance throughput along the shaft.

A bearing 42 which is permeable for the rinsing liquid is provided for mounting the counterflow sleeve 38.

In particular together with the germ barriers represented in Figs. 1 and 2 in more detail, the rinsing device in addition improves the asepsis of the catheter and ensures a low-abrasion and reliable operation of the shaft even at high speeds of rotation.