Robert H Mackie

US Patent:

58108076, Sep 22, 1998

Filed:

Oct 15, 1996

Appl. No.:

8/732092

Inventors:

Robert A. Ganz - Minneapolis MN
Jonathan Kagan - Minneapolis MN
Ricci D. Smelser - Maple Lake MN
Brian D. Zelickson - Minneapolis MN
Robert D. Mackie - North Oaks MN

International Classification:

A61B 1736

US Classification:

606 47

Abstract:

A sphincterotome adapted to be used in the lumen of an endoscope for cutting a sphincter in a patient's body using a cutting wire energized by an electrosurgical unit. The sphincterotome has a distal end segment and cutting plane orienting mechanism extending through the length of a sphincterotome tubular body between a handle assembly at the proximal end of the sphincterotome body and a distal end segment thereof for shifting the cutting plane laterally with respect to the longitudinal axis of the sphincterotome tubular body exiting the endoscope lumen. The lateral shift is in at least one lateral direction from an un-shifted position of the cutting plane with respect to the longitudinal axis whereby in use during a sphincterotomy, the cutting wire may be oriented into alignment with a particular feature of the sphincter, e. g. the twelve o'clock position of the sphincter of Oddi and papilla of Vater, without having to reposition the endoscope and/or withdraw and reposition the sphincterotome in the endoscope lumen.