Prosecution Insights
Last updated: May 29, 2026
Application No. 18/795,625

Multi-Lumen Sheath Central Venous Catheter With Vena Cava Filter Apparatus and Method of Using Same

Non-Final OA §102
Filed
Aug 06, 2024
Priority
Jul 05, 2012 — provisional 61/668,308 +2 more
Examiner
GABR, MOHAMED GAMIL
Art Unit
3771
Tech Center
3700 — Mechanical Engineering & Manufacturing
Assignee
Mermaid Medical Vascular Aps
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
81%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
1y 0m
Est. Remaining
99%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 81% — above average
81%
Career Allowance Rate
422 granted / 523 resolved
+10.7% vs TC avg
Strong +22% interview lift
Without
With
+22.0%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 10m
Avg Prosecution
26 currently pending
Career history
555
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§103
67.6%
+27.6% vs TC avg
§102
19.4%
-20.6% vs TC avg
§112
9.1%
-30.9% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 523 resolved cases

Office Action

§102
DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status The present application is being examined under the pre-AIA first to invent provisions. Response to Amendment In response to the amendment filed on 03/17/2026, No Claims have been cancelled, and Claims 1-18 are pending. Election/Restrictions Applicant’s election WITHOUT traverse of GROUP I, Species A in the reply filed on 03/17/2026 is acknowledged. Claims 9-18 have been withdrawn from further consideration and claims 1-8 are pending. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status. The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action: A person shall be entitled to a patent unless – (b) the invention was patented or described in a printed publication in this or a foreign country or in public use or on sale in this country, more than one year prior to the date of application for patent in the United States. Claim(s) 1-6 and 8 is/are rejected under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(b) as being anticipated by Quinn (US PGPub 2007/0129753) Regarding Claim 1, Quinn teaches a medical device (abstract), comprising: a multi-lumen sheath (326; Figures 19A; Paragraph 0143) having a central lumen (328; Paragraph 0143) including a wire body (210) longitudinally disposed within the central lumen (328) (best seen in Figures 3A-3B in which the wire body is the tether line 210); and a filter capsule (550) operably associated with a distal end of the multi-lumen sheath (326; best seen in Figures 16A-16B) and longitudinally translatable within one lumen of the multi-lumen sheath (326; Figures 16A-18H show the longitudinally translatable movement of capsule 550); a filter member (100; Paragraph 0057; Figure 3A and Figures 16A-18H) having a first end coupled to the wire body (210; Paragraph 0050), the filter member (100) having a diametrically enlarged state (Figures 18A-18B) and a diametrically collapsed state (Figures 18F-18H), wherein the diametrically collapsed state is coaxially disposed with the filter capsule (550) upon movement of the wire body (210) along a longitudinal axis of the multi-lumen sheath (326) (as seen in Figures 18E-18H; Paragraph 0058). Regarding Claim 2, Quinn discloses the medical device according to Claim 1, wherein the multi-lumen sheath further (326) comprises a first open port (412; Figure 19 and 19A) associated with a first lumen (332) longitudinally disposed through the multi- lumen sheath (326; Paragraph 0173). Regarding Claim 3, Quinn discloses the medical device according to Claim 2, further comprising a wire (334) operably associated with the longitudinal length of the central lumen (327; Figure 19A). Regarding Claim 4, Quinn discloses the medical device according to Claim 1, wherein the multi-lumen sheath further comprises a first open port (529) associated with a first lumen (Paragraph 0173) longitudinally disposed through the multi- lumen sheath and a second open port (412) associated with a second lumen (332) longitudinally disposed through the multi-lumen sheath (326; Paragraph 0173). Regarding Claim 5, Quinn discloses the medical device according to Claim 1, further comprising at least one infusion port (529) associated with at least one infusion lumen in the wire body (334) and positioned within an area of the wire body (330) bounded by the filter member (Paragraph 0173). Regarding Claim 6, Quinn discloses the medical device according to Claim 5, wherein the at least one infusion port further comprises a plurality of infusion ports (529, 412, and 414) arrayed along a longitudinal axis and a circumferential axis of the wire body (330; Figure 19-19A; Paragraph 0173). Regarding Claim 8, Quinn discloses the medical device according to Claim 1, wherein the filter member (100) further comprises a plurality of structural members (112; Figure 8) configured to form a plurality of proximal interstitial openings and distal interstitial openings (Figure 8), the proximal interstitial openings being larger in open surface area than the distal interstitial openings (Paragraph 0068 states that the barrier 120 can be disposed on the distal axially facing face of implant 100 and thus the barrier 120 makes the implant have larger proximal interstitial openings than the distal interstitial openings since the distal section has the barrier as in Figure 8). Allowable Subject Matter Claim 7 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. Regarding Claim 7, the prior art of record fails to disclose wherein the multi-lumen sheath includes a plurality of openings associated with the first fluid flow lumen along the longitudinal length of the multi-lumen sheath. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MOHAMED GAMIL GABR whose telephone number is (571)272-0569. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am-5pm. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jackie Ho can be reached on (571) 270-5953. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /MOHAMED G GABR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3771
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Aug 06, 2024
Application Filed
Apr 13, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102 (current)

Precedent Cases

Applications granted by this same examiner with similar technology

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Sinus Dilation Catheter
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CATHETER WITH A BALLOON AND A SEPARATE INFLATION LUMEN
4y 8m to grant Granted Apr 28, 2026
Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
81%
Grant Probability
99%
With Interview (+22.0%)
2y 10m (~1y 0m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 523 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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