Eccentric catheter shaft
First Claim
1. An intravascular device comprising an elongate tubular shaft having an outer wall and an inner wall dividing the outer wall into first and second longitudinal lumens, wherein a portion of the outer wall has a reduced wall thickness to compensate for an imbalance of material and flexibility about a longitudinal center axis of the shaft that would otherwise occur due to the inner wall.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An intravascular device having a tubular shaft with an outer wall and an inner wall which divides the outer wall into two or more lumens. The shaft also includes one or more regions of modified flexibility extending longitudinally along the outer wall. Absent the regions of modified flexibility, the inner wall would create an imbalance of material and flexibility about the center axis of the shaft. The regions of modified flexibility are positioned to reduce any such imbalance, thereby providing more uniform flexibility. The regions of modified flexibility also provide for more uniform torque transmission, and thereby reduce whipping effects. The regions of modified flexibility may comprise one or more regions of decreased wall thickness in the outer wall, one or more spines extending longitudinally along the outer wall, or a combination thereof.
8 Citations
34 Claims
- 1. An intravascular device comprising an elongate tubular shaft having an outer wall and an inner wall dividing the outer wall into first and second longitudinal lumens, wherein a portion of the outer wall has a reduced wall thickness to compensate for an imbalance of material and flexibility about a longitudinal center axis of the shaft that would otherwise occur due to the inner wall.
- 13. An intravascular device comprising an elongate tubular shaft having an outer wall and an inner wall dividing the outer wall into first and second longitudinal lumens, and one or more spines extending longitudinally along the outer wall to compensate for an imbalance of material and flexibility about a longitudinal center axis of the shaft that would otherwise occur due to the inner wall.
- 22. An intravascular device comprising an elongate tubular shaft having an outer wall and an inner wall dividing the outer wall into first and second longitudinal lumens, and one or more regions of modified flexibility extending longitudinally along the outer wall to reduce an imbalance of material and flexibility about a longitudinal center axis of the shaft that would otherwise occur absent the regions of modified flexibility.
Specification