Guide catheter having selected flexural modulus segments
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Accused Products
Abstract
A guiding catheter for use in coronary angioplasty and other cardiovascular interventions which incorporates a plurality of segment of selected flexural modulus in the shaft of the device. The segments which have a different flexibility than the sections immediately proximal and distal to them, creating zones in the catheter shaft which are either more or less flexible than other zones of the shaft. The flexibility and length of the shaft in a given zone is then matched to its clinical function and role. A mid-shaft zone is significantly softer than a proximal shaft or distal secondary curve to better traverse the aortic arch shape without storing too much energy. A secondary zone section is designed to have maximum stiffness to provide optimum backup support and stability.
289 Citations
39 Claims
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1-29. -29. (cancelled)
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30. A guide catheter having a distal end and a proximal end, the guide catheter comprising:
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an inner lubricious layer extending from the distal end to the proximal end;
a reinforcement layer disposed over the inner lubricious layer and extending from the distal end to the proximal end; and
an outer polymer layer disposed over the reinforcement layer, the outer polymer layer including a proximal region, a distal region and a transition region disposed therebetween;
wherein the transition region has a flexibility that is different from a flexibility of the proximal region and is different from a flexibility of the distal region. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32)
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33. A method of providing a transition region in a guide catheter, the guide catheter including an inner layer and an outer layer, the guide catheter having a distal region, a proximal region and an intervening transition region, the method comprising steps of:
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removing a portion of the outer layer proximate the transition region;
replacing the removed portion of the outer layer with a different polymer;
wherein the transition region has a resulting flex modulus that is different from that of the distal region and the proximal region. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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Specification