Spiral centering catheter

• US 20050171592A1
• Filed: 10/26/2004
• Published: 08/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cardinal Health Switzerland 515 GmbH (Cardinal Health, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cordis Corporation (Cardinal Health, Inc.)
• Inventors: Majercak, David C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,306,617 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/1.110
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/958 Inflatable balloons for placing stents or stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/1047 having centering means, e.g. balloons having an appropriate shape
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0043 characterised by structural features
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0069 Tip not integral with tube

Abstract

A catheter with proximal and distal ends having a spiral centering device attached near the catheter distal end. The spiral centering device has at least one spiral strut having a proximal end and a distal end. The spiral centering device resiliently tends to center the distal end portion of the catheter, steering the catheter away from the vessel wall during insertion through the vasculature and toward the treatment site. The spiral centering catheter may facilitate access to tortuous anatomy by preventing the distal catheter tip from catching on irregularities in the lumenal surface. If a stent is provided on the catheter, the spiral centering catheter may also facilitate uniform stent expansion by stabilizing the catheter during stent deployment.

Claims

1. A catheter for insertion into a lumen to treat a patient, the catheter comprising:

an elongated catheter body having a proximal end and a distal end, an outer dimension and an inner dimension; and

at least one spiral centering arm attached near the distal end of the catheter, the spiral centering arm having and extending between a proximal end and a distal end, the spiral centering arm having a smaller first size for insertion into a lumen;

a larger second size for expanding to substantially equal the size of the lumen, and to center the catheter in the lumen; and

a plurality of intermediate sizes therebetween;

the spiral centering arm tending to resiliently expand from a smaller size to a larger size, wherein the centering arm extends in a spiral around a longitudinal axis of the catheter in a spiral pattern between the centering arm proximal and distal ends.

2. The catheter according to claim 1, wherein the spiral centering strut is made from Nickel-Titanium alloy.

3. The catheter according to claim 1, further comprising at least one additional spiral centering arm.

4. The catheter according to claim 1, wherein the spiral centering arm is permanently or removably attached to the distal end of the catheter.

5. The catheter according to claim 1, wherein the catheter further comprises a balloon.

6. The catheter according to claim 1, wherein the catheter further comprises a stent.

9. The catheter according to claim 1, wherein the catheter further comprises a guidewire lumen in an over-the-wire configuration.

10. The catheter according to claim 1, wherein the catheter further comprises a guidewire lumen in a rapid exchange configuration.

11. The catheter according to claim 1, wherein the catheter defines multiple lumens.

12. The catheter according to claim 1, wherein the spiral centering arm is coated with a lubricious coating.

13. The catheter according to claim 1, wherein the spiral centering arm is coated with a biologically compatible coating.

7. The catheter according to claim 7, wherein the stent is a balloon expandable stent.

8. The catheter according to claim 7, wherein the stent is a self-expanding stent.

14. A method of inserting a catheter into a body lumen, advancing the catheter to a desired treatment site within the body lumen, and delivering a stent, comprising the steps of:

a) inserting a guidewire into a body lumen, the guidewire having a proximal end and a distal end, and advancing the guidewire through the body lumen past a desired treatment site;

b) providing a catheter having a proximal end and a distal end, defining a lumen, an outer dimension and an inner dimension, and having at least one spiral centering arm attached near the distal end of the catheter, the spiral centering arm having and extending between a proximal end and a distal end, the spiral centering arm tending to resiliently expand from a first smaller size to a second larger size substantially equal to the size of the lumen, and tending to thereby center the catheter in the lumen;

c) inserting the proximal end of the guidewire into the distal end of the catheter lumen, and slidably advancing the catheter over the guidewire until the catheter reaches the desired treatment site, with the spiral centering arm making contact with the body lumen, and the spiral centering arm resiliently expanding between the smaller first size and the larger second size as the size of the lumen varies, and the spiral centering arm tending to center the distal end of the catheter in the lumen; and

d) deploying the stent in the body lumen, with the spiral centering device tending to center the catheter in the lumen during deployment of the stent.