Catheter having plurality of stiffening members

• US 20070016132A1
• Filed: 05/23/2006
• Published: 01/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Abbott Laboratories
• Original Assignee: Abbott Laboratories
• Inventors: Balfe, Louise, Jeffrey, Andrew, Coffey, Lorcan, Joergensen, Ib, Grandt, Axel, Quint, Bodo, Oepen, Randolf
• Granted Patent: US 7,815,627 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/96.10
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0063 having means, e.g. stylets, mandrils, rods or wires to reinforce or adjust temporarily the stiffness, column strength or pushability of catheters which are already inserted into the human body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0183 Rapid exchange or monorail catheters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/10 Balloon catheters A61M25/0125 takes precedence; embolectomy A61B17/22032; retractors A61B17/02; inflatable balloons for placing stents or stent-grafts A61F2/958 ; stomach balloons for treatment of obesity A61F5/0003; oesophagal tubes A61J15/00

Abstract

The invention includes a catheter having an elongate main body having a proximal section and a distal section. The elongate main body further includes a plurality of stiffening members disposed along the length of the elongate main body. At least one stiffening member includes a plurality of clusters including helical turns or rotations disposed circumferentially about a tubular member and along the length of the cluster. The clusters can be configured to vary flexibility along the length of the tubular member. The catheter can include a sheath having a stationary section and a retractable section.

Claims

1. A catheter comprising:

an elongate main body including a tubular member, the tubular member having a proximal section, a distal section and an outer surface; and

at least one stiffening member including at least one cluster including a plurality of helical turns having a pitch, the plurality of helical turns disposed circumferentially about the outer surface of the catheter along a length of the cluster.

2. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the plurality of helical turns have a pitch that is constant along the length of the cluster.

3. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the plurality of helical turns have a pitch that is varied along the length of the cluster.

4. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the at least one stiffening member includes a plurality of clusters along the length of the tubular member.

5. The catheter of claim 4, wherein the plurality of clusters is configured to vary axial flexibility along a length of the tubular member.

6. The catheter of claim 4, wherein the first cluster is disposed along a first length of the tubular member and the second cluster is disposed along a second length of the tubular member, the second cluster having a greater flexibility than the first cluster.

7. The catheter of claim 6, wherein the first cluster is formed from a first material and the second cluster is formed from a second material, the second material having greater flexibility than the first material.

8. The catheter of claim 5, wherein the first cluster includes a first plurality of helical turns having a first pitch and the second cluster includes a second plurality of helical turns having a second pitch, the first pitch being different than the second pitch.

9. The catheter of claim 8, wherein the second pitch is longer than the first pitch, the second plurality of helical turns having greater flexibility than the first plurality of helical turns.

10. The catheter of claim 6, wherein the second cluster is disposed along a distal length of the tubular member and the first cluster is disposed along a proximal length of the tubular member to define a tubular member having increased flexibility along its distal length.

11. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the plurality of clusters includes at least a first cluster and a second cluster joined by an interconnector.

12. The catheter of claim 11, wherein the interconnector has a linear or non-linear configuration.

13. The catheter of claim 1, further including a coating applied to the outer surface of the tubular member.

14. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the tubular member is a shaft member of the elongate main body of the catheter or a portion thereof.

15. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the catheter further includes an inflatable member disposed at the distal section of the elongate main body.

16. The catheter of claim 15, wherein the inflatable member is formed from a tubular member, the tubular member having at least one recess formed along a length.

17. The catheter of claim 16, wherein the catheter is a rapid exchange catheter and the inflatable member is a balloon, the catheter further comprising a sheath, the sheath including a proximal sheath section and a distal sheath section.

18. The catheter of claim 17, wherein the first sheath section is stationary and the second sheath section is retractable.

19. The catheter of claim 18, wherein the second sheath section retracts proximally to expose at least the balloon, and further wherein the second sheath telescopically slides proximally over a surface of the first sheath section.

20. The catheter of claim 17, wherein the stationary sheath section extends from a proximal portion of the catheter main body to a point proximal the balloon, and further wherein the second sheath section is extends the length of the balloon.

23. The catheter of claim 19, further including an intermediate sheath section disposed between and operatively connected to the proximal and distal sheath sections.

21. The catheter of claim 79, wherein the stationary sheath section further includes an opening to access a proximal port disposed on the rapid exchange catheter.

24. The catheter of claim 21, wherein the intermediate sheath section is a compressible bellow member.