Telescoping guide catheter with peel-away outer sheath

• US 20070021812A1
• Filed: 09/28/2006
• Published: 01/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Peterson, Charles, Manning, Frank, Graham, Howard
• Granted Patent: US 7,697,996 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/119
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0175 having telescopic features, interengaging nestable members movable in relations to one another
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0668 splittable, tear apart
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/056 Transvascular endocardial electrode systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2001/0578 having means for removal or extraction

Abstract

A guide catheter includes an outer guide having an open lumen and a longitudinal pre-stress line extending between a distal end and a proximal end of the outer guide. The outer guide has a longitudinal stiffness that facilitates transmission of forces and prevention of kinking during steering of the outer guide within cardiac vasculature and structures. An inner guide has an open lumen and is movably displaceable within the open lumen of the outer guide. At least a distal end of the outer guide and inner guide are dimensioned for passage into the patient'"'"'s coronary sinus. A guide handle is connected to the proximal end of the outer guide and includes a longitudinal pre-stress line separable into at least two sections such that guide handle separation splits the outer guide along the longitudinal pre-stress line at the proximal end of the outer guide.

Claims

1. A guide catheter having proximal and distal ends, comprising:

an outer guide having an open lumen and a longitudinal pre-stress line extending between a distal end and a proximal end of the outer guide, at least the proximal end of the outer guide dimensioned for passage into a patient'"'"'s coronary sinus, the outer guide having a longitudinal stiffness that facilitates transmission of forces and prevention of kinking during steering of the outer guide within cardiac vasculature and structures;

an inner guide having an open lumen, the inner guide movably displaceable within the open lumen of the outer guide such that the inner guide can rotate axially and translate longitudinally relative to the outer guide, at least a distal end of the inner guide dimensioned for passage into the patient'"'"'s coronary sinus, the inner guide having a longitudinal stiffness that facilitates maintaining of inner guide position when the outer guide is retracted in a proximal direction relative to the inner guide; and

a guide handle having a distal end connected to the proximal end of the outer guide, the guide handle comprising a longitudinal pre-stress line separable into at least two sections such that guide handle separation splits the outer guide along the longitudinal pre-stress line at the proximal end of the outer guide, the outer guide further splittable along the longitudinal pre-stress line upon outer guide retraction in the proximal direction relative to the inner guide.

2. The guide catheter according to claim 1, wherein the guide handle comprises a pair of handle members extending proximally of the outer guide'"'"'s proximal end.

3. The guide catheter according to claim 2, wherein the guide handle comprises a channel defined between the pair of handle members, the channel dimensioned to allow passage of the distal end of the inner catheter through the channel and into the open lumen of the outer guide.

4. The guide catheter according to claim 1, wherein the pre-stress line of the guide handle is oriented in longitudinal alignment relative to the pre-stress line of the outer lumen.

5. The guide catheter according to claim 1, wherein the longitudinal pre-stress line comprises a V-shaped notch on a surface of the outer guide.

6. The guide catheter according to claim 1, wherein the outer guide further comprises a second longitudinal pre-stress line situated opposite the longitudinal pre-stress line on the surface of the outer guide.

7. The guide catheter according to claim 1, further comprising a steering tendon disposed along the outer guide, a distal end of the steering tendon connected at the distal end of the outer guide, such that the steering tendon deflects the distal end of the outer guide upon application of a tensile force to a proximal end of the steering tendon.

8. The guide catheter according to claim 7, further comprising a steering mechanism connected to the proximal end of the steering tendon, the steering mechanism applying a tensile force to the proximal end of the steering tendon.

9. The guide catheter according to claim 8, wherein the steering mechanism is connected to the guide handle.

10. The guide catheter according to claim 8, wherein the steering mechanism includes a steering handle comprising a lever pivotably mounted to the guide handle.

11. The guide catheter according to claim 1, wherein the distal end of one or both of the inner guide and outer guide comprises a pre-formed curve.

12. The guide catheter according to claim 1, further comprising:

at least one electrode provided at the distal end of one or both of the inner guide and outer guide; and

at least one electrical conductor coupled to the at least one electrode, the at least one conductor disposed along one or both of the inner guide and outer guide.

13. The guide catheter according to claim 1, further comprising an occlusion device provided at the distal end of the outer guide.

14. The guide catheter according to claim 1, further comprising an occlusion device provided at the distal end of the inner guide.

15. A guide catheter having proximal and distal ends, comprising:

an outer guide having an open lumen and a longitudinal pre-stress line extending between a distal end and a proximal end of the outer guide, at least the proximal end of the outer guide dimensioned for passage into a patient'"'"'s coronary sinus, the outer guide having a longitudinal stiffness that facilitates transmission of forces and prevention of kinking during steering of the outer guide within cardiac vasculature and structures;

an inner guide having an open lumen, the inner guide movably displaceable within the open lumen of the outer guide such that the inner guide can rotate axially and translate longitudinally relative to the outer guide, at least a distal end of the inner guide dimensioned for passage into the patient'"'"'s coronary sinus; and

a guide handle having a distal end connected to the proximal end of the outer guide, the guide handle comprising a proximal portion extending proximally of the outer guide'"'"'s proximal end and defining a channel dimensioned to allow passage of the inner guide through the channel and into the open lumen of the outer guide, the guide handle comprising a longitudinal pre-stress line separable into at least two sections such that guide handle separation splits the outer guide along the longitudinal pre-stress line at the proximal end of the outer guide, the outer guide further splittable along the longitudinal pre-stress line upon outer guide retraction in a proximal direction relative to the inner guide.

16. The guide catheter according to claim 15, wherein the proximal portion of the guide handle comprises a pair of handle members extending proximally of the outer guide'"'"'s proximal end.

17. The guide catheter according to claim 16, wherein the channel is defined between the pair of handle members.

18. The guide catheter according to claim 15, wherein the pre-stress line of the guide handle is oriented in longitudinal alignment relative to the pre-stress line of the outer lumen.

19. The guide catheter according to claim 15, wherein the inner guide has a longitudinal stiffness that facilitates maintaining of inner guide position when the outer guide is retracted in the proximal direction relative to the inner guide.

20. The guide catheter according to claim 15, further comprising a steering tendon disposed along the outer guide, a distal end of the steering tendon connected at the distal end of the outer guide, such that the steering tendon deflects the distal end of the outer guide upon application of a tensile force to a proximal end of the steering tendon.

21. The guide catheter according to claim 20, further comprising a steering mechanism provided at the guide handle and connected to the proximal end of the steering tendon, the steering mechanism applying a tensile force to the proximal end of the steering tendon.

22. The guide catheter according to claim 21, wherein the steering mechanism includes a steering handle comprising a lever pivotably mounted to the guide handle.

23. The guide catheter according to claim 15, wherein the distal end of one or both of the inner guide and outer guide comprises a pre-formed curve.

24. The guide catheter according to claim 15, further comprising:

at least one electrode provided at the distal end of one or both of the inner guide and outer guide; and

at least one electrical conductor coupled to the at least one electrode, the at least one conductor disposed along one or both of the inner guide and outer guide.

25. The guide catheter according to claim 15, further comprising an occlusion device provided at the distal end of the outer guide.

26. The guide catheter according to claim 15, further comprising an occlusion device provided at the distal end of the inner guide.