Rapid exchange catheter

• US 20070060911A1
• Filed: 04/21/2006
• Published: 03/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Lumen Biomedical, Inc.
• Inventors: Webster, Mark, Galdonik, Jason, Ogle, Matthew
• Granted Patent: US 8,758,325 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/528
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/22 Implements for squeezing-off ulcers or the like on the inside of inner organs of the body; Implements for scraping-out cavities of body organs, e.g. bones; Calculus removers; Calculus smashing apparatus; Apparatus for removing obstructions in blood vessels, not otherwise provided for dilators A61M29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22039 eccentric
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2217/005 with suction drainage system
• 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 2025/1052 for temporarily occluding a vessel for isolating a sector
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0041 pre-formed, e.g. specially adapted to fit with the anatomy of body channels urethral catheters A61F2/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/005 with embedded materials for reinforcement, e.g. wires, coils, braids
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0052 Localized reinforcement, e.g. where only a specific part of the catheter is reinforced, for rapid exchange guidewire port
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0054 with regions for increasing flexibility
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0068 Static characteristics of the catheter tip, e.g. shape, atraumatic tip, curved tip or tip structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/007 Side holes, e.g. their profiles or arrangements; Provisions to keep side holes unblocked
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0074 Dynamic characteristics of the catheter tip, e.g. openable, closable, expandable or deformable
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/008 Strength or flexibility characteristics of the catheter tip
• 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

Thrombectomy catheters are presented that have curved tip portions. A suction lumen extends from at or near the proximal end of the catheter to a suction port at or near the tip portion of the catheter. The curves of the thrombectomy catheter can be selected to place a suction port at or near a vessel wall for the more effective removal of thrombus resulting from directing the suction in the direction of the thrombus. In some embodiments, the tip portion of the catheter can be transitioned from a first configuration for delivery of the catheter into the vessel to a second more curved configuration with a desired design for application of suction. The catheter can be moved in a circumferential and/or lateral direction to cover selected portions of the inner vessel wall. In some embodiments, a partially occlusive structure can be used to reduce and/or redirect flow within the vessel to improve performance of the thrombectomy.

Claims

1. A method for the performance of a procedure in a patient'"'"'s vessel using a catheter having a bent tip and a suction port wherein the catheter is a rapid exchange catheter comprising a guide port, the method comprising:

delivering the catheter on a guide structure into the vessel wherein the guide structure extends through the guide port; and

applying suction to remove debris from the vessel.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the suction port is located at the distal end of the catheter and wherein the guide structure extends from the suction port during delivery.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising withdrawing the guide structure sufficiently that the tip can assume its natural bent configuration.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the guide structure extends through the suction lumen.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the bent tip has a single curve and wherein the suction port is located at the distal end of the shaft.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the bent tip has a plurality of curves and the suction port is located along one of the curves.

7. The method of claims 1 wherein the suction port is adjacent a vessel wall within a distance of the wall that is no more than about 10 percent of the vessel diameter.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein suction is applied while moving the catheter.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein suction is applied while rotating the catheter.

10. A rapid exchange catheter system comprising a catheter and a loading tool, the catheter comprising a suction device, a proximal portion operably connected to the suction device and a shaft attached to the proximal portion, wherein the shaft comprises a guide port toward the distal end of the shaft and wherein the loading tool comprises a rod and a distal cavity that can engage a guide structure, the loading tool having dimensions suitable for advancement of the rod through the port.

11. The catheter system of claim 10 wherein the suction device is a syringe.

12. The catheter system of claim 10 wherein the shaft has an outer diameter from about 0.26 mm to about 3.0 mm.

13. The catheter system of claim 10 wherein the shaft comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of polyether-amide block co-polymer, nylon (polyamides), polyolefins, polytetrafluoroethylene, polyesters, polyurethanes, polycarbonates, polydimethyl siloxanes, mixtures thereof and copolymers thereof.

14. The catheter system of claim 10 wherein the shaft comprises a tip portion and wherein the tip portion has at least one curve.

15. The catheter system of claim 14 wherein the suction port is located along the side wall.

16. The catheter system of claim 14 wherein the suction port is located at the distal tip of the catheter.

17. The catheter system of claim 10 wherein the shaft has metal reinforcement embedded within polymer from the proximal end to the distal end.

18. The catheter system of claim 10 wherein the catheter comprises a tip portion and wherein the tip portion has only one lumen.

19. The catheter system of claim 10 wherein the catheter comprises a tip portion and wherein the tip portion has a reinforcing braid.

20. The catheter system of claim 10 wherein the catheter comprises a tip portion having a radiopaque marker band.

21. A method for loading a rapid exchange catheter, the method comprising engaging a guide structure with a loading tool that directs the guide structure through a rapid exchange port as the loading tool is removed through the rapid exchange port.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the guide structure comprises a guide wire.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein the guide structure comprises an integrated guiding structure comprising a corewire and an overtube.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein the tool comprises a rod and a distal cavity.

25. The method of claim 21 wherein the tool comprises a tube with a size to accept the guide structure.