Echogenic needle catheter configured to produce an improved ultrasound image
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An echogenic needle catheter, comprising:
- a) an elongated shaft having a proximal end, a distal end, and a needle lumen;
b) a spherical distal tip at the distal end of the elongated shaft, having a lumen in communication with a proximal section of the needle lumen of the shaft and with a port at a distal end of the spherical distal tip; and
c) a needle in the needle lumen of the shaft, which extends distally from the spherical distal tip port in an extended configuration, and which has a lumen.
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Abstract
An echogenic medical device, such as a needle catheter, which produces an improved ultrasonic image of the device, and a method of performing a medical procedure using a device of the invention. One aspect is directed to a catheter which reduces artifacts in the ultrasound image of the catheter. In one embodiment, the catheter has a spherical distal tip. Another aspect of the invention is directed to an echogenic catheter with echogenic portions arranged in an array to facilitate determination by ultrasonic imaging of the rotational orientation of the catheter relative to a desired location within the patient.
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Citations
38 Claims
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1. An echogenic needle catheter, comprising:
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a) an elongated shaft having a proximal end, a distal end, and a needle lumen;
b) a spherical distal tip at the distal end of the elongated shaft, having a lumen in communication with a proximal section of the needle lumen of the shaft and with a port at a distal end of the spherical distal tip; and
c) a needle in the needle lumen of the shaft, which extends distally from the spherical distal tip port in an extended configuration, and which has a lumen. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An echogenic needle catheter, comprising:
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a) an elongated shaft having a proximal end, a distal end, and a needle lumen;
b) a spherical distal tip at the distal end of the elongated shaft, having a lumen in communication with a proximal section of the needle lumen of the shaft and with a port at a distal end of the spherical distal tip, a wall with a curved outer surface formed at least in part of a polymeric material, and a high strength support member which is within the spherical distal tip and extending proximally therefrom and which has a proximal end section secured to the distal end of the catheter shaft; and
c) a needle in the needle lumen, which extends distally from the spherical distal tip port in an extended configuration, and which has a lumen. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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19. A method of performing a medical procedure, comprising:
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a) advancing within a patient'"'"'s anatomy an echogenic needle catheter, comprising i) an elongated shaft having a proximal end, a distal end, and a needle lumen;
ii) a spherical distal tip at the distal end of the elongated shaft, having a lumen in communication with the needle lumen of the shaft and with a port at a distal end of the spherical distal tip; and
iii) a needle in the needle lumen, which extends distally from the spherical distal tip port in an extended configuration, and which has a lumen; and
b) directing sonic energy at the catheter from an ultrasonic imaging system, such that the spherical distal tip more diffusely reflects the sonic energy than a nonspherical distal tip, to produce an ultrasonic image of the spherical distal tip. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. An echogenic needle catheter, comprising:
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a) an elongated shaft having a needle lumen in communication with a needle distal port near a distal end of the elongated shaft, and a plurality of rotational orientation echogenic portions on an outer surface of the elongated shaft, formed of a material which is more highly echogenic than a material of the elongated shaft adjacent to the portions, the rotational orientation echogenic portions being arranged in an array in which each adjacent pair of portions are circumferentially and longitudinally spaced apart from one another; and
b) a needle in the needle lumen, which extends distally from the needle distal port in an extended configuration. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A method of performing a medical procedure, comprising:
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a) advancing within a patient'"'"'s body lumen an echogenic needle catheter, comprising i) an elongated shaft having a needle lumen in communication with a needle distal port proximal to a distal end of the shaft, and a plurality of rotational orientation echogenic portions on an outer surface of a section of the shaft located adjacent to needle distal port, formed of a material which is more highly echogenic than a material of the shaft adjacent to the portions, the rotational orientation echogenic portions being arranged in an array in which each adjacent pair of portions are circumferentially and longitudinally spaced apart from one another; and
ii) a needle in the needle lumen, configured for slidably extending through the needle distal port in an extended configuration; and
b) determining the orientation of the needle distal port relative to a desired location in the body lumen by directing ultrasonic energy at the shaft section from an ultrasonic imaging device to produce an ultrasonic image of the shaft section in which the rotational orientation echogenic portions do not appear with an equal brightness. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34)
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35. An echogenic medical device, comprising:
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a) a shaft having a proximal end, a distal end, and a lumen;
b) a spherical distal tip at the distal end of the shaft, having a lumen in communication with a proximal section of the lumen of the shaft and with a port at a distal end of the spherical distal tip.
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36. An echogenic medical device, comprising:
an elongated shaft having a plurality of rotational orientation echogenic portions on an outer surface of the elongated shaft, formed of a material which is more highly echogenic than a material of the elongated shaft adjacent to the portions, the rotational orientation echogenic portions being arranged in an array in which each adjacent pair of portions are circumferentially and longitudinally spaced apart from one another. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38)
Specification