CATHETER

• US 20100261989A1
• Filed: 07/31/2009
• Published: 10/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Ablation Frontiers LLC (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Ablation Frontiers LLC (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Boseck, Gary, Gillis, Edward M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,086,293 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/374
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1492 having a flexible, catheter-like structure, e.g. for heart ablation A61B18/1477 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/283 Invasive
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0681 Systems with catheter and outer tubing, e.g. sheath, sleeve or guide tube
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/09183 having tools at the distal tip
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0043 characterised by structural features
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/09 Guide wires

Abstract

A catheter includes an outer jacket, a shaft member, a transition member and a core member. The outer jacket has a first interior passage at a proximal end and a second interior passage at a distal end. The shaft member is arranged within the outer jacket. The transition member is fixedly secured to the shaft member and includes a window. The core member is fixedly secured to the transition member. The window in the transition member allows communication between the first interior passage and the second interior passage.

Claims

1. A catheter, comprising:

an outer jacket having a first interior passage at a proximal end and a second interior passage at a distal end;

a shaft member arranged within the outer jacket;

a transition member fixedly secured to the shaft member and defining at least one window; and

a core member fixedly secured to the transition member, wherein the at least one window allows communication between the first interior passage and the second interior passage.

2. The catheter of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of electrical leads extending from the proximal end to the distal end.

3. The catheter of claim 2, wherein the plurality of electrical leads extend from the first interior passage, through the at least one window into the second interior passage.

4. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the transition member defines three windows.

5. The catheter of claim 4, wherein the three windows are evenly distributed along a circumference of the transition member.

6. The catheter of claim 4, further comprising a plurality of electrical leads extending from the proximal end to the distal end.

7. The catheter of claim 6, wherein each of the plurality of electrical leads extend from the first interior passage, through one of the three windows into the second interior passage.

8. The catheter of claim 7, wherein the three windows are evenly distributed along a circumference of the transition member.

9. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the core member is formed of Nickel Titanium, stainless steel or a combination thereof.

10. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the transition member is formed of Nickel Titanium, stainless steel or a combination thereof.

11. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the shaft member is formed of Nickel Titanium, stainless steel, a braided composite material, a laminated composite material, an extruded composite material or a combination thereof.

12. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the outer jacket is formed of polyvinyl acetate, a biocompatible plastic or metal alloy or a combination thereof.

13. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the transition member has a longitudinal length between 1-2.5 centimeters.

14. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the transition member has a diameter between 0.5-0.8 millimeters.

15. A catheter assembly, comprising:

an outer jacket having a first interior passage at a proximal end and a second interior passage at a distal end;

a shaft member arranged within the outer jacket;

a transition member fixedly secured to the shaft member and defining a plurality of windows, wherein the plurality of windows allows communication between the first interior passage and the second interior passage;

a plurality of electrical leads extending from the proximal end to the distal end, the plurality of electrical leads extending from the first interior passage, through the plurality of windows into the second interior passage; and

a core member fixedly secured to the transition member.

16. The catheter assembly of claim 15, wherein the plurality of windows is evenly distributed along a circumference of the transition member.