Catheter Assembly

• US 20110196298A1
• Filed: 10/30/2009
• Published: 08/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cathrx Ltd
• Original Assignee: Cathrx Ltd
• Inventors: Ogle, David, Panos, James, Anderson, Neil Lawrence, Chong, Evan Ka-Loke
• Granted Patent: US 9,084,869 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/103.11
• 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 5/24 Detecting, measuring or recording bioelectric or biomagnetic signals of the body or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0004 having two or more concentrically arranged tubes for forming a concentric catheter system
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0161 wherein the distal tips have two or more deflection regions
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0163 Looped catheters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/125 Heart
• 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 25/0043 characterised by structural features
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0147 with movable mechanical means, e.g. pull wires
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0152 with pre-shaped mechanisms, e.g. pre-shaped stylets or pre-shaped outer tubes

Abstract

A catheter assembly 10 comprises a first elongate tubular member 12 having a proximal end portion 14 defining a proximal end 15, a distal end portion 18 having an opening therein 20 and defining a distal end 22, and at least one lumen 24 defined between the proximal end 15 and the distal end 22. A second elongate tubular member 26 has a proximal end portion 28 defining a proximal end 30, a distal end portion 32 defining a distal end 34, and at least one lumen 36 defined between the proximal end 30 and the distal end 34. The second elongate tubular member 26 is received within the at least one lumen 24 of the first elongate tubular member 12, such that the distal end portion 32 of the second elongate tubular member 26 projects from the opening 20 in the distal end portion 18 of the first elongate tubular member 12 An elongate, shape-imparting element 38 is receivable in the at least one lumen 24, 36 of at least one of the first elongate tubular member 12 and the second elongate tubular member 26. The shape-imparting element 38 imparts a non-rectilinear shape to the distal end portion 18, 32 of at least one of the first elongate tubular member 12 and the second elongate tubular member 26.

Claims

1. A catheter assembly comprising:

a first elongate tubular member having a proximal end portion defining a proximal end, a distal end portion having an opening therein and defining a distal end, and at least one lumen defined between the proximal end and the distal end;

a second elongate tubular member having a proximal end portion defining a proximal end, a distal end portion defining a distal end, and at least one lumen defined between the proximal end and the distal end, the second elongate tubular member being received within the at least one lumen of the first elongate tubular member, such that the distal end portion of the second elongate tubular member projects from the opening in the distal end portion of the first elongate tubular member; and

an elongate, shape-imparting element receivable in the at least one lumen of at least one of the first elongate tubular member and the second elongate tubular member, the shape-imparting element imparting a non-rectilinear shape to the distal end portion of at least one of the first elongate tubular member and the second elongate tubular member.

2. The catheter assembly of claim 1, in which the shape-imparting element imparts a shape to the distal end portions of both of the first and second tubular members.

3. The catheter assembly of claim 1, in which the shape imparted by the shape-imparting element is a substantially coiled shape.

4. The catheter assembly of claim 3, in which the coiled shape comprises two coils.

5. The catheter assembly of claim 4, in which a first of the two coils imparts a coiled shape to the distal end portion of the first tubular member to form a first coiled part and a second of the two coils imparts a coiled shape to the distal end portion of the second tubular member to form a second coiled part, the second coiled part being distally spaced from the first coiled part.

6. The catheter assembly of claim 5, in which the first coiled part and the second coiled part each lie in a plane transverse to a longitudinal axis of the first tubular member and the second tubular member.

7. The catheter assembly of claim 5, in which the coiled part of the second tubular member has a greater circumference than the coiled part of the first tubular member and the shape-imparting element is of sufficient flexibility so that, in use, the coiled part of the second tubular member is able to be displaced into a position proximally of the coiled part of the first tubular member.

8. The catheter assembly of claim 1, in which the shape-imparting element is fast with the second elongate tubular member.

9. The catheter assembly of claim 1, further comprising a second elongate, shape-imparting element to impart a shape to the other of the first and second tubular members.

10. The catheter assembly of claim 1, in which the first tubular member and the second tubular member are axially slidable relative to one another.

11. The catheter assembly of claim 1, in which the first tubular member and the second tubular member are fixed with respect to each other.

12. The catheter assembly of claim 1, which further includes an introducer extending along at least a part of the length of the tubular members to retain that part of the tubular members in a substantially linear configuration during insertion into an anatomical site or during insertion of the shape-imparting element into the at least one lumen.

13. The catheter assembly of claim 1, which includes a plurality of electrodes on the distal end portion of the first tubular member.

14. The catheter assembly of claim 1, which includes a plurality of electrodes on the distal end portion of the second tubular member.

15. The catheter assembly of claim 14, in which the electrodes of the second tubular member stand proud of a surface of the second tubular member.

16. The catheter assembly of claim 1, in which the opening in the distal end portion of the first tubular member is located at the distal end of the first tubular member.

17. The catheter assembly of claim 1, in which the shape-imparting element is in the form of a shape memory alloy wire.

18. The catheter assembly of claim 1, which includes a reinforcing element arranged about an outer surface of the first tubular member.

19. The catheter assembly of claim 1, in which each tubular member comprises an inner member defining the at least one lumen, a plurality of conductors helically wound about the inner member and a covering of an insulating material overlying the conductors so that the conductors are at least partially embedded in a wall of the tubular member, the conductors of the first tubular member being oppositely wound with respect to the conductors of the second tubular member.

20. The catheter assembly of claim 1, which includes a position assisting component attached to the distal end of the second tubular member.

21. The catheter assembly of claim 20, which includes a tip element via which the position assisting component is attached to the distal end of the second tubular member.

22. The catheter assembly of claim 21, in which the tip element is of a malleable material to inhibit trauma to a patient'"'"'s vascular system.

23. The catheter assembly of claim 21, in which the tip element is electrically conductive to be able to be used with an impedance-based navigation system.

24. The catheter assembly of claim 20, in which the position assisting component carries a further tubular member which carries at least one electrode.

25. The catheter assembly of claim 24, in which at least a part of the further tubular member is received over a part of the shape-imparting element with the part of the further tubular member and the distal end part of the second tubular member having a desired, distal, non-linear shape imparted to them by the shape-imparting element.

31. A catheter system which comprises:

a catheter assembly, as claimed in claim 1;

a handle having a proximal end and a distal end, the catheter assembly extending from the distal end; and

an operating mechanism carried by the handle for effecting relative displacement between the first tubular member and the second tubular member of the catheter assembly.

32. The catheter system of claim 31, in which the operating mechanism comprises a first component for effecting coarse adjustment of position of the first tubular member and the second tubular member relative to each other and a second component for effecting finer adjustment of position of the first tubular member and the second tubular member relative to each other.

26. A catheter assembly comprising:

a first elongate, tubular member having a proximal end portion defining a proximal end, a distal end portion having an opening therein and defining a distal end, and at least one lumen defined between the proximal end and the distal end, the opening in the distal end portion of the first elongate tubular member being located at the distal end of the first elongate tubular member; and

a second elongate tubular member having a proximal end portion defining a proximal end, a distal end portion defining a distal end, and at least one lumen defined between the proximal end and the distal end, the second elongate tubular member being received within the first elongate tubular member, such that the distal end portion of the second elongate tubular member projects from the opening in the distal end portion of the first elongate tubular member.

27. The catheter assembly of claim 26, which includes an elongate, shape-imparting element receivable in the at least one lumen of at least one of the first elongate tubular member and the second elongate tubular member, the shape-imparting element imparting a non-linear shape to the distal end portion of at least one of the first elongate tubular member and the second elongate tubular member.

28. A catheter assembly comprising:

a first elongate tubular member having a proximal end portion defining a proximal end, a distal end portion having an opening therein and defining a distal end, and at least one lumen defined between the proximal end and the distal end;

a second elongate tubular member having a proximal end portion defining a proximal end, a distal end portion defining a distal end, and at least one lumen defined between the proximal end and the distal end, the second elongate tubular member being received within the at least one lumen of the first elongate tubular member, such that the distal end portion of the second elongate tubular member projects from the opening in the distal end portion of the first elongate tubular member; and

an elongate, shape-imparting element receivable in the at least one lumen of the second elongate tubular member, the shape-imparting element imparting a non-rectilinear shape to the distal end portions of each of the first elongate tubular member and the second elongate tubular member, the non-rectilinear shapes being axially spaced from each other.

29. The catheter assembly of claim 28, in which the non-rectilinear shape is a substantially coiled shape.

30. The catheter assembly of claim 29, in which the coiled shape comprises two axially spaced coils, each coil lying in a plane substantially transverse to a longitudinal axis of the tubular members.