Curved Catheter and Methods for Making Same
First Claim
1. A catheter assembly, comprising:
- an elongate catheter tube defining at least one lumen; and
a tube constraint included with the catheter assembly that temporarily constrains the catheter tube in a curved configuration during a heating procedure of the catheter assembly to permanently maintain the catheter tube substantially in the curved configuration after the heating procedure is complete and the catheter tube is released from the tube constraint.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A pre-curved catheter tube of a catheter assembly or other elongate medical device and methods for forming such a device using a heating procedure is disclosed. Pre-curving of the catheter tube is desirable to impart to the catheter assembly a desired positional configuration when the catheter assembly is inserted into a patient. The heating procedure may include heat sterilization procedures commonly used to sterilize medical devices prior to use. In one embodiment, therefore, a catheter assembly is disclosed, comprising an elongate catheter tube defining at least one lumen, and a tube constraint. The tube constraint is included with the catheter assembly and is configured to temporarily constrain the catheter tube in a curved configuration during a heating procedure of the catheter assembly so as to permanently form the catheter tube in the curved configuration after the heating procedure is complete and the catheter tube is released from the tube constraint.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A catheter assembly, comprising:
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an elongate catheter tube defining at least one lumen; and a tube constraint included with the catheter assembly that temporarily constrains the catheter tube in a curved configuration during a heating procedure of the catheter assembly to permanently maintain the catheter tube substantially in the curved configuration after the heating procedure is complete and the catheter tube is released from the tube constraint. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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5. The catheter assembly as defined in claim 5, wherein the ethylene oxide sterilization procedure is performed for a time of at least about 15 minutes.
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17. A catheter assembly, comprising:
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an elongate catheter tube defining at least one lumen; a bifurcation operably connecting the elongate catheter tube to at least one extension leg tube; and a tube constraint permanently included with the catheter assembly, the tube constraint temporarily constraining the catheter tube in a curved configuration during a heating procedure of the catheter assembly, the heating procedure imparting a permanent curve to the catheter tube after the catheter tube is released from the tube constraint. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method for permanently curving a catheter tube of a catheter assembly, the method comprising:
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constraining the catheter tube into a curved configuration; heating the curved catheter tube for a predetermined time at a predetermined temperature; and releasing the catheter tube from the constrained curved configuration after the heating is complete such that the catheter tube permanently and substantially retains the curved configuration. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification