CATHETER INCLUDING AN INNER LINER WITH A FLEXIBLE DISTAL SECTION

• US 20180304040A1
• Filed: 04/20/2017
• Published: 10/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Jalgaonkar, Ujwal, Wang, Edwin, Marchesiello, David
• Granted Patent: US 10,537,710 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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: A61M 2025/0047 the inner layer having a higher lubricity
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/12 Blood circulatory system
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0012 with embedded structures, e.g. coils, braids, meshes, strands or radiopaque coils
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0013 Weakening parts of a catheter tubing, e.g. by making cuts in the tube or reducing thickness of a layer at one point to adjust the flexibility
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0045 multi-layered, e.g. coated coating materials A61L29/08
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/005 with embedded materials for reinforcement, e.g. wires, coils, braids
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0051 made from fenestrated or weakened tubing layer
• 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 25/0053 having a variable stiffness along the longitudinal axis, e.g. by varying the pitch of the coil or braid
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0054 with regions for increasing flexibility

Abstract

In some examples, a catheter includes a catheter body including an outer jacket and an inner liner. The inner liner may include a proximal section including a proximal end of the inner liner and a distal section including a distal end of the inner liner. The distal section may include an inner liner defining a plurality of cuts. Each cut may extend at least partially through the liner wall. The one or more cuts defined in the liner wall of the distal section of the inner liner may increase a bending flexibility of the distal section relative to the proximal section of the inner liner, while maintaining a suitable tensile strength of the distal section.

Claims

1. A catheter comprising:

an elongated body including;

an outer jacket; and

an inner liner extending between a proximal end and a distal end, the inner liner defining a lumen, wherein the inner liner includes a proximal section including the proximal end and a distal section including the distal end,

wherein the distal section of the inner liner includes a liner wall defining a plurality of cuts, each cut extending at least partially through the liner wall.

2. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the lumen defined by the inner liner is an inner lumen of the elongated body.

3. The catheter of claim 1, wherein at least one cut of the plurality of cuts is a through-cut that extends through a thickness of the liner wall to the lumen.

4. The catheter of claim 1, wherein at least one cut of the plurality of cuts is a partial cut, wherein the partial cut extends only partially through a thickness of the liner wall.

5. The catheter of claim 4, wherein the at least one cut extends from an outer surface of the liner wall and radially inward towards the lumen.

6. The catheter of claim 4 wherein the at least one cut extends through about 20% to about 80% of the thickness of the liner wall.

7. The catheter of claim 1, wherein at least one cut of the plurality of cuts is disposed in an arc around an outer surface of the inner liner.

8. The catheter of claim 1, wherein at least one cut of the plurality of cuts is elongated in a direction substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the inner liner.

9. The catheter of claim 1, wherein at least one cut of the plurality of cuts is oblong shaped, a major axis of the oblong shape extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the inner liner.

10. The catheter of claim 1, wherein each cut is elongated in a direction that define an angle from about 45 degrees to about 90 degrees relative to a longitudinal axis of the inner liner.

11. The catheter of claim 1, wherein at least one cut of the plurality of cuts is elongated in a direction substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the inner liner.

12. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the inner liner has a circular cross-section, and at least one cut of the plurality of cuts extends around only part of a circumference of the circular cross-section.

13. The catheter of claim 1, wherein a density of the plurality of cuts decreases in a proximal direction, wherein the density corresponds to a number of cuts per unit length of the inner liner.

14. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the cuts are symmetrically arranged relative to a longitudinal axis of the inner liner.

15. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the cuts are asymmetrically arranged relative to a longitudinal axis of the inner liner.

16. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the plurality of cuts do not overlap with one another in a direction along a longitudinal axis of the inner liner.

17. The catheter of claim 1, wherein at least one cut of the plurality of cuts overlaps with another cut in a direction along a longitudinal axis of the inner liner.

18. The catheter of claim 1, wherein a distal-most cut of the plurality of cuts is arranged between about 0.02 centimeters and about 30 centimeters from the distal end of the inner liner.

19. The catheter of claim 18, wherein a proximal-most cut of the plurality of cuts is about 5 centimeters to about 35 centimeters from the distal end of the inner liner.

20. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the distal section of the inner liner has a length of about 10 centimeters to about 35 centimeters.

21. The catheter of claim 1, wherein a length of the distal section is smaller than a length of the proximal section, the length being measured in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the inner liner.

22. The catheter of claim 1, wherein a thickness of the distal section of the liner wall decreases toward the distal end.

23. The catheter of claim 1, wherein a thickness of the liner wall is substantially uniform between the proximal end and the distal end.

24. The catheter of claim 1, wherein an inner surface of the liner wall is smooth.

25. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the inner liner comprises a polymer material.

26. A catheter comprising:

an elongated body including;

an outer jacket; and

an inner liner extending between a proximal end and a distal end, the inner liner defining a lumen, wherein the inner liner includes a proximal section including the proximal end and a distal section including the distal end,

wherein the distal section of the inner liner includes a liner wall defines a helical cut.

27. The catheter of claim 26, wherein the lumen defined by the inner liner is an inner lumen of the elongated body.

28. The catheter of claim 26, wherein the helical cut is a through-cut that extends through a thickness of the liner wall to the lumen.

29. The catheter of claim 26, wherein the helical cut is a partial cut extending only partially through a thickness of the liner wall.

30. The catheter of claim 26, wherein the helical cut defines a helix having a pitch of about 1 millimeter to 5 millimeters between adjacent turns of the cut.

31. The catheter of claim 26, a proximal end of the helical cut is about 5 centimeters to about 35 centimeters from the distal end of the inner liner.