Dilation catheter method and apparatus
First Claim
1. Apparatus for dilating a partially occluded section of a blood vessel, said apparatus comprising:
- an elongated flexible generally inelastic catheter having an outside diameter less than the internal diameter of the nonoccluded vessel;
balloon means inverted within the catheter, said balloon means having a mouth peripherally sealed to the distal end of the catheter and being evertable out of the catheter in response to the exertion of fluid pressure within the catheter for substantially anisotropic expansion out of the catheter and through the occluded section of the vessel in advance of substantial lateral expansion and, upon eversion out of the catheter, being laterally expansible in response to the continued exertion of fluid pressure internally of the catheter to an outside diameter equal to or greater than the internal diameter of the vessel; and
means to selectively impart internal pressure to the catheter.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A balloon catheter wherein the balloon is inverted within the distal end of the catheter for eversion therefrom and extrusion through a partially occluded blood vessel in response to the exertion of internal fluid pressure on the balloon. The catheter is designed to extrude through the occluded vessel in advance of substantial lateral expansion and, upon full extension, is adapted to expand to a condition at least partially dilating the occlusion. A cord connected to the balloon and extending through the catheter provides means whereby tension may be applied to the balloon to reinvert it within the catheter. A reservoir in communication with the inner lumen of the catheter provides a closed fluid-filled system whereby the balloon may be sequentially everted and reinverted without venting outside of the system.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. Apparatus for dilating a partially occluded section of a blood vessel, said apparatus comprising:
- an elongated flexible generally inelastic catheter having an outside diameter less than the internal diameter of the nonoccluded vessel;
balloon means inverted within the catheter, said balloon means having a mouth peripherally sealed to the distal end of the catheter and being evertable out of the catheter in response to the exertion of fluid pressure within the catheter for substantially anisotropic expansion out of the catheter and through the occluded section of the vessel in advance of substantial lateral expansion and, upon eversion out of the catheter, being laterally expansible in response to the continued exertion of fluid pressure internally of the catheter to an outside diameter equal to or greater than the internal diameter of the vessel; and
means to selectively impart internal pressure to the catheter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
- an elongated flexible generally inelastic catheter having an outside diameter less than the internal diameter of the nonoccluded vessel;
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7. A method for dilating an occlusion within a blood vessel, said method comprising:
- providing a flexible catheter having a balloon with the mouth thereof peripherally sealed to the distal end of the catheter and the body thereof inverted within the catheter;
introducing said catheter into the vessel so as to position the distal end thereof proximate one end of the occlusion;
applying internal fluid pressure to the catheter so as to evert the body of the balloon out of the catheter and extrude said body through at least a portion of the occlusion; and
applying continued internal pressure to the catheter to expand the balloon to an outside sufficient to at least partially dilate the occlusion. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
- providing a flexible catheter having a balloon with the mouth thereof peripherally sealed to the distal end of the catheter and the body thereof inverted within the catheter;
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11. Apparatus for dilating a partially occluded section of a blood vessel, said apparatus comprising an elongated flexible catheter adapted for passage through the vessel;
- balloon means inverted within the catheter, said balloon means having a mouth peripherally sealed to the distal end of the catheter and being evertable out of the catheter in response to the exertion of fluid pressure within the catheter for eversion out of the catheter and extrusion through the occluded section of the vessel in advance of substantial lateral expansion and, upon eversion out of catheter, being laterally expansible in response to continued exertion of fluid pressure internally of the catheter to an outside diameter sufficiently large to at least partially dilate the occlusion; and
means to selectively impart internal pressure to the catheter. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
- balloon means inverted within the catheter, said balloon means having a mouth peripherally sealed to the distal end of the catheter and being evertable out of the catheter in response to the exertion of fluid pressure within the catheter for eversion out of the catheter and extrusion through the occluded section of the vessel in advance of substantial lateral expansion and, upon eversion out of catheter, being laterally expansible in response to continued exertion of fluid pressure internally of the catheter to an outside diameter sufficiently large to at least partially dilate the occlusion; and
Specification