Elongatable balloon catheter
First Claim
1. A catheter comprising an inflatable and deflatable chamber having a proximal end and a distal end, said chamber in use being adapted to have substantially the same surface area when inflated and when deflated, a catheter tube portion having a passage communicating with the interior of said chamber for admitting fluid into and withdrawing fluid from said chamber, means extending in said chamber substantially to said distal end of said chamber for supporting said chamber, said supporting means, said catheter tube portion, and said chamber being connected substantially at said proximal end of said chamber, said supporting means and said chamber being connected substantially at said distal end of said chamber, said chamber being sealed substantially at said proximal and distal ends thereof, said supporting means within said chamber having at least one space therein which at least partially extends transversely of said supporting means and means for selectively increasing said space substantially axially of said supporting means to thereby elongate said supporting means sufficiently to elongate said chamber and transversely decrease the size of said chamber, whereby insertion of said catheter into a body passageway or the like is substantially aided.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Inflatable and deflatable balloon catheters are disclosed. Catheters according to the invention have an expansion chamber that may be elongated to reduce its radial dimension without producing oblique or transverse folds or wrinkles. The inflatable chamber of the catheter is supported by an elongated support member of small diameter which has a continuously extending opening therein through which fluid is admitted to and withdrawn from the chanber. An axially movable elongating member is disposed within the expansion chamber for elongating the chamber. Axial movement of the elongating member elongates the chamber to decrease its radial dimension whereby feeding and guiding of the catheter is facilitated. In one embodiment, the support member is the gas supply tube extending into the chamber and the continuously extending opening is a helical slit running along at least part of the tube enclosed by the chamber. In another embodiment, the support member is a helical spring secured within the chamber to one end of the gas supply tube and the continuously extending opening is the space between coils of the spring. Also, in the disclosed embodiments, the catheter is an intra-aortic balloon catheter. A method is also disclosed for fabricating and using catheters according to the invention.
400 Citations
18 Claims
- 1. A catheter comprising an inflatable and deflatable chamber having a proximal end and a distal end, said chamber in use being adapted to have substantially the same surface area when inflated and when deflated, a catheter tube portion having a passage communicating with the interior of said chamber for admitting fluid into and withdrawing fluid from said chamber, means extending in said chamber substantially to said distal end of said chamber for supporting said chamber, said supporting means, said catheter tube portion, and said chamber being connected substantially at said proximal end of said chamber, said supporting means and said chamber being connected substantially at said distal end of said chamber, said chamber being sealed substantially at said proximal and distal ends thereof, said supporting means within said chamber having at least one space therein which at least partially extends transversely of said supporting means and means for selectively increasing said space substantially axially of said supporting means to thereby elongate said supporting means sufficiently to elongate said chamber and transversely decrease the size of said chamber, whereby insertion of said catheter into a body passageway or the like is substantially aided.
- 13. A catheter comprising an inflatable and deflatable chamber having a proximal end and a distal end, said chamber in use being adapted to have substantially the same surface area when inflated and when deflated, a catheter tube portion having a passage for admitting fluid to and withdrawing fluid from said chamber, a first member extending in said chamber substantially to said distal end of said chamber for supporting said chamber, said first member, said catheter tube portion and said chamber being connected substantially at said proximal end of said chamber, said chamber and said first member being connected substantially at said distal end of said chamber, said chamber being sealed substantially at said proximal and distal ends thereof, said first member having a passage therein in communication with said catheter tube portion passage and an opening within said chamber in communication with said passage in said first member and with said chamber for admitting fluid to and withdrawing fluid from said chamber, said opening of at least partially extending transversely of said first member, an elongated member extending in said catheter tube portion and in said first member and having an end which bears against the end of said catheter at or adjacent to said distal end of said chamber for increasing said opening substantially axially of said first member and thereby axially elongating said first member and said chamber to transversely decrease the size of said chamber upon axial movement of said elongated member against said catheter end.
Specification