Intravascular catheter
First Claim
1. An intravascular catheter for clearing a blockage in a blood vessel or the like comprisinga flexible first tube,flexible guide means movably mounted within said first tube for locating said vessel,a rotary flexible second tube rotatable relative to said first tube and having said first tube mounted therein to define a passage therebetween,cutting means for cutting said blockage into fragments in response to continuous rotation of said second tube, andconveying means defined between said first and second tubes for mechanically inducing and moving said fragments away from said cutting means and through said passage in response to continuous rotation of said second tube relative to said first tube.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An intravascular catheter includes a flexible guide wire mounted for relative rotational and reciprocal movements within a reciprocal and flexible first tube. A rotary and flexible second tube is mounted on the first tube to define an annular passage therebetween and has a rotary inner cutting head secured on a distal end thereof. The inner cutting head is closely fitted within an outer cutting head that is secured on the first tube. The cutting heads are adapted to cut a blockage in a blood vessel into fragments in response to rotation of the second tube and inner cutting head. The fragments are flushed-out from the inner cutting head and are conveyed away from the cutting heads and through the annular passage by facing spiral threads defined on the first and second tubes.
723 Citations
18 Claims
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1. An intravascular catheter for clearing a blockage in a blood vessel or the like comprising
a flexible first tube, flexible guide means movably mounted within said first tube for locating said vessel, a rotary flexible second tube rotatable relative to said first tube and having said first tube mounted therein to define a passage therebetween, cutting means for cutting said blockage into fragments in response to continuous rotation of said second tube, and conveying means defined between said first and second tubes for mechanically inducing and moving said fragments away from said cutting means and through said passage in response to continuous rotation of said second tube relative to said first tube.
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11. An intravascular catheter for clearing a blockage in a blood vessel or the like comprising
a flexible first tube, a rotary flexible second tube rotatable relative to said first tube and having said first tube mounted therein to define a passage therebetween, and rotary cutting means for engaging and cutting said blockage into fragments including an outer cutting head secured on said first tube, an inner cutting head secured on said second tube for simultaneous rotation therewith and rotatably mounted in protected relationship within said outer cutting head, cooperating blade means formed on each of such inner and outer cutting heads for cutting said blockage into fragments in response to rotation of said second tube and, conveying means defined between said first and second tubes and responsive to relative rotation therebetween for mechanically inducing and conveying said fragments away from said cutting means and through said passage.
Specification