Catheter with corkscrew-like balloon
First Claim
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1. An intravascular catheter comprising:
- an elongate flexible tube having a through lumen;
an inflatable and deflatable helical balloon attached to and carried by said tube adjacent the distal end of said tube, said balloon comprising a plurality of spaced apart helical turns disposed about said tube, at least one end of said balloon extending transversely around said tube and into attached relation to said balloon to thereby form a closed annular sealing loop which is responsive to blood pressure or blood flow within a blood vessel to move said catheter along said vessel; and
a port formed in said tube providing communication between said lumen and said balloon.
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Abstract
A helical balloon is attached to the distal end of a catheter to serve when inflated as a therapeutic tool for the removal of blood clots and as a diagnostic tool for physical measurements and the application of treatment and other materials.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. An intravascular catheter comprising:
- an elongate flexible tube having a through lumen;
an inflatable and deflatable helical balloon attached to and carried by said tube adjacent the distal end of said tube, said balloon comprising a plurality of spaced apart helical turns disposed about said tube, at least one end of said balloon extending transversely around said tube and into attached relation to said balloon to thereby form a closed annular sealing loop which is responsive to blood pressure or blood flow within a blood vessel to move said catheter along said vessel; and
a port formed in said tube providing communication between said lumen and said balloon. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
- an elongate flexible tube having a through lumen;
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4. An intravascular catheter comprising:
- an elongate flexible tube having a through lumen;
an inflatable and deflatable helical balloon attached to and carried by said tube adjacent the distal end of said tube, said balloon comprising an annular sleeve concentrically received around the flexible tube, said sleeve having proximal and distal ends sealed to the tube and being proportioned to define a helical chamber between the tube and the sleeve upon inflation of the balloon with a plurality of spaced apart helical turns disposed about said tube; and
a port formed in said tube providing communication between said lumen and said balloon. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6)
- an elongate flexible tube having a through lumen;
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7. An intravascular catheter comprising:
- an elongate flexible tube;
an inflatable and deflatable helical balloon supported by said tube adjacent the distal end of said tube, the distal end of said balloon being attached to said tube, said balloon comprising a plurality of spaced-apart helical turns disposed about said tube, the proximal end of said balloon extending through an opening in said tube and extending along said tube for connection to balloon inflation means, said proximal end of the balloon being manually feedable in one direction through said tube opening to move the helical turns of said balloon away from said tube and increase the effective diameter of the balloon disposed externally of the tube for inflation while reducing the distances between adjacent turns, and being feedable in the other direction through said tube opening to cause said helical turns to bear against said tube and decrease the effective diameter of the balloon disposed externally of the tube for inflation while increasing the distances between adjacent turns.
- an elongate flexible tube;
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8. A catheter comprising:
- a flexible tube having a through lumen and an open distal end;
an elongate balloon extending longitudinally from the distal end of the tube, said balloon being movable between contracted and expanded conditions and having an open proximal end secured to the distal end of the tube;
an elongate element extending through the balloon, said element being expandible into a helical configuration in intimate contact with the interior of the balloon; and
means to expand the element into the helical configuration in response to movement of the element relative to the tube to stretch the balloon into a helical configuration conforming to that of the element. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
- a flexible tube having a through lumen and an open distal end;
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12. A method of removing an adherent clot from a blood vessel comprising:
- attaching an elongate balloon in contracted condition to the distal end of a catheter;
passing the distal end of said catheter through said clot so that said balloon is within said clot;
expanding said balloon into an expanded helical configuration to grip the clot and at least partially conform it to the helical configuration of the balloon; and
withdrawing said catheter, and said clot with it, from said blood vessel.
- attaching an elongate balloon in contracted condition to the distal end of a catheter;
Specification