Bail-out catheter

• US 4,773,432 A
• Filed: 02/09/1987
• Issued: 09/27/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Schneider Electric SE
• Original Assignee: Schneider Saddlery Company Incorporated
• Inventors: Rydell, Mark A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Truluck, Dalton L.
• Application Number:
  US07/012,143
• Time in Patent Office: 596 Days
• Field of Search: 128/656-658, 128/772, 128/343, 128/344, 128/348.1, 604/264
• US Class Current: 600/585
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/88 the wire-like elements formed as helical or spiral coils forming a net-like or mesh-like structure A61F2/90
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0098 radio-opaque, e.g. radio-opaque markers

Abstract

A catheter for maintaining the patency of a blood vessel damaged during the course of angiography or angioplasty procedures comprising a toroidal coil whose adjacent turns are tightly wound and in contact with one another over a majority of the length thereof but which are separated from one another over a predetermined longitudinal dimension near the distal end thereof. The tightly wound touching coils may be covered with a Teflon coating and when the catheter must be used to maintain patency in a coronary artery, it is advanced along the guide wire of an angiography or angioplasty catheter until the open turn portion of the bail-out catheter bridges the site of the damaged vessel. After the angiographic or angioplasty catheter and its guide wire are removed, the bail-out catheter remains in position so that blood can flow through the open turns of that catheter and beyond until such time as surgical repair can be made.

Claims

1. A method of restoring and maintaining a blood vessel in a patent condition following damage to the endothelial lining thereof during the course of a catheterization procedure until surgical intervention can be accomplished, comprising the steps of:

(a) removing the angiography/angioplasty catheter from said blood vessel, leaving a guide wire in place;

(b) fitting the open distal end of an elongated wire helix over said guide wire, said wire helix having closely spaced, touching turns over a majority of its length and an integrally formed segment of spaced-apart turns proximate a distal end thereof; and

(c) advancing said elongated wire helix over said guide wire until said integrally formed segment of spaced-part turns is juxtaposed with the site of damage to said endothelial lining to support said lining and preventing same from occluding said blood vessel.