Drive catheter having helical pump drive shaft
First Claim
1. A catheter for removing deposits from the inner walls of an obstructed region of a blood vessel comprising an elongated flexible catheter core of a sufficient length and flexibility to extend from outside a subject through a subject'"'"'s cardiovascular system to the obstructed region within the blood vessel, said catheter core comprising a center portion having a helical pumping surface that spirals around the center portion along a substantial length of said catheter core for moving deposits separated from the blood vessel inner wall from a distal to a proximal end of said core;
- said core having an enlarged distal tip for abrading deposits from an inner wall of the blood vessel;
an elongated catheter sheath for covering the helical pumping surface of said core; and
proximal drive means coupled to the catheter core for rotating the core within the sheath to move deposits removed from the vessel wall out of said blood vessel through a region between said pumping surface of said core and an inner wall of the sheath.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A flexible drive catheter for removing deposits from the inner walls of a blood vessel to increase blood flow through the vessel. The catheter includes an outer sheath and a rotatable core coupled to a distal tip which directly contacts the deposits. An outer surface of the rotatable core defines a screw pump for moving dislodged deposits away from the blood vessel through the catheter sheath to a bifurcating adapter located outside the patient. One opening in the adapter accommodates the rotatable core and a second opening provides a method of monitoring blood pressure in the blood vessel, removing dislodged deposits from the catheter and injecting flushing liquids or clotting control agents into the blood vessel.
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Citations
8 Claims
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1. A catheter for removing deposits from the inner walls of an obstructed region of a blood vessel comprising an elongated flexible catheter core of a sufficient length and flexibility to extend from outside a subject through a subject'"'"'s cardiovascular system to the obstructed region within the blood vessel, said catheter core comprising a center portion having a helical pumping surface that spirals around the center portion along a substantial length of said catheter core for moving deposits separated from the blood vessel inner wall from a distal to a proximal end of said core;
- said core having an enlarged distal tip for abrading deposits from an inner wall of the blood vessel;
an elongated catheter sheath for covering the helical pumping surface of said core; and
proximal drive means coupled to the catheter core for rotating the core within the sheath to move deposits removed from the vessel wall out of said blood vessel through a region between said pumping surface of said core and an inner wall of the sheath. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
- said core having an enlarged distal tip for abrading deposits from an inner wall of the blood vessel;
Specification