Catheter for uniform distribution of therapeutic fluids
First Claim
1. A multilumen vascular catheter for the uniform delivery of fluid containing drugs, therapeutic agents and the like comprising an elongated tubular body having a wall defining a first lumen for receiving a guidewire to facilitate the advancement of the catheter through a patient'"'"'s vasculature and a plurality of second lumens disposed longitudinally within the wall, each of said second lumens having a flow passageway in a distal portion of the catheter extending from the second lumen through the wall of the tubular body to the exterior thereof with the flow passageways having a minimum crosssectional area of about 1×
- 10-6 to about 5×
10-4 and being longitudinally spaced from each other so that a uniform flow of fluid is discharged over the distal portion of the catheter.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A vascular catheter for delivering a uniform flow of therapeutic fluid over a length of the catheter. The catheter is particularly suitable for delivering thrombolytic agents to a thrombus or clot in a patient'"'"'s arterial system. In a preferred embodiment, the catheter has a relatively thick-walled tubular body with a central lumen for advancement over a guidewire and a plurality of fluid delivering lumens disposed within the relatively thick wall. Each of the smaller lumens has a single flow passageway to discharge therapeutic fluid to the exterior of the catheter.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. A multilumen vascular catheter for the uniform delivery of fluid containing drugs, therapeutic agents and the like comprising an elongated tubular body having a wall defining a first lumen for receiving a guidewire to facilitate the advancement of the catheter through a patient'"'"'s vasculature and a plurality of second lumens disposed longitudinally within the wall, each of said second lumens having a flow passageway in a distal portion of the catheter extending from the second lumen through the wall of the tubular body to the exterior thereof with the flow passageways having a minimum crosssectional area of about 1×
- 10-6 to about 5×
10-4 and being longitudinally spaced from each other so that a uniform flow of fluid is discharged over the distal portion of the catheter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
- 10-6 to about 5×
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9. The method of treating a thrombus within a patient'"'"'s vascular system comprising:
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(a) advancing a guidewire through the patient'"'"'s vasculature and passing the distal tip thereof through the thrombus to be treated; (b) advancing a vascular catheter over the guidewire and urging the distal portion of the catheter into the thrombus; and (c) uniformly discharging fluid containing thrombolytic agents through passageways provided in the distal portion of the catheter into the thrombus at a rate of about 0.1 to about 2 cc per minute. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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Specification