Bent topless catheters

• US 5,044,369 A
• Filed: 04/18/1990
• Issued: 09/03/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Harvinder Sahota
• Original Assignee: Harvinder Sahota
• Inventors: Sahota, Harvinder
• Primary Examiner(s): Yasko, John D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CERMAK, ADAM
• Application Number:
  US07/510,472
• Time in Patent Office: 503 Days
• Field of Search: 128/656-658, 604/96-103, 604/280, 606/194
• US Class Current: 600/435
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0081 Soft tip
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0068 Static characteristics of the catheter tip, e.g. shape, atraumatic tip, curved tip or tip structure

Abstract

A topless catheter, which can be used as either a guiding catheter for guiding balloon dilatation catheters into a body lumen, or as a diagnostic catheter for conducting radio opaque dyes into a predetermined body lumen or both is disclosed. The topless catheter comprises a cylindrical catheter shaft, integrally connected to an arcuate topless guilding finger. The guiding finger is adapted for placement proximate to, or partially within a predetermined blood vessel for subselective placement of a dilatation balloon catheter. By virtue of the manner in which the guiding finger is configured, blood flow through the more distal arteries is substantially unimpeded without detracting from the support and guidance features, found in conventional guiding catheters.

Claims

1. A guiding catheter for use in the diagnosis and treatment of arterial stenosis, constructed and arranged to i) conduct ratio opaque dyes into a predetermined blood vessel and ii) guide a balloon dilatation catheter into the blood vessel to relieve the stenosis, said guiding catheter comprising:

an axially elongate cylindrical shaft, having a proximal end and a distal end; and

an arcuate topless section, integrally connected to said distal end of said shaft, said distal topless section being preformed into a single, substantially right-angle bend.

2. A guiding catheter for use in the diagnosis and treatment of arterial stenosis, constructed and arranged to i) conduct ration opaque dyes into a predetermined blood vessel and ii) guide a balloon dilatation catheter into the blood vessel to relieve the stenosis, said guiding catheter comprising:

an axially elongate cylindrical shaft, having a proximal end and a distal end; and

an arcuate topless section, integrally connected to said distal end of said shaft, said distal topless section being preformed into a substantially J-shaped configuration.

3. A guiding catheter for use in the diagnosis and treatment of arterial stenosis, constructed and arranged to i) conduct ratio opaque dyes into a predetermined blood vessel and ii) guide a balloon dilatation catheter into the blood vessel to relieve the stenosis, said guiding catheter comprising:

an axially elongate cylindrical shaft, having a proximal end and a distal end, said shaft being hallow and comprising a polyurethane outer jacket for providing strength, rigidity and curve retention properties to said shaft; and

an arcuate topless section, integrally connected to said distal end of said shaft.

4. A catheter system, comprising:

an axially elongate, hallow cylindrical shaft, having a proximal end and a distal end, said shaft adapted for insertion into a predetermined blood vessel;

an arcuate topless section, integrally connected to said distal end of said shaft and forming an angle therewith, said topless section constructed and arranged to sit at a predetermined vascular orifice

a balloon dilatation catheter, adapted for insertion into said hallow shaft, so as to be guided through said vascular orifice and into said blood vessel without substantially impeding the normal flow of blood therethrough.

5. A catheter sheath, comprising:

an axially elongate hollow cylindrical shaft, adapted for insertion into a body lumen, said catheter shaft comprising a polyurethane outer jacket, adapted to retain predetermined bends so as to aid in placing said sheath proximate to a predetermined coronary orifice; and

a semi-cylindrical guiding finger, integrally connected to one end of said shaft, said guiding finger retaining the width of said shaft, but exhibiting a smaller cross-sectional area than that of said shaft, so as to be less obstructive to bodily fluids flowing through said lumen.