Catheter guiding and positioning method
First Claim
1. A method of guiding and centering a treatment catheter at a treatment site within a passageway in a human body by way of a guiding tube, the guiding tube including a distal end dimensioned to pass freely along the passageway, a longitudinal lumen through the tube dimensioned to receive the treatment catheter, and a radially expandable membrane at the distal end of the tube, comprising the steps of:
- extending a guidewire through the lumen and along the tube;
passing the distal end of the tube and the guidewire through the passageway to the treatment site;
expanding the membrane so that the membrane pushes against an inner wall of the passageway to center the distal end of the tube;
removing the guidewire; and
passing the treatment catheter through the longitudinal lumen of the tube to the treatment site.
7 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method for guiding and centering a catheter to a treatment site within a passageway in the human body includes a flexible tube having a distal end dimension to pass freely along the passageway, and a proximal end adapted to extend outside the body. The flexible tube is provided with a peripherally expandable zone at the distal end of the tube and a longitudinal lumen through the flexible tube dimension for passing a catheter therethrough. The distal end of the flexible tube is guided to a desired location within the passageway. The peripheral zone at the distal end of the tube is then expanded so that the expandable zone pushes against the inner wall of the passageway to center the distal end of the tube within the passageway. With the tube positioned within the passageway, a catheter is passed through the longitudinal lumen of the flexible tube.
36 Citations
8 Claims
-
1. A method of guiding and centering a treatment catheter at a treatment site within a passageway in a human body by way of a guiding tube, the guiding tube including a distal end dimensioned to pass freely along the passageway, a longitudinal lumen through the tube dimensioned to receive the treatment catheter, and a radially expandable membrane at the distal end of the tube, comprising the steps of:
-
extending a guidewire through the lumen and along the tube; passing the distal end of the tube and the guidewire through the passageway to the treatment site; expanding the membrane so that the membrane pushes against an inner wall of the passageway to center the distal end of the tube; removing the guidewire; and passing the treatment catheter through the longitudinal lumen of the tube to the treatment site. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
Specification