Replaceable dilatation catheter
First Claim
1. A balloon dilatation catheter having proximal and distal ends, which comprises, a flexible, tubular catheter shaft which carries a dilatation balloon adjacent the distal end, said catheter shaft defining an inflation lumen communicating with said balloon and a guidewire lumen extending at least most of the length of said catheter and extending through the catheter distal end;
- a longitudinal slit defined in said catheter shaft between the guidewire lumen and the catheter exterior, said slit extending longitudinally along the majority of the catheter length from a position proximal of said balloon to a position that is at least adjacent the catheter proximal end, in which said catheter shaft carries a hub at said proximal end, said hub defining a conduit connecting with said guidewire lumen, said slit of the catheter shaft extending to said hub, and a longitudinal slot extending the length of said hub in communication between said hub conduit and the hub exterior, said slot also being aligned with said slit to permit a sliding member in said slot to slide into said slit.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A balloon dilatation catheter comprises a flexible, tubular catheter shaft which carries a dilatation balloon adjacent the distal end. The catheter shaft defines an inflation lumen communicating with the balloon and a guidewire lumen extending at least most of the length of the catheter and extending through the catheter distal end. A longitudinal slit is defined in the catheter shaft between the guidewire lumen and the catheter exterior. This slit longitudinally extends along the majority of the catheter length from a position proximal of the balloon to a position that is at least adjacent the catheter proximal end.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A balloon dilatation catheter having proximal and distal ends, which comprises, a flexible, tubular catheter shaft which carries a dilatation balloon adjacent the distal end, said catheter shaft defining an inflation lumen communicating with said balloon and a guidewire lumen extending at least most of the length of said catheter and extending through the catheter distal end;
- a longitudinal slit defined in said catheter shaft between the guidewire lumen and the catheter exterior, said slit extending longitudinally along the majority of the catheter length from a position proximal of said balloon to a position that is at least adjacent the catheter proximal end, in which said catheter shaft carries a hub at said proximal end, said hub defining a conduit connecting with said guidewire lumen, said slit of the catheter shaft extending to said hub, and a longitudinal slot extending the length of said hub in communication between said hub conduit and the hub exterior, said slot also being aligned with said slit to permit a sliding member in said slot to slide into said slit.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A balloon dilatation catheter having proximal and distal ends, which comprises, a flexible, tubular catheter shaft which carries a dilatation balloon adjacent the distal end, said catheter shaft defining an inflation lumen communicating with said balloon, and a guidewire lumen extending the entire length of said catheter and through said proximal and distal ends;
- a longitudinal slit defined in said catheter shaft between the guidewire lumen and the catheter exterior, said slit longitudinally extending along the majority of the catheter length from a position proximal of said balloon to a position that is at least adjacent the catheter proximal end, said catheter shaft carrying a hub at said proximal end, said hub defining a conduit connecting with said guidewire lumen, said slit of the catheter body extending to said hub, and a longitudinal slot extending the length of said hub and in communication between said hub conduit and the hub exterior, said slot also being aligned with said slit to permit a sliding member in said slot to slide into said slit.
- View Dependent Claims (7)
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8. A balloon dilatation catheter having proximal and distal ends, which comprises, a flexible, tubular catheter shaft which carries a dilatation balloon adjacent the distal end, said catheter shaft defining an inflation lumen communicating with said balloon and a guidewire lumen extending at least most of the length of said catheter, said guidewire lumen extending through the catheter distal end and open from said catheter distal end to a position at least adjacent to said proximal end;
- a longitudinal slit defined in said catheter shaft between the guidewire lumen and the catheter exterior, said slit extending longitudinally along said catheter from a position proximal of said balloon to a position that is at least adjacent the catheter proximal end, said catheter shaft carrying a substantially rigid hub at said proximal end, said hub defining a conduit connecting with said guidewire lumen, said slit of the catheter shaft extending to said hub, and a longitudinal slot extending the length of said hub and in communication between said hub conduit and the hub exterior, said slot also being aligned with said slit to permit a sliding member in said slot to slide into said slit.
- View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
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11. A balloon dilatation catheter having proximal and distal ends, which comprises, a flexible, tubular catheter shaft which carries a dilatation balloon adjacent the distal end, said catheter shaft defining an inflation lumen communicating with said balloon and a guidewire lumen extending at least most of the length of said catheter and extending through the catheter distal end;
- a closed, longitudinal line of tearing weakness defined in said catheter shaft between the guidewire lumen and the catheter exterior, said line of tearing weakness extending longitudinally along the catheter length from a position proximal of said balloon to a position that is at least adjacent the catheter proximal end.
- View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of emplacing a catheter into a patient where the route of advancement of said catheter into the patient is defined by a pre-installed guidewire having a segment protruding from the patient, said guidewire segment being shorter than the catheter, which method comprises:
- advancing gripping tool means through the proximal end of a lumen of said catheter while causing a laterally projecting handle of said gripping tool means to engage and project laterally outwardly through a longitudinally extending slit defined in said catheter;
relatively advancing the proximal end of said emplaced guidewire through the distal end of said catheter lumen to bring said guidewire proximal end and said gripping tool into engagement, whereby said guidewire proximal end is gripped by the tool;
grasping the laterally outwardly projecting handle of said tool while advancing said catheter along said guidewire into the patient toward said implanted catheter site, to prevent advancement of said guidewire, said tool sliding relatively proximally along the slit of said catheter as the catheter is advanced. - View Dependent Claims (17)
- advancing gripping tool means through the proximal end of a lumen of said catheter while causing a laterally projecting handle of said gripping tool means to engage and project laterally outwardly through a longitudinally extending slit defined in said catheter;
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18. A method of removing a catheter implanted in a patient with a guidewire occupying a lumen of said catheter at a desired location in the patient, the proximal ends of both said catheter and guidewire projecting outwardly from the patient, which method comprises:
- gripping a proximal portion of said guidewire;
bending said proximal portion of said guidewire in a lateral direction from the axis of said guidewire and catheter while drawing said bent portion of the guidewire outwardly through a longitudinal slit defined in said catheter; and
withdrawing said catheter while holding said guidewire adjacent to the projection of said guidewire through said longitudinal slit, to hold said guidewire stationary and to cause said catheter and slit to move proximally relative to said guidewire, whereby said catheter may be removed from the patient while the guidewire remains stationary. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
- gripping a proximal portion of said guidewire;
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21. The method of withdrawing a catheter from a patient in which the catheter defines a lumen through which a guidewire extends, said guidewire having a segment protruding from the patient, said guidewire segment being shorter than the catheter, which method comprises:
- advancing gripping tool means through the proximal end of the lumen of said catheter while causing a laterally projecting handle of said gripping tool means to engage and project laterally outwardly through a longitudinally extending slit defined in said catheter;
relatively advancing the proximal end of said emplaced guidewire through the distal end of said catheter lumen to bring said guidewire proximal end and said gripping tool into engagement, whereby said guidewire proximal end is gripped by the tool;
grasping the laterally outwardly projecting handle of said tool while withdrawing said catheter along said guidewire, to prevent withdrawal of said guidewire along with the catheter, said tool sliding relatively distally along the slit of said catheter as the catheter is withdrawn. - View Dependent Claims (22)
- advancing gripping tool means through the proximal end of the lumen of said catheter while causing a laterally projecting handle of said gripping tool means to engage and project laterally outwardly through a longitudinally extending slit defined in said catheter;
Specification