Catheter with expansible distal end
First Claim
1. A catheter having a proximal end and a distal end insertable into a body cavity, said distal end comprising an at least partly elastic scroll-shaped sleeve expansible from a smaller diameter for introduction into an occlusion in a body cavity to a larger diameter to thereby open the occlusion, said sleeve including an inner marginal portion and an outer marginal portion overlying said inner marginal portion at least in contracted condition of the sleeve, at least one of said marginal portions moving relative to the other of said marginal portions in the circumferential direction of said sleeve during expansion and contraction of the sleeve and said marginal portions having a helical shape, said sleeve tending to contract to said smaller diameter to thus facilitate extraction from the body cavity upon completed opening of the occlusion and said sleeve exhibiting a stiffness sufficient to resist localized deformation by an occlusion during expansion in the occlusion;
- and means for expanding said sleeve upon completion of introduction into an occlusion.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A catheter for the opening of occlusions in blood vessels and for similar purposes has a distal end with a one-piece or composite sleeve which can be inserted into an occlusion and thereupon expanded by a balloon or a spring. The sleeve is sufficiently stiff to resist localized deformation by hard regions of an occlusion, and such sleeve is withdrawn from the blood vessel when the opening step is completed. The sleeve can constitute a scroll, a longitudinally slotted hose or a combination of a scroll or hose with an elastic jacket which tends to reduce the diameter of the scroll or hose.
154 Citations
9 Claims
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1. A catheter having a proximal end and a distal end insertable into a body cavity, said distal end comprising an at least partly elastic scroll-shaped sleeve expansible from a smaller diameter for introduction into an occlusion in a body cavity to a larger diameter to thereby open the occlusion, said sleeve including an inner marginal portion and an outer marginal portion overlying said inner marginal portion at least in contracted condition of the sleeve, at least one of said marginal portions moving relative to the other of said marginal portions in the circumferential direction of said sleeve during expansion and contraction of the sleeve and said marginal portions having a helical shape, said sleeve tending to contract to said smaller diameter to thus facilitate extraction from the body cavity upon completed opening of the occlusion and said sleeve exhibiting a stiffness sufficient to resist localized deformation by an occlusion during expansion in the occlusion;
- and means for expanding said sleeve upon completion of introduction into an occlusion.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
Specification