Exchange catheter having exterior guide wire loops

• US 5,267,958 A
• Filed: 03/30/1992
• Issued: 12/07/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Lieber, Glen, Solar, Ronald J., Buchbinder, Maurice, Roucher, Leo R. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rosenbaum, C. Fred
• Assistant Examiner(s): Maglione, Corrine
• Application Number:
  US07/859,769
• Time in Patent Office: 617 Days
• Field of Search: 128/656-658, 128/772, 606/192, 606/194, 604/49, 604/52, 604/96, 604/101-102, 604/280
• US Class Current: 604/103.14
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0034 characterized by elements which are assembled, connected or fused, e.g. splittable tubes, outer sheaths creating lumina or separate cores
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/018 Catheters having a lateral opening for guiding elongated means lateral to the catheter
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0183 Rapid exchange or monorail catheters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/1056 having guide wire lumens outside the main shaft, i.e. the guide wire lumen is within or on the surface of the balloon
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/107 having a longitudinal slit in the balloon
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0029 characterized by features relating to least one lumen located at the middle part of the catheter, e.g. slots, flaps, valves, cuffs, apertures, notches, grooves or rapid exchange ports catheter shaft surface irregularities A61M2025/006
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0032 characterized by at least one unconventionally shaped lumen, e.g. polygons, ellipsoids, wedges or shapes comprising concave and convex parts
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/104 used for angioplasty

Abstract

A balloon catheter is disclosed having a catheter body and one or more loops external to the body and spaced from the balloon for insertion of a guidewire. A peelable sheath with a guidewiare lumen can instead be mounted exterior to the catheter body for holding the guidewire. The catheter body may optionally be reinforced with a stylet.

Claims

1. A medical catheter comprising:

an elongate body having a proximal end and a distal end;

a therapy means mounted on the body generally adjacent to the distal end for providing medical treatment;

a first wire guiding means, mounted external to the body, for mounting over a guidewire, the first wire guiding means being a loop fixedly attached to the body and mounted proximal to the therapy means; and

a second wire guiding means mounted external to the body for mounting over a guidewire, the second wire guiding means being a loop fixedly attached to the body and mounted distal to the therapy means.

2. A medical catheter comprising:

an elongate body having a proximal end and a distal end;

a therapy means mounted on the body generally adjacent to the distal end for providing medical treatment;

a first wire guiding means, mounted external to the body for mounting over a guidewire, the first wire guiding means being a loop fixedly attached to the body and proximal to the therapy means, wherein the loop is a peelable sheath;

wherein the catheter is reinforced with a stiffening means mounted to the body; and

wherein the stiffening means is a stylet.

3. A medical catheter comprising:

an elongate body having a proximal end and a distal end;

a therapy means mounted on the body generally adjacent to the distal end for providing medical treatment;

a first wire guiding means, mounted external to the body, for mounting over a guidewire, the first wire guiding means being a loop with an occluded distal end fixedly attached to the body and mounted proximal to the therapy means;

a second wire guiding means being a peelable sheath and mounted proximal to the first wire guiding means.

4. A method of inserting a catheter on a guidewire comprising:

providing a catheter with an angioplasty balloon having a first guidewire loop proximal to the balloon and a second guidewire loop distal to the balloon;

inserting a guidewire through the first loop and the second loop;

wrapping the balloon around the guidewire; and

inserting the catheter and guidewire in the human body.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

withdrawing the guidewire in the proximal direction so that the guidewire is proximal to the balloon; and

inflating the balloon.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

deflating the balloon; and

withdrawing the catheter over the guidewire.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising;

positioning the guidewire over the stenosis,

inserting a different catheter with an angioplasty balloon over the guidewire into the body,

inflating the balloon,

deflating the balloon,

withdrawing the catheter over the guidewire.

8. A method of inserting a catheter on a guidewire comprising:

providing a catheter with an angioplasty balloon having a first guidewire loop proximal to the balloon and a second guidewire loop proximal to the first guidewire loop;

inserting the guidewire through the first and second guidewire loops;

inserting the catheter and guidewire in a human body;

removing the guidewire from the first guidewire loop;

placing the guidewire external to the outside surface of the first guidewire loop; and

allowing the catheter to be withdrawn over the second guidewire loop while maintaining access to a vessel being treated by keeping the guidewire in place in the vessel.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the step of removing the guidewire from the first guidewire loop includes withdrawing the guidewire.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the step of removing the guidewire from the first guidewire loop includes advancing the catheter.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the distal end of the first guidewire loop is occluded.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising;

positioning the guidwire over the stenosis,

inserting a different catheter with an angioplasty balloon over the guidewire into the body,

inflating the balloon,

deflating the balloon,

withdrawing the catheter over the guidewire.