Low profile catheter for increasing lumen size of a blood vessel and guide wire therefor
First Claim
1. A low profile catheter for intravascular use, comprising:
- a catheter shaft having proximal and distal ends and defining an axis extending therebetween;
a guide wire positioned in the catheter shaft, said guide wire having proximal and distal ends, said distal end extending beyond the distal end of the catheter shaft; and
means for automatically transmitting torque from the catheter shaft to the guide wire when the catheter shaft is rotated with respect to the guide wire and for automatically permitting relative axial movement therebetween when the guide wire is advanced with respect to the catheter shaft, said means located in said catheter shaft at least in part adjacent to said guide wire.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A low profile catheter for increasing lumen size of a blood vessel includes a catheter shaft which carries an inflatable balloon at its distal end. A guide wire is positioned in the catheter shaft to extend beyond the balloon, and the guide wire defines a keyed portion having a cross-sectional shape which is other than round. A keyed coupling number is carried by the catheter shaft and coupled to the keyed portion of the guide wire to transmit torque from the catheter shaft to the guide wire while permitting relative axial movement between the catheter shaft and the guide wire. Alternately, wound coil springs are mounted to the catheter shaft by a spyder. The coil springs seize the guide wire in response to rotation, but allow longitudinal movement of the guide wire in the absence of rotation.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A low profile catheter for intravascular use, comprising:
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a catheter shaft having proximal and distal ends and defining an axis extending therebetween; a guide wire positioned in the catheter shaft, said guide wire having proximal and distal ends, said distal end extending beyond the distal end of the catheter shaft; and means for automatically transmitting torque from the catheter shaft to the guide wire when the catheter shaft is rotated with respect to the guide wire and for automatically permitting relative axial movement therebetween when the guide wire is advanced with respect to the catheter shaft, said means located in said catheter shaft at least in part adjacent to said guide wire. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A low profile catheter comprising:
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a catheter shaft having proximal and distal ends and defining an axis extending therebetween; a sleeve carried by the catheter shaft and having an internal opening which is other than round, said sleeve operative to receive a guide wire axially moveable in the sleeve and to transmit torque therebetween. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
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11. An intravascular guide wire comprising:
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a wire body having a proximal end and a distal end; a flexible end portion carried by the wire body at the distal end; said wire body having at least a portion thereof with an other than round profile. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. A low profile catheter for intravascular use comprising:
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a catheter shaft having proximal and distal ends and defining an axis extending therebetween; a first coil spring carried by the catheter shaft and positioned to surround the guide wire, said first coil spring operative to seize the guide wire for rotation with the catheter shaft when the catheter shaft is rotated in a first direction with respect to the guide wire, and to release the guide wire for longitudinal movement with respect to the catheter shaft when the catheter shaft is not rotated in the first direction with respect to the guide wire. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of performing an intravascular procedure on a patient comprising the steps of:
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advancing into the patient'"'"'s vasculature an elongate guide wire; advancing into the vaculature an elongate catheter over the guide wire through a lumen of the catheter that is adapted to receive the guide wire; engaging the guide wire and the catheter to transmit rotational forces between the guide wire and catheter; and steering the engaged guide wire and catheter to position the guide wire and catheter intravascularly. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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Specification