Catheter having helical inflation lumen

• US 5,415,634 A
• Filed: 04/24/1992
• Issued: 05/16/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Advanced Cardiovascular Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Devices for Vascular Intervention, Inc.
• Inventors: Evans, Michael, Simpson, John B., Glynn, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Rosenbaum, C. Fred
• Assistant Examiner(s): GRING, NOELLE K
• Application Number:
  US07/874,346
• Time in Patent Office: 1,117 Days
• Field of Search: 604/96, 604/103, 604/280, 604/282, 606/192, 606/194, 606/159
• US Class Current: 604/103.08
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/320783 through side-hole, e.g. sliding or rotating cutter inside catheter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22071 Steering
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/1061 having separate inflations tubes, e.g. coaxial tubes or tubes otherwise arranged apart from the catheter tube
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/1086 having a special balloon surface topography, e.g. pores, protuberances, spikes or grooves
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/10 Balloon catheters A61M25/0125 takes precedence; embolectomy A61B17/22032; retractors A61B17/02; inflatable balloons for placing stents or stent-grafts A61F2/958 ; stomach balloons for treatment of obesity A61F5/0003; oesophagal tubes A61J15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/1002 characterised by balloon shape A61M25/1006, A61M25/1009 take precedence

Abstract

A vascular catheter includes a catheter body, an inflatable balloon disposed at the distal end of the catheter body, and an inflation conduit extending from the proximal end of the catheter body to the inflatable balloon. The inflation conduit is disposed on the exterior of the catheter body, minimizing the total cross-sectional area but imparting a non-circular periphery. Catheter whip resulting from the non-circular periphery is reduced by arranging the inflation conduit in a helical pattern over at least a distal portion of the catheter body.

Claims

1. A vascular catheter comprising:

a torsionally reinforced flexible tube having proximal and distal ends and a substantially circular cross-sectional profile;

an inflatable balloon located at the distal end of the flexible tube; and

a substantially non-expandable inflation conduit extending from the proximal end to the inflatable balloon, wherein the inflation conduit is arranged helically about at least a distal portion of the exterior of the flexible tube.

2. A vascular catheter as in claim 1, wherein the inflation conduit includes a separate tube wrapped helically about the exterior of the flexible tube.

3. A vascular catheter as in claim 2, wherein the separate helically wrapped tube is secured by a sheath constricted about the flexible tube and the helically wrapped tube.

4. A vascular catheter as in claim 1, wherein the inflation conduit is formed integrally with the flexible tube.

5. A vascular catheter as in claim 4, wherein the inflation conduit has a crescent-shaped profile which subtends at least 45°

of the periphery of the flexible tube and extends above the surface of the tube by no more than 0.3 of the tube diameter.

6. A vascular catheter as in claim 1, wherein the inflation conduit has a helical pitch in the range from about 2 to 20 cm/turn.

7. A vascular catheter as in claim 6, wherein the inflation conduit is arranged helically about only a distal portion of the flexible tube, said distal portion having a length from about 30 to 50 cm.

8. A vascular catheter as in claim 6, wherein the inflation conduit is arranged helically over the entire length of the flexible tube.

9. A vascular catheter as in claim 1, further comprising:

a housing secured to the distal end of the flexible tube; and

means for severing atheroma disposed on one side of the distal housing;

wherein the inflatable balloon is disposed on a side of the housing generally opposite to the side on which the severing means is disposed.

10. A vascular catheter comprising:

a flexible tube having proximal and distal ends, a substantially circular cross-sectional profile, and a central lumen extending axially between the proximal and distal ends;

a braided metal torque member disposed within the central lumen of the flexible tube and fixed thereto whereby the distal end of the tube can be rotated by applying torque to the proximal end of the torque member;

an inflation conduit formed over the flexible tube and disposed helically about at least a distal portion of the exterior of the flexible tube; and

an inflatable balloon located at the distal end of the flexible tube and connected to receive inflation medium from the inflation tube, whereby the helical disposition of the inflation conduit lessens resistance when the catheter is being rotated in a vascular lumen.

11. A vascular catheter as in claim 10, wherein the inflation tube conduit is a separate tube which is secured to the flexible tube by a sheath constricted about the flexible tube and the tube.

12. A vascular catheter as in claim 10, wherein the inflation conduit has a crescent-shaped profile which subtends at least 45°

of the periphery of the flexible tube and extends above the surface of the tube by no more than 0.3 of the tube diameter.

13. A vascular catheter as in claim 10, wherein the inflation conduit is wrapped at a helical pitch in the range from about 2 to 20 cm/turn.

14. A vascular catheter as in claim 13, wherein the inflation conduit is arranged helically about only a distal portion of the flexible tube, said distal portion having a length from about 30 to 50 cm.

15. A vascular catheter as in claim 13, wherein the inflation conduit extends over the entire length of the flexible tube.

16. A vascular catheter as in claim 10, further comprising:

a housing secured to the distal end of the flexible tube, and

means for severing atheroma disposed on one side of the distal housing,

wherein the inflatable balloon is disposed on a side of the housing generally opposite to the side on which the severing means is disposed.

17. A vascular catheter as in claim 16, wherein the housing has an elongate aperture on said one side and means for severing includes a cutting blade disposed in the housing and attached to a drive cable disposed in the central lumen of the flexible tube.

18. A vascular catheter as in claim 16, wherein the inflatable balloon is formed as an expanded section of the inflation tube.

19. A vascular catheter comprising:

a torsionally reinforced flexible tube having at least first and second lumens formed integrally therein and extending from a proximal end to a distal end thereof; and

an inflatable balloon disposed at the distal end of the flexible tube,

wherein the first lumen has a substantially circular profile and is disposed axially within the flexible tube and the second lumen is arranged helically about at least a distal portion of the first lumen and is connected at its distal end to the inflatable balloon.

20. A vascular catheter as in claim 19, wherein the second lumen is expanded at its distal end to form the inflatable balloon.

21. A vascular catheter as in claim 19, wherein the first lumen has a diameter in the range from about 0.010 in. to 0.10 in and the second lumen has a diameter in the range from about 0.015 in. to 0.040 in.

22. A vascular catheter as in claim 19, wherein the second lumen has a crescent-shaped profile which subtends at least 45°

of the periphery of the first lumen and extends above the surface of the first lumen by no more than 0.3 of the lumen diameter.

23. A vascular catheter as in claim 19, wherein the second lumen has a helical pitch in the range from about 2 to 20 cm/turn.

24. A vascular catheter as in claim 23, wherein the inflation conduit is arranged helically about only a distal portion of the flexible tube, said distal portion having a length from about 30 to 50 cm.

25. A vascular catheter as in claim 23, wherein the inflation conduit extends over the entire length of the flexible tube.

26. A vascular catheter as in claim 19, further comprising:

a housing secured to the distal end of the flexible tube, and

means for severing atheroma disposed on one side of the distal housing;

wherein the inflatable balloon is disposed on a side of the housing generally opposite to the side on which the severing means is disposed.

27. A vascular catheter as in claim 25, wherein the housing has an elongate aperture on said one side and means for severing includes a cutting blade disposed in the housing and attached to a drive cable disposed in the first lumen of the flexible tube.