Angiography catheter

• US 5,480,392 A
• Filed: 02/03/1994
• Issued: 01/02/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cordis Corporation (Cardinal Health, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cordis Corporation (Cardinal Health, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mous, Frans
• Primary Examiner(s): Rosenbaum, C. Fred
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILKENS, FRANK
• Application Number:
  US08/191,285
• Time in Patent Office: 698 Days
• Field of Search: 128/656-658, 604/53, 604/280, 604/281
• US Class Current: 604/530
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0041 pre-formed, e.g. specially adapted to fit with the anatomy of body channels urethral catheters A61F2/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/007 Side holes, e.g. their profiles or arrangements; Provisions to keep side holes unblocked

Abstract

The invention relates to an angiography catheter comprising a hose-like body with at least one lumen debouching at the distal end in an end opening, wherein the distal end has a permanent curvature and a number of openings is arranged in the wall. At least some of the openings are herein arranged in the curvature in a side of the wall remote from the end opening. The angiography catheter can be of the so-called "pigtail" type, with a circular curvature through substantially 360°, wherein openings are arranged in the first 180° of the curvature in the outward facing portion of the wall.

Claims

1. An angiography catheter of the "pigtail" type comprising a tubular body having a generally cylindrical wall, a proximal end, a main portion, a distal end portion, a distal end and at least one lumen debouching at the distal end in an end opening, said distal end portion having a permanent, at least partially generally circular curvature that lies in a plane that also contains a distal portion of said main portion and having a number of openings arranged only in a portion of a wall facing outwardly of said generally circular curvature in said distal end portion and in said plane, said openings being arranged in the curvature in a side of said wall of said distal end portion remote from said end opening and facing in a direction in said plane containing said at least partially generally circular curvature and said distal portion of said main portion, whereby fluid exiting said openings in side of said wall of said distal end portion having said curvature will reduce, if not eliminate, any force of said fluid on said distal end portion having said curvature that tends to "uncurl" said distal end portion having said curvature.

2. An angiography catheter of the "pigtail" type with a circular curvature through substantially 360°

of a distal end portion of said catheter, said catheter comprising a tubular body having a generally cylindrical wall, a proximal end, a main portion, said distal end portion, a distal end and at least one lumen debouching at the distal end in an end opening, said distal end portion having a permanent curvature and having a number of openings arranged in said wall in said distal end portion, at least some of said openings being arranged in the first 180°

of the curvature in an outward facing portion of a side wall of said distal end portion remote from said end opening and facing in a direction whereby fluid exiting said openings in said side wall of said distal end portion having said curvature will reduce, if not eliminate any force of said fluid on said distal end portion having said curvature that tends to "uncurl" said distal end portion having said curvature.

3. An angiography catheter of the "pigtail" type with a circular curvature through substantially 360°

of a distal end portion of said catheter, said catheter comprising a tubular body having a generally cylindrical wall, a proximal end, main portion, said distal end portion, a distal end and at least one lumen debouching at the distal end in an end opening, said distal end portion having permanent curvature and having a number of openings arranged in said wall in said distal end portion at least some of said openings being arranged in the first 90°

of the curvature in the outward facing portion of a side wall of said distal end portion remote from said end opening and facing in a direction whereby fluid exiting said openings in said side wall of said distal end portion having said curvature will reduce, if not eliminate, any force of said fluid on said distal end portion having said curvature that tends to "uncurl" said distal end portion having said curvature.

4. The angiography catheter as claimed in 2, wherein said openings arranged in the curvature of said distal end portion are additional to openings arranged in a known per se manner in said main portion of said tubular body positioned in advance of the curvature.