Angioplasty apparatus facilitating rapid exchanges and method
First Claim
1. A catheter assembly for performing intraluminal ultrasound procedures within a patient'"'"'s coronary artery, comprising:
- a) guiding catheter having proximal and distal ends which is adapted to be disposed within a patient'"'"'s cardiovascular system with the distal end seated within an ostium of the patient'"'"'s coronary artery and the proximal end extending out of the patient;
b) a guidewire with proximal and distal ends which is adapted to be disposed within the guiding catheter with the distal end of the guidewire extending out the distal end of the guiding catheter into the coronary artery of the patient and the proximal end of the guidewire extending out the proximal end of the guiding catheter which extends out of the patient; and
c) an elongated ultrasound imaging catheter having an elongated catheter body with a proximal end adapted to extend out of the patient, a distal end, a first elongated inner lumen within the catheter body extending from the proximal end to the distal end, and a second much shorter inner lumen which is fixed with respect to said catheter body and which is defined at least in part by a tubular member extending substantially within the catheter body which is adapted to slidably receive the guidewire, the second inner lumen having a distal port located in the distal end of the catheter body and a proximal port extending through the catheter body located at least 10 centimeters from the distal end of the catheter body and a substantial distance from the proximal end of the catheter body.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus for introduction into the vessel of a patient comprising a guiding catheter adapted to be inserted into the vessel of the patient and a device adapted to be inserted into the guiding catheter. The device includes a flexible elongate member and a sleeve carried by the flexible elongate member near the distal extremity thereof and extending from a region near the distal extremity to a region spaced from the distal extremity of the flexible elongate element. The device also includes a guide wire adapted to extend through the sleeve so that the guide wire extends rearwardly of the sleeve extending alongside of and exteriorally of the flexible elongate element into a region a near the proximal extremity of the flexible elongate element.
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Citations
3 Claims
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1. A catheter assembly for performing intraluminal ultrasound procedures within a patient'"'"'s coronary artery, comprising:
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a) guiding catheter having proximal and distal ends which is adapted to be disposed within a patient'"'"'s cardiovascular system with the distal end seated within an ostium of the patient'"'"'s coronary artery and the proximal end extending out of the patient; b) a guidewire with proximal and distal ends which is adapted to be disposed within the guiding catheter with the distal end of the guidewire extending out the distal end of the guiding catheter into the coronary artery of the patient and the proximal end of the guidewire extending out the proximal end of the guiding catheter which extends out of the patient; and c) an elongated ultrasound imaging catheter having an elongated catheter body with a proximal end adapted to extend out of the patient, a distal end, a first elongated inner lumen within the catheter body extending from the proximal end to the distal end, and a second much shorter inner lumen which is fixed with respect to said catheter body and which is defined at least in part by a tubular member extending substantially within the catheter body which is adapted to slidably receive the guidewire, the second inner lumen having a distal port located in the distal end of the catheter body and a proximal port extending through the catheter body located at least 10 centimeters from the distal end of the catheter body and a substantial distance from the proximal end of the catheter body. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A method of performing ultrasound imaging within a patient'"'"'s coronary artery, comprising:
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a) disposing within a patient'"'"'s cardiovascular system a guiding catheter having proximal and distal ends and having an inner lumen extending therein with the distal end seated within the ostium of the patient'"'"'s coronary artery and a proximal end extending out of the patient; b) disposing a guidewire within the inner lumen of the guiding catheter with the distal end of the guidewire out the distal end of the guiding catheter into the coronary artery of the patient and with the proximal end of the guidewire extending out the proximal end of the guiding catheter which extends out of the patient; c) disposing within the inner lumen of the guiding catheter an ultrasound imaging catheter with proximal and distal ends having an elongated catheter body with an ultrasound imaging device at the distal portion thereof, a first elongated inner lumen extending therein, and a second, much shorter inner lumen which is fixed with respect to said catheter body and in which the guidewire is slidably disposed, the second inner lumen having a distal port located in the distal end of the elongated catheter body and a proximal port located at least 10 centimeters from the distal end of the elongated catheter body and a substantial distance from the proximal end of the elongated catheter body; d) advancing the ultrasound imaging catheter within the patient'"'"'s coronary artery over the guidewire until the portion of the ultrasound imaging catheter having the ultrasound imaging device extends within the coronary artery with the proximal port remaining within the guiding catheter; and e) withdrawing the ultrasound imaging catheter from the patient over the guidewire and removing it from the guidewire.
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Specification