Catheter size designation system

• US 5,944,712 A
• Filed: 10/31/1996
• Issued: 08/31/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Ave Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Ave Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Frassica, James J., Crittenden, James F.
• Primary Examiner(s): McDermott, Corrine
• Assistant Examiner(s): RODRIGUEZ, CRIS LOIREN
• Application Number:
  US08/741,568
• Time in Patent Office: 1,034 Days
• Field of Search: 604/96, 604/264, 604/280, 604/282, 604/523, 128/657-658, 600/434, 600/435
• US Class Current: 604/529
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0008 having visible markings on its surface, i.e. visible to the naked eye, for any purpose, e.g. insertion depth markers, rotational markers or identification of type
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/1079 having radio-opaque markers in the region of the balloon
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/00 Catheters; Hollow probes dilators A61M29/00; peritoneal catheters A61M1/285; tracheal tubes A61M16/04; for drainage A61M27/00; for uterus, vagina or rectum A61M31/00 ; for measuring or testing A61B; materials for catheters A61L29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0108 using radio-opaque or ultrasound markers

Abstract

The catheters in a family thereof in which each of the catheters has substantially the same configuration and adapted to perform the same function, but in which the catheters in the family differ from each other in at least one respect, are provided with radiographically distinguishable indicia by which each of the members of the family can be distinguished from the others by direct observation of its radiographic image.

Claims

1. A family of radiographically distinguishable catheters comprising:

a plurality of catheters having substantially the same configuration,

the catheters in the family differing from each other in at least one respect;

a coded self-referencing pattern of radiographically distinguishable radiopaque indicia associated with each catheter in the family,

the indicia on each catheter in the family being different than the indicia on other catheters in the family,

the identity of an individual catheter in the family being unique and readily determinable by observing a radiographic image of that catheter.

2. The family of catheters as defined in claim 1 wherein said catheters include in their structure a braided tubular element formed from a plurality of helically arranged filaments extending along the length of the catheter, the family of catheters including catheters with different dimensions;

said radiographically distinguishable radiopaque indicia comprising at least one filament in each catheter in the family being formed from a highly radiopaque material that is radiographically visible, the catheters with different dimensions in the family of catheters having different numbers of said radiopaque filaments.

3. The family of radiographically distinguishable catheters as defined in claim 1 wherein the at least one respect is a size of a catheter.

4. The family of radiographically distinguishable catheters as defined in claim 1 wherein the identity of an individual catheter in the family of catheters may be readily determined by observation of a radiographic image of that catheter without reference to any dimension of the radiographic image.

5. The family of radiographically distinguishable catheters as defined in claim 1 wherein the size of the self-referencing pattern of radiographically distinguishable radiopaque indicia is independent of any physical dimension of an individual catheter in the family of catheters.

6. The family of radiographically distinguishable catheters as defined in claim 1 wherein the size of the self-referencing pattern of radiographically distinguishable radiopaque indicia is independent of a size of an individual catheter in the family of catheters.

7. The family of catheters of claim 1 whereby the respect in which the catheters in the family differs comprises at least one dimension of the catheter.

8. The family of catheters as defined in claim 1 in which the catheters differ dimensionally from each other and wherein said radiographically distinguishable radiopaque indicia comprises radiopaque bands carried by the catheters, dimensionally different of said catheters having radiographically distinguishable bands.

9. The family of catheters as defined in claim 8 wherein at least some of said radiopaque bands completely encircle the catheter shaft.

10. The family of catheters as defined in claim 8 wherein at least some of said radiopaque bands partly encircle a portion of the catheter.

11. The family of catheters as defined in claim 1 wherein said radiographically distinguishable indicia comprises stripes formed on a catheter, the stripes of different catheters in the family being of different lengths.

12. The family of catheters as defined in any one of claims 1, 2, 8-11 wherein the catheters in the family comprise guide catheters.

13. The family of catheters as defined in any one of claims 1, 2, 8-11 wherein the catheters in the family comprise balloon catheters.

14. In a family of catheters, the individual catheters in the family having substantially the same configuration, and differing from each other in at least one respect, a coding system for distinguishing among the individual catheters in the family comprising:

a coded self-referencing pattern of radiographically distinguishable radiopaque indicia disposed upon each individual catheter in the family;

the indicia disposed upon each individual catheter in the family being different than the indicia disposed upon other individual catheters in the family;

the indicia being indicative of the at least one differing respect of an individual catheter in the family;

the differing respect of an individual catheter in the family being unique and readily determinable by observing a radiographic image of that catheter.

15. In a family of catheters as defined in claim 14, wherein said catheters include in their structure a braided tubular element formed from a plurality of helically arranged filaments extending along the length of the catheter;

said self-referencing pattern of radiographically distinguishable radiopaque indicia comprising at least one filament in each catheter in the family being formed from a highly radiopaque material that is radiographically visible, the catheters in the family of different respects having different numbers of said radiopaque filaments.

16. The coding system as defined in claim 14 wherein the identity of an individual catheter in the family of catheters may be readily determined by observation of a radiographic image of that catheter without reference to any dimension of the radiographic image.

17. The coding system as defined in claim 14 wherein the size of the self-referencing pattern of radiographically distinguishable radiopaque indicia is independent of any physical dimension of an individual catheter in the family of catheters.

18. The coding system as defined in claim 14 wherein the size of the self-referencing pattern of radiographically distinguishable radiopaque indicia is independent of a size of an individual catheter in the family of catheters.

27. The coding system as defined in claim 16 wherein the respect in which an individual catheter differs from other catheters in the family comprises a dimensional characteristic of said individual catheter.

19. A system for identifying catheters comprising:

a family of catheters, the individual catheters in the family having substantially the same configuration, and differing from each other in at least one respect; and

a coding system comprising;

a coded self-referencing pattern of radiographically distinguishable radiopaque indicia disposed upon each individual catheter in the family;

the indicia disposed upon each individual catheter in the family being different than the indicia disposed upon other individual catheters in the family;

the indicia being indicative of the at least one differing respect of an individual catheter in the family;

the differing respect of an individual catheter in the family being unique and readily determinable by observing a radiographic image of that catheter.

20. The system as defined in claim 19 wherein the catheters in the family comprise guiding catheters.

21. The system as defined in claim 19 wherein the catheters in the family comprise balloon catheters.

22. The system as defined in claim 19 wherein the at least one respect is a size of a catheter.

23. The system as defined in claim 19 wherein the identity of an individual catheter in the family of catheters may be readily determined by observation of a radiographic image of that catheter without reference to any dimension of the radiographic image.

24. The system as defined in claim 19 wherein the size of the self-referencing pattern of radiographically distinguishable radiopaque indicia is independent of any physical dimension of an individual catheter in the family of catheters.

25. The system as defined in claim 19 wherein the size of the self-referencing pattern of radiographically distinguishable radiopaque indicia is independent of a size of an individual catheter in the family of catheters.

26. A catheter that is one of a family of a plurality of catheters having substantially the same configuration, said individual catheter differing from the other catheters in the family in at least one respect, each of the catheters in the family having a pattern of radiographical distinguishable radiopaque indicia, said catheter comprising:

a pattern of radiographic indicia on said individual catheter being different than the radiographic indicia on the other catheters in the family, said difference in the indicia providing a coded self-referencing radiographically distinguishable pattern by which the identity of the individual catheter can be readily determined by observing a radiographic image of that individual catheter.