Guiding catheter with tungsten loaded band

• US 6,210,396 B1
• Filed: 06/24/1999
• Issued: 04/03/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: MacDonald, Stuart R., Anastos, Zelda M., Noone, Michael S., Dunfee, Albert H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kennedy, Sharon
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sirmons, Kevin C.
• Application Number:
  US09/339,499
• Time in Patent Office: 649 Days
• Field of Search: 604/529, 604/532, 604/523, 604/524, 604/526, 604/527, 604/20, 604/100.01, 604/103, 604/103.1, 604/264, 606/194
• US Class Current: 604/529
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 29/18 Materials at least partially X-ray or laser opaque
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 31/18 Materials at least partially X-ray or laser opaque
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0009 Making of catheters or other medical or surgical tubes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0108 using radio-opaque or ultrasound markers

Abstract

The present invention comprises a tubular catheter shaft defining at least one catheter shaft lumen and a radiopaque band made of a polymeric material loaded with a radiopaque material of greater than 40% by weight, suitable for visualization under fluoroscopy in catheters in the range of 3 French to 5 French. The distal soft tip is formed of a relatively flexible polymeric material, loaded with radiopaque material which is less radiopaque than the radiopaque band. The radiopaque band'"'"'s proximal end adjoins the distal end of the catheter shaft. The radiopaque band'"'"'s distal end adjoins the proximal end of the distal tip to form an attachment junction. A tubular sleeve fits coaxially over the radiopaque band, the distal end of the catheter shaft and the proximal end of the distal soft tip. The tubular sleeve adheres the catheter shaft distal end to the proximal end of the radiopaque band and adheres the soft tip proximal end to the distal end of the radiopaque band thereby aligning the soft tip lumen, the radiopaque band lumen, and the catheter shaft lumen. The proximal end of the tubular sleeve is bonded to a distal portion of the catheter shaft. The distal end of the tubular sheath is bonded to the proximal end of the soft distal tip. The radiopaque band is bonded to the tubular sheath thereby bridging the attachment junction. The tubular sleeve is made of a polymeric material loaded with a radiopaque material which is less radiopaque than the radiopaque band. The tubular sleeve is melt compatible with the radiopaque band, the catheter shaft distal end and the distal soft tip such that the tubular sleeve, the distal end of the catheter shaft, the radiopaque band and the proximal end of the distal soft tip bond.

Claims

1. A catheter body comprising:

a proximal, tubular catheter shaft, the catheter shaft formed of a relatively stiff polymeric material extending between a catheter shaft proximal end and a catheter shaft distal end, the catheter shaft having a catheter shaft outer diameter and defining at least one catheter shaft lumen extending between the catheter shaft proximal and distal ends;

a radiopaque band made of polymeric material loaded with a radiopaque material of greater than 40% by weight, the radiopaque band having an inner diameter, an outer diameter, a distal end, a proximal end, and defining at least one lumen, the radiopaque band;

a distal soft tip formed of a relatively flexible polymeric material, loaded with radiopaque material which is less radiopaque than the radiopaque band, the distal soft tip extending between a soft tip proximal end and a soft tip distal end, the distal soft tip having a soft tip outer diameter and at least one soft tip lumen extending between the soft tip proximal end and the soft tip distal end, the radiopaque band proximal end adjoining the catheter shaft distal end and the radiopaque band distal end adjoining the distal soft tip proximal end to form attachment junctions; and

a tubular sleeve defining a tubular sleeve lumen, the tubular sleeve fitting coaxially over the radiopaque band, the catheter shaft distal end and the distal soft tip proximal end, the tubular sleeve adhering the catheter shaft distal end to the proximal end of the radiopaque band and the tubular sleeve adhering to the soft tip proximal end to the distal end of the radiopaque band thereby aligning the soft tip lumen, the radiopaque band lumen, and the catheter shaft lumen, the proximal end of the tubular sleeve being bonded to a distal portion of the catheter shaft, the distal end of the tubular sleeve being bonded to the proximal end of the soft distal tip, the radiopaque band being bonded to the tubular sleeve thereby bridging the attachment junctions,

wherein the tubular sleeve is melt compatible with the radiopaque band, the catheter shaft distal end and the distal soft tip such that the tubular sleeve, the catheter shaft distal end, the radiopaque band and the distal soft tip proximal end bond.

2. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the radiopaque band is made of a polyether-polyamide block copolymer in the range of 40D to 70D.

3. The catheter of claim 2, wherein the radiopaque band radiopaque material is tungsten.

4. The catheter of claim 3, wherein the tungsten loading is 80% by weight.

5. The catheter of claim 4, wherein the catheter shaft is at least partially comprised of a polyether-polyamide block copolymer thermoplastic material having a hardness of between Shore 30D and 81D.

6. The catheter of claim 5, wherein the distal soft tip is comprised of a polyether-polyamide block copolymer having a Shore durometer of about 40D-55D.

7. The catheter of claim 6, wherein the sleeve is comprised of a polyether-polyamide block copolymer having a Shore durometer of about 40D-70D.

8. The catheter of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the shaft is made of an outer tubular sheath and an inner tubular sheath, the outer tubular sheath having a proximal end and a distal end, the outer tubular sheath defining an outer tubular sheath lumen, the outer tubular sheath lumen having the inner tubular sheath running longitudinally therethrough, the inner tubular sheath having a proximal end and a distal end, the inner tubular sheath defining an inner tubular sheath lumen.

9. The catheter of claim 8 wherein the inner tubular sheath is comprised of a lubricious polymer.

10. The catheter of claim 8 wherein the distal end of the outer tubular sheath abuts a proximal end of an intermediate section of lower hardness.

11. The catheter of claim 8 wherein the distal end of the inner tubular sheath abuts the proximal end of the distal soft tip.

12. The catheter of claim 8 having a braided tube having a proximal end and a distal end, the braided tube defining a braided tube lumen, the inner tubular sheath running longitudinally through the braided tube lumen, the braided tube running longitudinally through the outer tubular sheath, the distal end of the braided tube abutting the proximal end of the distal soft tip.

13. The catheter of claim 12 wherein the braided tube is made of flat wire filaments.

14. The catheter of claim 1 having a size ranging from 3 French to 5 French.

15. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the soft tip outer diameter and the catheter shaft outer diameter are substantially the same as the catheter shaft outer diameter.

16. The catheter of claim 1, wherein said tubular sleeve aligns the distal soft tip outer diameter, the radiopaque band outer diameter, and the catheter shaft outer diameter.

17. The catheter of claim 1, wherein said tubular sleeve is made of a polymeric material loaded with a radiopaque material which is less radiopaque than the radiopaque band.

18. The catheter of claim 17, wherein the tubular sleeve is made of a polyether-polyamide block copolymer in the range of Shore 40D to 70D.

19. The catheter of claim 1, wherein said distal soft tip is loaded with radiopaque material which is less radiopaque than the radiopaque band.

20. A catheter body comprising:

a proximal, tubular catheter shaft, the catheter shaft extending between a catheter shaft proximal end and a catheter shaft distal end;

a radiopaque band made of polymeric material loaded with a radiopaque material, the radiopaque band having a distal end, a proximal end, and defining at least one lumen;

a distal soft tip loaded with radiopaque material which is less radiopaque than the radiopaque band, the distal soft tip extending between a soft tip proximal end and a soft tip distal end, the radiopaque band proximal end adjoining the catheter shaft distal end and the radiopaque band distal end adjoining the soft tip proximal end to form attachment junctions; and

a tubular sleeve fitting coaxially over the catheter shaft distal end and the radiopaque band proximal end, wherein the tubular sleeve bonds with the catheter shaft distal end and the radiopaque band proximal end, bridging the attachment junction therebetween, wherein the tubular sleeve is melt compatible with the catheter shaft and the radiopaque band.

21. A catheter body comprising:

a proximal, tubular catheter shaft, the catheter shaft extending between a catheter shaft proximal end and a catheter shaft distal end;

a radiopaque band made of polymeric material loaded with a radiopaque material, the radiopaque band, a distal end, a proximal end, and defining at least one lumen;

a distal soft tip loaded with radiopaque material which is less radiopaque than the radiopaque band, the soft tip extending between a soft tip proximal end and a soft tip distal end, the radiopaque band proximal end adjoining the catheter shaft distal end and the radiopaque band distal end adjoining the soft tip proximal end to form attachment junctions; and

a tubular sleeve fitting coaxially over the radiopaque band distal end and the soft tip proximal end, wherein the tubular sleeve bonds with the radiopaque band distal end and the soft tip proximal end, bridging the attachment junction therebetween, wherein the tubular sleeve is melt compatible with the radiopaque band and the soft tip.