Catheter
First Claim
1. A catheter for insertion into a cavity, duct, or vessel having an opening to permit injection or withdrawal of fluids or to establish patency of a passageway, comprisingan elongated tubular catheter body having a distal end, a proximal end, and an outer diameter, a drainage lumen extending through the catheter body from the distal end to the proximal end, the drainage lumen communicating with an opening in the catheter body at the distal end of the catheter body, inflatable tube means disposed on the catheter body at the distal end of the catheter body for securing the opening in the catheter body at the distal end of the catheter body substantially at the opening of the cavity, duct, or vessel when the inflatable tube means is inflated wherein the inflatable tube means comprises a plurality of hollow inflatable tube sections extending in parallel from the distal end of the catheter body axially along a central axis of the catheter body when the hollow inflatable tube sections are not inflated and bowing outwardly away from each other and away from the central axis to form a substantially hollow sphere having a passageway between each adjacent tube section for fluid to and from the opening in the catheter body at the distal end of the catheter body when the inflatable tube means is inflated, an inflation lumen formed in the catheter body and in communication with the inflatable tube means, and an inflation port formed in the catheter body in communication with the inflation lumen, the inflatable tube means being substantially cylindrical when not inflated and having a diameter substantially matching the outer diameter of the catheter body.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A catheter for insertion into a cavity, duct, or vessel to permit injection or withdrawal of fluids or to establish patency of a passageway comprises an elongated tubular catheter body having a distal end and a proximal end and an outer diameter, a drainage lumen extending through the catheter body from the distal end to the proximal end, the drainage lumen communicating with an opening in the catheter body at the distal end of the catheter body, an inflation lumen formed in the catheter body, and one or more of the following: a) inflatable tube sections disposed on the catheter body at the distal end of the catheter body for securing the distal end of the catheter body in a desired location when the tube sections are inflated, b) a valve connected to the inflation lumen for permitting backflow of the inflation fluid from the inflation lumen through the valve when a pre-set pressure value is reached, and c) a hollow reservoir for holding a pre-determined volume of inflation fluid.
197 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A catheter for insertion into a cavity, duct, or vessel having an opening to permit injection or withdrawal of fluids or to establish patency of a passageway, comprising
an elongated tubular catheter body having a distal end, a proximal end, and an outer diameter, a drainage lumen extending through the catheter body from the distal end to the proximal end, the drainage lumen communicating with an opening in the catheter body at the distal end of the catheter body, inflatable tube means disposed on the catheter body at the distal end of the catheter body for securing the opening in the catheter body at the distal end of the catheter body substantially at the opening of the cavity, duct, or vessel when the inflatable tube means is inflated wherein the inflatable tube means comprises a plurality of hollow inflatable tube sections extending in parallel from the distal end of the catheter body axially along a central axis of the catheter body when the hollow inflatable tube sections are not inflated and bowing outwardly away from each other and away from the central axis to form a substantially hollow sphere having a passageway between each adjacent tube section for fluid to and from the opening in the catheter body at the distal end of the catheter body when the inflatable tube means is inflated, an inflation lumen formed in the catheter body and in communication with the inflatable tube means, and an inflation port formed in the catheter body in communication with the inflation lumen, the inflatable tube means being substantially cylindrical when not inflated and having a diameter substantially matching the outer diameter of the catheter body.
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6. A catheter for insertion into a cavity, duct, or vessel having an opening to permit injection or withdrawal of fluids or to establish patency of a passageway, comprising
an elongated tubular catheter body having a distal end and a proximal end, a drainage lumen extending through the catheter body from the distal end to the proximal end, the drainage lumen communicating with an opening in the catheter body at the distal end of the catheter body, inflatable retaining means disposed on the catheter body at the distal end of the catheter body for retaining the opening in the catheter body at the distal end of the catheter body substantially at the opening of the cavity, duct, or vessel when the inflatable retaining means is inflated wherein the inflatable retaining means comprises a plurality of hollow inflatable tube sections extending in parallel from the distal end of the catheter body axially along a central axis of the catheter body when the hollow inflatable tube sections are not inflated and bowing outwardly away from each other and away from the central axis to form a substantially hollow sphere having a passageway between each adjacent tube section for fluid to and from the opening in the catheter body at the distal end of the catheter body when the inflatable tube means is inflated, an inflation lumen formed in the catheter body and in communication with the inflatable retaining means, an inflation port formed in the catheter body in communication with the inflation lumen, valve means positioned at the inflation port for permitting insertion of inflation fluid into the inflation lumen and to the inflatable retaining means and for preventing backflow of inflation fluid from the inflation lumen during normal operation of the catheter, the valve means including means for permitting backflow of the inflation fluid from the inflation lumen through the valve means if a pre-set pressure value is reached, the pressure valve being such that the backflow of the inflation fluid from the inflation lumen through the valve means occurs when it is attempted to remove the catheter from its secured position when the inflatable retaining means is inflated, or when the inflatable retaining means is positioned in a location that is too small to receive the distal end of the catheter when the inflatable retaining means is inflated.
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11. A catheter for insertion into a cavity, duct, or vessel having an opening to permit injection or withdrawal of fluids or to establish patency of a passageway, comprising
an elongated tubular catheter body having a distal end and a proximal end, a drainage lumen extending through the catheter body from the distal end to the proximal end, the drainage lumen communicating with an opening in the catheter body at the distal end of the catheter body, inflatable retaining means disposed on the catheter body at the distal end of the catheter body for retaining the opening in the catheter body at the distal end of the catheter body substantially at the opening of the cavity, duct, or vessel when the inflatable retaining means is inflated wherein the inflatable retaining means comprises a plurality of hollow inflatable tube sections extending in parallel from the distal end of the catheter body axially along a central axis of the catheter body when the hollow inflatable tube sections are not inflated and bowing outwardly away from each other and away from the central axis to form a substantially hollow sphere having a passageway between each adjacent tube section for fluid to and from the opening in the catheter body at the distal end of the catheter body when the inflatable tube means is inflated, an inflation lumen formed in the catheter body and in communication with the inflatable retaining means, an inflation port formed in the catheter body in communication with the inflation lumen, and, a hollow reservoir for holding a pre-determined volume of inflation fluid, the reservoir being disposed at the inflation port and separated from the inflation lumen by a valve.
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15. A urinary catheter for insertion through a person'"'"'s urethra, past the entrance of the person'"'"'s urethra and into the person'"'"'s bladder for draining urine from the bladder and/or injecting irrigation fluid into the bladder, comprising
an elongated tubular catheter body having a distal end, a proximal end, and an outer diameter, a drainage lumen extending through the catheter body from the distal end to the proximal end for draining urine from a person'"'"'s bladder, the drainage lumen communicating with an opening in the catheter body at the distal end of the catheter body, inflatable tube means disposed on the catheter body at the distal end of the catheter body for securing the opening in the catheter body at the distal end of the catheter body substantially at the entrance of the person'"'"'s bladder by presenting an interference with a portion of the person'"'"'s bladder at the person'"'"'s urethra when the inflatable tube means is inflated for resisting removal of the distal end of the catheter body from the bladder wherein the inflatable tube means comprises a plurality of hollow inflatable tube sections extending in parallel from the distal end of the catheter body axially along a central axis of the catheter body when the hollow inflatable tube sections are not inflated and bowing outwardly away from each other and away from the central axis to form a substantially hollow sphere having a passageway between each adjacent tube section for fluid to and from the opening in the catheter body at the distal end of the catheter body when the inflatable tube means is inflated, an inflation lumen formed in the catheter body and in communication with the inflatable tube means, and an inflation port formed in the catheter body in communication with the inflation lumen, the inflatable tube means being substantially cylindrical when not inflated and having a diameter substantially matching the outer diameter of the catheter body.
Specification