Bifurcated catheter assembly

• US 6,475,208 B2
• Filed: 01/22/2001
• Issued: 11/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Advanced Cardiovascular Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Advanced Cardiovascular Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Mauch, Kevin M.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, ANH TUAN TUONG
• Application Number:
  US09/767,649
• Publication Number:
  US 20010012927A1
• Time in Patent Office: 652 Days
• Field of Search: 604/508-510, 604/96.01, 604/101.01, 604/101.02, 604/101.03, 604/103, 604/103.05, 604/284, 623/1.11, 623/1.35, 128/898, 606/108, 606/194, 606/192, 606/198
• US Class Current: 604/510
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/954 for placing stents or stent-grafts in a bifurcation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/958 Inflatable balloons for placing stents or stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/065 Y-shaped blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/9665 with additional retaining means

Abstract

A bifurcated catheter assembly is provided for treating bifurcated vessels. The bifurcated catheter assembly comprises an elongate main catheter shaft having a stiffer proximal portion, a more flexible distal portion, and a pair of branch catheters attached to the distal portion. An expandable member is located on each of the branch catheters. The balloons are held together to provide a low profile as the device is advanced over the tracking guide wire. Upon reaching the bifurcated vessel, the balloons separated and are advanced over separate guide wires into separate branches of the bifurcated vessel. The bifurcated catheter assembly can be used to dilate a stenoses or deliver and implant a Y-shaped stent in the bifurcation.

Claims

1. A method for delivering a bifurcated catheter assembly in a patient for treating a bifurcated vessel having a main vessel and a side-branch vessel, the method comprising:

a. providing a bifurcated catheter assembly having

i. an elongated main catheter body having a proximal end and a distal end;

ii. a first catheter branch having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end being connected to the distal end of the main catheter body, the first catheter branch having a first expandable member and having a rapid exchange guide wire lumen extending through the first catheter branch;

iii. a second catheter branch having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end being connected to the distal end of the main catheter body, the second catheter branch having a second expandable member and having an over-the-wire guide wire lumen extending through the second catheter branch and the main catheter body;

iv. a first expandable member associated with the first catheter branch;

v. a second expandable member associated with the second catheter branch, wherein a stent is mounted on the first and second expandable members;

vi. a coupler mounted on the first catheter branch for releasably coupling the first catheter branch to the second catheter branch;

b. providing a first rapid exchange (Rx) guide wire and a second over-the-wire (OTW) guide wire;

c. inserting the first Rx guide wire into the Rx guide wire lumen of the first catheter branch and inserting the distal end of the first Rx guide wire into the coupler;

d. inserting the second OTW guide wire into the OTW guide wire lumen of the second catheter branch;

e. advancing the catheter over the first Rx guide wire and simultaneously carrying the second OTW guide wire in the OTW lumen of the second catheter branch;

f. advancing the first Rx guide wire into the main vessel and advancing the catheter over the first Rx guide wire thereby positioning the catheter distal end distal of the bifurcation;

g. withdrawing the first Rx guide wire proximally so that the distal end of the first Rx guide wire withdraws from the coupler thereby uncoupling the first expandable member from the second expandable member;

h. advancing the distal end of the second OTW guide wire distally of the catheter distal end and into the side branch vessel;

i. withdrawing the catheter proximally so that the catheter distal end is proximal of the vessel bifurcation;

j. advancing the catheter over the first Rx and the second OTW guide wires so that at least a portion of the stent is positioned in the first and the second vessels;

k. inflating the first and the second expandable members and simultaneously expanding and implanting the stent in the vessels forming the bifurcation;

l. deflating the first and the second expandable members;

m. withdrawing the catheter from the patient.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and the second expandable members are simultaneously inflated.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first branch catheter has a slit so that the first Rx guide wire can be pulled through the slit when the catheter is withdrawn from the patient.