Manipulatable delivery catheter for occlusive devices (II)
First Claim
1. A catheter section, comprising:
- a flexible joint region disposed within said catheter section, said catheter section having a distal end and a proximal end and defining an axis therebetween; and
a wire comprising a distal end and a proximal end and a length therebetween, said wire being configured to move said catheter section distal end from an untorqued position to a torqued position about said flexible joint region;
said wire distal end being attached in said catheter section such that a portion of said wire length is angularly and rotatingly disposed about said catheter section axis.
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Accused Products
Abstract
This is in the general field of surgical instruments and is specifically a delivery catheter with a flexible, proximally-manipulated hinge or joint region. The inventive catheter may have a balloon region. The catheter may have a shaft of varying flexibility which contains several lumen. The inner, or delivery, lumen generally may be used with a guidewire to access target sites within the body via the flexible, small diameter vessels of the body. The delivery lumen may be also used for placement of occlusive materials, e.g., in an aneurysm. Inflation of the micro-balloon, located near the distal tip of the catheter, is effected using the inflation lumen. The push/pull wire lumen contains a wire, which when manipulated, flexes the catheter'"'"'s distal tip. The push/pull wire tubing may have a variable thickness to aid in adjusting the degree of flexibility. Moreover, the delivery catheter may be capable of twisting in a helical or corkscrew-like manner for traversing certain vasculature. This may be accomplished by winding the push/pull wire within the catheter and fixedly attaching it. The catheter may further include an entry in the catheter wall to allow for the insertion of a guidewire; this may facilitate the rapid exchange of catheter devices as desired by the user.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A catheter section, comprising:
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a flexible joint region disposed within said catheter section, said catheter section having a distal end and a proximal end and defining an axis therebetween; and
a wire comprising a distal end and a proximal end and a length therebetween, said wire being configured to move said catheter section distal end from an untorqued position to a torqued position about said flexible joint region;
said wire distal end being attached in said catheter section such that a portion of said wire length is angularly and rotatingly disposed about said catheter section axis. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
a balloon region comprising a distal end and a proximal end and defining an axis therebetween; and
an inflatable member disposed in said balloon region.
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3. The catheter section of claim 1, wherein said portion of wire length is partially wound about said catheter section axis.
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4. The catheter section of claim 3, wherein said portion of wire length is wound about 180°
- about said catheter section axis.
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5. The catheter section of claim 1, wherein said catheter section is configured such that imparting a force to said wire rotates said catheter section about said axis into a helical shape.
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6. The catheter section of claim 1, wherein said portion of wire length is angularly disposed in a right-handed orientation about said catheter section axis.
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7. The catheter section of claim 1, wherein said portion of wire length is angularly disposed in a left-handed orientation about said catheter section axis.
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8. The catheter section of claim 1, wherein said wire moves said catheter section distal end about said flexible joint region up to about 90°
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9. The catheter section of claim 1, wherein said flexible joint region comprises a coil member.
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10. The catheter section of claim 2 wherein the inflatable member comprises a material selected from the group consisting of elastomers and thermoplastic polymers.
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11. The catheter section of claim 10 wherein said elastomer is selected from the group consisting of silicone rubber, latex rubber, natural rubber, butadiene-based co-polymers, EPDM, polyvinyl chloride, and complex co-polymers.
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12. The catheter section of claim 11, where the elastomer comprises styreneethylene butylene-styrene co-polymers.
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13. The catheter section of claim 10 wherein thermoplastic polymer is selected from polyethylene, polypropylene, and Nylon.
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14. The catheter section of claim 1, wherein said catheter section is configured such that imparting a force to said wire moves said catheter section at least rotatingly about said axis.
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15. The catheter section of claim 1, wherein said wire is untensioned when said catheter section distal end is in said untorqued position.
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16. The catheter section of claim 1, wherein said wire is tensioned when said catheter section distal end is in said torqued position.
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17. A catheter section, comprising:
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a flexible joint region disposed within said catheter section, said catheter section having a distal end and a proximal end and defining an axis therebetween; and
a wire comprising a distal end and a proximal end and a length therebetween, said wire being configured to move said catheter section distal end about said flexible joint region, said wire distal end being attached in said catheter section such that a portion of said wire length is angularly and rotatingly disposed about said catheter section axis;
said catheter section defining an entry through which a guidewire is inserted. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
a balloon region comprising a distal end and a proximal end and defining an axis therebetween; and
an inflatable member disposed in said balloon region.
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19. The catheter section of claim 17, wherein said entry is proximal of said flexible joint region.
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20. The catheter section of claim 17, wherein said portion of wire length is partially wound about said catheter section axis.
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21. The catheter section of claim 20, wherein said portion of wire length is wound about 180°
- about said catheter section axis.
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22. A catheter section, comprising:
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a flexible joint region disposed within said catheter section, said catheter section having a distal end and a proximal end and defining an axis therebetween; and
a wire comprising a distal end and a proximal end and a length therebetween, said wire being configured to move said catheter section distal end from an untorqued position to a torqued about said flexible joint region;
said wire being further configured to move said catheter section distal end about said catheter section axis. - View Dependent Claims (23)
a balloon region comprising a distal end and a proximal end and defining an axis therebetween; and
an inflatable member disposed in said balloon region.
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Specification