Catheter with spiral cut transition member

• US 7,115,183 B2
• Filed: 11/01/2002
• Issued: 10/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Scimed Life Systems Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Kornkven, Angela J., Larson, Christopher R.
• Primary Examiner(s): FISCHER, JUSTIN R
• Application Number:
  US10/285,948
• Publication Number:
  US 20030055401A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,432 Days
• Field of Search: 156/293, 604/264, 604/523, 604/524, 604/525, 604/533
• US Class Current: 156/293
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0063 having means, e.g. stylets, mandrils, rods or wires to reinforce or adjust temporarily the stiffness, column strength or pushability of catheters which are already inserted into the human body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0081 Soft tip
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0098 having a strain relief at the proximal end, e.g. sleeve
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0054 with regions for increasing flexibility
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/1006 Balloons formed between concentric tubes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/104 used for angioplasty

Abstract

A spiral cut transition member is disclosed for controlling the transition in stiffness of a catheter from a stiffer more pushable proximal section to a more flexible and trackable distal section and increasing kink resistance. The transition member has a spiral cut provided therein to vary the flexibility of the transition member over its length. The pitch of the spiral cut can be varied to facilitate a gradual transition in flexibility along the catheter. The transition member may be used in conjunction with any type of catheter including single-operator-exchange type catheters, over-the wire type catheters, and/or fixed-wire type catheters.

Claims

1. A method of producing a catheter, the method comprising:

providing an elongate shaft having a proximal end and a distal end, the elongate shaft having a transition in flexibility, the transition in flexibility occurring in a transition region;

providing a spiral cut transition member having a distal end and a proximal end;

attaching the proximal end of the transition member proximal of the transition region such that the transition member overlies at least a portion of the transition region;

wherein only the proximal end of the transition member is attached to the elongate shaft.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing the elongate shaft includes attaching a first elongate member having a first stiffness to a second elongate member having a second stiffness less than the first stiffness, the first elongate member being proximal of the second elongate member once attached thereto.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the transition region includes a location wherein the first elongate member is attached to the second elongate member.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the transition region includes an area wherein the first elongate member tapers from a first location to a second location, wherein the second elongate member is attached at the second location.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the transition region includes an area wherein the second elongate member tapers from a first location to a second location, wherein the first elongate member is attached at the first location.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the transition region includes a step-wise transition in stiffness.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the transition region includes a gradual transition in stiffness.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the transition member is shaped and sized such that the transition member has a region that is generally radially spaced from the elongate shaft when the shall is in a substantially straight configuration, and at least in part engaged with the shaft when the catheter is in a bent configuration.