Catheter having improved curve retention
First Claim
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1. A catheter shaft comprising:
- an outer tubular member including a polymeric material, the outer tubular member having a proximal end, a distal end, a length and a lumen extending therethrough, wherein the outer tubular member includes a pre-formed bend along a portion of the length of the outer tubular member, wherein the polymeric material forming at least a portion of the pre-formed bend includes a sufficient quantity of a nucleating agent dispersed therein to provide an altered crystalline microstructure within at least a portion of the pre-formed bend; and
an inner tubular member disposed within the lumen of the outer tubular member, the inner tubular member including a polymeric material having a substantially unaltered crystalline microstructure over its length.
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Abstract
The present invention provides a polymeric treatment for curved regions in shaft assemblies that increases curve retention without affecting the flexibility within these regions. More specifically, the present invention modifies the underlying crystalline morphology of a polymer in order to decrease crystal fracturing. In particular, the present invention treats polymeric materials suitable for catheter construction with a nucleating agent.
71 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A catheter shaft comprising:
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an outer tubular member including a polymeric material, the outer tubular member having a proximal end, a distal end, a length and a lumen extending therethrough, wherein the outer tubular member includes a pre-formed bend along a portion of the length of the outer tubular member, wherein the polymeric material forming at least a portion of the pre-formed bend includes a sufficient quantity of a nucleating agent dispersed therein to provide an altered crystalline microstructure within at least a portion of the pre-formed bend; and an inner tubular member disposed within the lumen of the outer tubular member, the inner tubular member including a polymeric material having a substantially unaltered crystalline microstructure over its length. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A catheter shaft comprising:
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an outer tubular member having a proximal end, a distal end, a length and a lumen extending therethrough, wherein the outer tubular member includes a polymeric material having a crystalline microstructure, the polymeric material having a sufficient quantity of a nucleating agent dispersed therein to modify the crystalline microstrucrure during a nucleation process; and an inner tubular member disposed within the lumen of the outer tubular member and extending at least a portion of the length of the outer tubular member, wherein the inner tubular member includes a polymeric material having a crystalline microstructure which fails to support a crystalline morphology that may be modified using a nucleating agent; wherein the outer tubular member includes a pre-formed bend along a portion of the length of the outer tubular member, the sufficient quantity of the nucleating agent dispersed at least at the pre-formed bend. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A catheter shaft comprising:
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an outer tubular member having a proximal end, a distal end and a lumen extending therethrough, wherein at least a portion of the outer tubular member includes a polymeric material having a crystalline microstructure, wherein the polymeric material includes a sufficient quantity of a nucleating agent to alter the crystalline microstructure of the polymeric material; and an inner tubular member disposed within the lumen of the outer tubular member, the inner tubular member including a polymeric material having a crystalline microstructure having a rapid crystallization growth rate; wherein the outer tubular member includes a pre-formed bend along a portion of the outer tubular member, the sufficient quantity of the nucleating agent dispersed at least at the pre-formed bend. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A catheter shaft including a pre-formed curve portion, the catheter shaft comprising:
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an outer tubular member having a proximal end, a distal end, and a lumen extending therethrough, the outer tubular member at least extending throughout the pine-formed curve portion of the catheter shaft; and an inner tubular member coaxially positioned within the lumen of the outer tubular member and defining an annular inflation lumen therebetween; wherein at least a portion of the outer tubular member extending throughout the pre-formed curve portion of the catheter shaft comprises a polymeric material including a sufficient quantity of a nucleating agent dispersed therein to increase the nucleus density of the polymeric material in order to improve the curve retention of the pre-formed curve portion of the catheter shaft.
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22. A catheter comprising:
an elongate shaft having a proximal end and a distal end, the elongate shaft including a first pre-formed bend section intermediate the proximal end and the distal end, and a second pre-formed bend section intermediate the proximal end and the distal end, the first pre-formed bend section of the elongate shaft comprising; (a) an outer tubular member comprising a polymeric material including a sufficient quantity of a nucleating agent dispersed therein to increase the nucleus density of the polymeric material in order to improve the curve retention of the first pre-formed bend section of the elongate shaft; and (b) an inner tubular member positioned within the outer tubular member. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24)
Specification