Balloon catheter with radioopaque marker

• US 7,322,959 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2003
• Issued: 01/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Abbott Laboratories Limited (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Abbott Laboratories Limited (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Ha, Suk-Woo, Warnack, Boris
• Primary Examiner(s): Thanh; LoAn H.
• Application Number:
  US10/523,897
• Publication Number:
  US 20060129045A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,643 Days
• Field of Search: 604/96.01, 604/103.09, 604/103.1, 606/192, 606/194, 623/1.11
• US Class Current: 604/103.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/958 Inflatable balloons for placing stents or stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0098 radio-opaque, e.g. radio-opaque markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/1079 having radio-opaque markers in the region of the balloon
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0108 using radio-opaque or ultrasound markers

Abstract

In order to enhance the flexibility and trackability of a catheter (1) that is particularly adapted for use in delivering a stent (5), the catheter (1) comprises a marker arrangement (7, 8) that includes at least one marker (10, 11) made from a wire of a highly radiopaque and ductile material. Said wire is preferably wrapped around a second inner tube (2) of the catheter (1).

Claims

1. A catheter for delivering a stent, comprising:

an outer tube having a proximal end, a distal end and a wall defining a lumen;

a balloon sealingly connected to the outer tube adjacent the distal end, the balloon defining an interior volume and having an exterior surface;

an inner tube disposed within the outer tube and defining a lumen for a guidewire; and

a marker arrangement comprising at least one marker made from a wire of a highly radiopaque and ductile material wrapped around the inner tube in a plurality of at least partially overlapping layers to form a coil-like marker that is flexible along a longitudinal axis of the inner tube.

2. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the wire is at least partially embedded in the material of the inner tube.

3. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the wire is covered by a thin tube-like cover.

4. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the wire has a circular cross-section.

5. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the wire has a flat, rectangular cross-section.

6. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the wire is made out of a material selected from the group of platinum, tantalum, gold and alloys of these materials.

7. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the marker arrangement is disposed on the inner tube within the balloon.

8. The catheter of claim 1, wherein at least one marker is disposed at the catheter tip.

9. A catheter for delivering a stent, comprising:

an outer tube having a proximal end, a distal end and a wall defining a lumen;

an inner tube disposed within the outer tube and defining a lumen for a guidewire;

a balloon sealingly connected to the inner tube and the outer tube near the distal ends thereof, the balloon defining an interior volume and having an exterior surface; and

a marker made from a wire of a highly radiopaque and ductile material, wherein the wire is wrapped in a plurality of at least partially overlapping layers such that the marker is flexible along a length of the catheter.

10. The catheter of claim 9, wherein the wire is wrapped around the inner tube to form a coil-like marker tube.

11. The catheter of claim 9, wherein the wire is at least partially embedded in the material of the inner tube.

12. The catheter of claim 9, wherein the wire is covered by a thin tube-like cover.

13. The catheter of claim 9, wherein the wire has a circular cross-section.

14. The catheter of claim 9, wherein the wire has a flat, rectangular cross-section.

15. The catheter of claim 9, wherein the wire is made out of a material selected from the group of platinum, tantalum, gold and alloys of these materials.

16. The catheter of claim 9, wherein the marker arrangement is disposed on the inner tube within the balloon.

17. The catheter of claim 9, wherein the at least one marker is disposed at the catheter tip.