Guidewire-centering catheter tip

• US 7,547,304 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2002
• Issued: 06/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: W. L. Gore & Associates (W.L. Gore & Associates)
• Original Assignee: Gore Enterprise Holdings Incorporated (W.L. Gore and Associates)
• Inventors: Johnson, Eric G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sirmons; Kevin C
• Assistant Examiner(s): WITCZAK, CATHERINE
• Application Number:
  US10/324,714
• Publication Number:
  US 20040122415A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,371 Days
• Field of Search: 604/164.01, 60416412-16504, 604/523, 604/528, 604/510, 604/524, 604/525, 600/3, 600/585, 600/434, 606/200
• US Class Current: 604/528
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/006 having a special surface topography or special surface properties, e.g. roughened or knurled surface
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0023 by the form of the lumen, e.g. cross-section, variable diameter
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0043 characterised by structural features
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0068 Static characteristics of the catheter tip, e.g. shape, atraumatic tip, curved tip or tip structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0074 Dynamic characteristics of the catheter tip, e.g. openable, closable, expandable or deformable
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/008 Strength or flexibility characteristics of the catheter tip
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/09 Guide wires

Abstract

A catheter for use with a guidewire, the catheter having a distal tip that centers the guidewire even when the catheter is severely bent, thereby avoiding protrusion of the distal tip of the catheter at the outer meridian of the catheter bend and reducing the risk of the catheter tip catching on the luminal surface of the adjacent vasculature. The distal tip of the catheter incorporates at least one guidewire bearing, preferably multiple bearings in the form of longitudinally oriented ribs, which provide the centering characteristic with minimal friction between the inner surface of the catheter distal tip and the outer surface of the guidewire. Preferably, at least four guidewire bearings are provided.

Claims

1. A catheter assembly comprising a catheter tube having a lumen, a longitudinal axis, a length, a luminal surface, a tip portion located at a very distal tip of the catheter assembly, said tip portion having a distal end that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the catheter tube, and a device at least partially contained within and movable through the lumen of the entire length of the catheter tube, said catheter tube having centering means projecting from the luminal surface of only the tip portion wherein a distal-most portion of said centering means is coplanar with the distal end of the catheter tube, said centering means arranged such that when the device is moved through the lumen of the catheter tube the device remains substantially centered relative to the tip portion at the very distal tip of the catheter assembly as it emerges from the tip portion of the catheter tube when the tip portion of the catheter tube is in a bent state, the centering means having an inside diameter slightly smaller than the outside diameter of the device, and wherein said centering means and said tip portion are integrally formed of one material.

2. A catheter assembly according to claim 1 wherein the centering means comprise at least four bearing surfaces projecting from the luminal surface of the tip portion of the catheter tube.

3. A catheter assembly according to claim 1 wherein the centering means comprise multiple longitudinally-oriented ribs projecting from the luminal surface of the tip portion of the catheter tube.

4. A catheter assembly according to claim 1 wherein the centering means comprise multiple helically-oriented ribs projecting from the luminal surface of the tip portion of the catheter tube.

5. A catheter assembly according to claim 1 wherein the centering means comprise multiple substantially hemispherical shapes projecting from the luminal surface of the tip portion of the catheter tube.

6. A catheter assembly according to claim 1 wherein the centering means extends back into the catheter tube from the very distal tip for a length of 6 mm or less.

7. A catheter assembly according to claim 1 wherein the device comprises a guidewire.

8. A catheter assembly according to claim 1 wherein the device comprises an embolic filter.

9. A catheter assembly comprising a catheter tube having a lumen, a longitudinal axis, a length, a luminal surface, a tip portion located at a very distal tip of the catheter assembly, said tip portion having a distal end that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the catheter tube, and a device at least partially contained within and movable through the lumen of the entire length of the catheter tube, said catheter tube having centering means projecting from the luminal surface of only the tip portion, wherein a distal-most portion of said centering means is coplanar with the distal end of the catheter tube, said centering means arranged such that when the device is moved through the lumen of the catheter tube the device remains substantially centered relative to the tip portion at the very distal tip of the catheter assembly as it emerges from the tip portion of the catheter tube when the tip portion of the catheter tube is in a bent state, and wherein said centering means and said tip portion are integrally formed of one material.

10. A catheter assembly according to claim 9 wherein the centering means comprise at least four bearing surfaces projecting from the luminal surface of the tip portion of the catheter tube.

11. A catheter assembly according to claim 9 wherein the centering means comprise multiple longitudinally-oriented ribs projecting from the luminal surface of the tip portion of the catheter tube.

12. A catheter assembly according to claim 9 wherein the centering means comprise multiple helically-oriented ribs projecting from the luminal surface of the tip portion of the catheter tube.

13. A catheter assembly according to claim 9 wherein the centering means comprise multiple substantially hemispherical shapes projecting from the luminal surface of the tip portion of the catheter tube.

14. A catheter assembly according to claim 9 wherein the centering means extends back into the catheter tube from the very distal tip for a length of 6 mm or less.

15. A catheter assembly according to claim 9 wherein the device comprises a guidewire.

16. A catheter assembly according to claim 9 wherein the device comprises an embolic filter.

17. A catheter assembly according to claim 9 wherein said centering means extends back into the catheter tube from the very distal tip for a length of 3 mm or less.

18. A catheter tube comprising a tube for insertion into a body of a patient, having a longitudinal axis, a proximal end, a distal end that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the catheter tube, a lumen extending between the proximal and distal ends, and a device at least partially contained within and movable through the lumen of the entire length of the catheter tube a luminal surface, and a distal tip portion located adjacent to the distal end of the catheter tube, said catheter tube having centering means projecting from the luminal surface of only the distal tip portion wherein a distal-most portion of said centering means is coplanar with the distal end of the catheter tube, and wherein said centering means and said tip portion are integrally formed of one material.

19. A catheter tube according to claim 18 wherein the centering means comprise at least four bearing surfaces projecting from the luminal surface of the tip portion of the catheter tube.

20. A catheter tube according to claim 18 wherein the centering means comprise multiple longitudinally-oriented ribs projecting from the luminal surface of the tip portion of the catheter tube.

21. A catheter tube according to claim 18 wherein the centering means comprise multiple helically-oriented ribs projecting from the luminal surface of the tip portion of the catheter tube.

22. A catheter tube according to claim 18 wherein the centering means comprise multiple substantially hemispherical shapes projecting from the luminal surface of the tip portion of the catheter tube.

23. A catheter tube according to claim 18 wherein the centering means extends back into the catheter tube from the very distal tip for a length of 6 mm or less.

24. A catheter tube according to claim 18 wherein said centering means extends back into the catheter tube from the very distal tip for a length of 3 mm or less.

25. A catheter tube according to claim 18 wherein the device comprises a guidewire.

26. A catheter tube according to claim 18 wherein the device comprises an embolic filter.