Echogenic needle catheter configured to produce an improved ultrasound image
First Claim
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1. An echogenic catheter, comprisinga) an elongated shaft having a proximal shaft section, a distal shaft section, and a lumen extending therein from a proximal to a distal end of the shaft;
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Abstract
An echogenic catheter, such as a needle catheter, formed at least in part of an intrinsically conductive organic polymer for providing a highly conductive surface in combination with an improved ability to ultrasonically image the catheter, and a method of performing a medical procedure using a catheter of the invention.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An echogenic catheter, comprising
a) an elongated shaft having a proximal shaft section, a distal shaft section, and a lumen extending therein from a proximal to a distal end of the shaft; - and
b) a polymeric distal tip at the distal end of the elongated shaft, which is formed at least in part of an intrinsically conductive organic polymer having an outer surface with a circumference angle substantially greater than 180 degrees, and which has a distal portion of the shaft lumen extending therein in communication with a proximal portion of the shaft lumen and with a port at a distal end of the distal tip, and which is electrically connected to a conductor extending at least through the distal shaft section such that the distal tip is an electrode, wherein the intrinsically conductive organic polymer is not doped with additional materials to aid electrical conductivity, wherein the conductor comprises a wire electrically connecting the distal tip to a distal end of the shaft to conduct a signal from the distal tip to a signal receiving device for generating an electrocardiogram, wherein the polymeric distal tip is a solid material molded around and in continual contact along a cylindrical outer surface of a metal support of the distal shaft section, and in continual contact along outer surfaces of an end flair of the metal support. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An echogenic needle catheter, comprising:
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a) an elongated shaft having a proximal shaft section, a distal shaft section, a lumen extending therein from a proximal to a distal end of the shaft, and a polymeric distal tip at the distal end of the elongated shaft, wherein the polymeric distal tip is formed at least in part of an intrinsically conductive organic polymer having an outer surface with a circumference angle substantially greater than 180 degrees, has a curved outer surface, an inner surface with a distal portion of the shaft lumen therein in communication with a proximal portion of the shaft lumen and with a port at a distal end of the distal tip, and is electrically connected to a conductor extending at least through the distal shaft section such that the distal tip is an electrode, wherein the intrinsically conductive organic polymer is not doped with additional materials to aid electrical conductivity, wherein the conductor comprises a wire electrically connecting the distal tip to a distal end of the shaft to conduct a signal from the distal tip to a signal receiving device for generating an electrocardiogram, wherein the polymeric distal tip is a solid material molded around and in continual contact along a cylindrical outer surface of a metal support of the distal shaft section, and in continual contact along outer surfaces of an end flair of the metal support; and b) a needle slidably disposed in the shaft lumen, which extends from the distal tip port in an extended configuration. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of performing a medical procedure within a patient, comprising:
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a) advancing within the patient'"'"'s vasculature an echogenic catheter, comprising i) an elongated shaft having a proximal end, a distal end, and a lumen; ii) a polymeric distal tip at the distal end of the elongated shaft, formed at least in part of an intrinsically conductive organic polymer having an outer surface with a circumference angle substantially greater than 180 degrees, which has an outer surface, an inner surface with a distal portion of the shaft lumen extending therein in communication with a proximal portion of the shaft lumen and with a port at a distal end of the distal tip, and which is electrically connected to a conductor extending at least through the distal shaft section such that the distal tip is an electrode, wherein the intrinsically conductive organic polymer is not doped with additional materials to aid electrical conductivity, wherein the polymeric distal tip is a solid material molded around and in continual contact along a cylindrical outer surface of a metal support of the distal shaft section, and in continual contact along outer surfaces of an end flair of the metal support; b) imaging the distal tip within the patient by directing sonic energy at the catheter from an ultrasonic imaging system, to produce an ultrasonic image of the distal tip with eliminated or reduced tip pyramid artifact compared to a distal tip having a metallic tip electrode, and positioning the distal tip at a desired location within the patient; and c) positioning the intrinsically conductive organic polymer of the distal tip of the catheter into abutting contact with a wall surface of a heart chamber of the patient, such that the distal tip conducts an electrical signal from the heart wall to a signal receiving device electrically connected to the catheter conductor, to thereby generate an electrocardiogram. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification