Stiffening support catheter and methods for using the same
First Claim
1. A support catheter comprising:
- a catheter body having selectively variable stiffness, the catheter body having a proximal end, a distal end, and an interior wall surface defining a first lumen extending from the proximal end toward the distal end;
a second lumen disposed between the interior wall surface and an outer surface of the catheter body; and
a plurality of stiffening members disposed between the first lumen and the second lumen, the catheter body having a first flexible state in which the plurality of stiffening members are in a first unengaged, non-intermeshed, non-stiffening state and the catheter body having a second stiffened state in which the plurality of stiffening members are in a second engaged, stiffening state wherein the plurality of stiffening members in the second engaged, stiffening state intermesh with one another to selectively stiffen the catheter body.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A support catheter that can puncture a heart septum with a guidewire without buckling and that can access difficult to reach arteries such as carotid or renal arteries from the aorta under difficult circumstances is provided. The support catheter comprises a catheter body having a proximal end, a distal end, and an interior wall surface defining a first lumen extending from the proximal end toward the distal end. A second lumen is disposed between the interior wall surface and an outer surface of the catheter body. A plurality of stiffening members is disposed around the second lumen, the plurality of stiffening members being engageable to selectively stiffen the catheter body. In another configuration, the catheter further comprises a second plurality of stiffening members disposed between the first lumen and the second lumen.
-
Citations
26 Claims
-
1. A support catheter comprising:
-
a catheter body having selectively variable stiffness, the catheter body having a proximal end, a distal end, and an interior wall surface defining a first lumen extending from the proximal end toward the distal end; a second lumen disposed between the interior wall surface and an outer surface of the catheter body; and a plurality of stiffening members disposed between the first lumen and the second lumen, the catheter body having a first flexible state in which the plurality of stiffening members are in a first unengaged, non-intermeshed, non-stiffening state and the catheter body having a second stiffened state in which the plurality of stiffening members are in a second engaged, stiffening state wherein the plurality of stiffening members in the second engaged, stiffening state intermesh with one another to selectively stiffen the catheter body. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
7. A support catheter comprising:
-
a catheter body having selectively variable stiffness, the catheter body having a proximal end, a distal end, and an interior wall surface defining a first lumen extending from the proximal end toward the distal end; a second lumen disposed between the interior wall surface and an outer surface of the catheter body; a first plurality of stiffening members disposed between the first lumen and the second lumen, the first plurality of stiffening members having a first unengaged, non-intermeshed, non-stiffening state and a second engaged, stiffening state wherein the first plurality of stiffening members in the second state intermesh with one another to selectively stiffen the catheter body; a second plurality of stiffening members disposed around the second lumen, the second plurality of stiffening members having a first unengaged, non-intermeshed, non-stiffening state and a second engaged, stiffening state wherein the second plurality of stiffening members in the second engaged, stiffening state intermesh with one another to selectively stiffen the catheter body, wherein the catheter body has a first flexible state when the first and second pluralities of stiffening members are in the first unengaged, non-intermeshed, non-stiffening state and the catheter body has a second stiffened state when at least one of the first or second pluralities of stiffening members are in the second engaged, stiffening state, and wherein at least one of the first plurality of stiffening members or the second plurality of stiffening members is adapted to transition to a third unengaged, non-intermeshed, non-stiffening state where the catheter body has a third flexible state after formation of the second engaged, stiffening state. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 16, 17)
-
-
18. A support catheter comprising:
-
a catheter body having selectively variable stiffness, the catheter body having a proximal end, a distal end, and an interior wall surface defining a first lumen extending from the proximal end toward the distal end; a second lumen disposed between the interior wall surface and an outer surface of the catheter body; and a plurality of stiffening members disposed between the first lumen and the second lumen, the catheter body having a first flexible state in which the plurality of stiffening members are in a first unengaged, non-stiffening state wherein the plurality of stiffening members are substantially non-intermeshed with one another and the catheter body having a second stiffened state in which the plurality of stiffening members are in a second engaged, stiffening state wherein the plurality of stiffening members in the second engaged, stiffening state intermesh with one another to selectively stiffen the catheter body. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
-
Specification