Puncturable catheter
First Claim
1. A catheter assembly comprising a flexible catheter shaft having a length and an outer surface, and having at least one longitudinally oriented slot extending along at least a portion of the length of said catheter shaft, wherein said slot is provided with an outer cover consisting essentially of a helically wrapped porous polytetrafluoroethylene tape whereby said covered slot provides a lumen extending along the portion of the length of the catheter shaft, said cover adhered to the outer surface of the catheter shaft adjacent to the slot, said cover being puncturable at multiple points along the length by the back end of a guidewire, said cover being resistant to tearing by the guidewire at a puncture site following having been punctured by the guidewire.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A catheter provided with a guidewire catheter lumen having a thin covering that is easily punctured by a guidewire at virtually any desired point along the catheter length. The thin covering may be integral with the catheter shaft, or may be a separate component that covers only the portion of the catheter shaft immediately adjacent the outer portion of the guidewire lumen, or may be a thin tubular construct that surrounds the entire catheter shaft. The covering is preferably relatively translucent, allowing for good visualization of the location of the end of the guidewire to enable puncturing of the covering at the desired location along the length of the catheter shaft. The covering is also preferably tear resistant at puncture sites. The catheter shaft is preferably made of a material having a color that provides good visibility against an operating field, and more preferably is phosphorescent either entirely or in part. Materials suitable for the catheter shaft are polymeric materials well known in the art; the catheter shaft may optionally be provided with metallic stiffening components such as wires or hypotubes along all or part of the catheter length.
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Citations
8 Claims
- 1. A catheter assembly comprising a flexible catheter shaft having a length and an outer surface, and having at least one longitudinally oriented slot extending along at least a portion of the length of said catheter shaft, wherein said slot is provided with an outer cover consisting essentially of a helically wrapped porous polytetrafluoroethylene tape whereby said covered slot provides a lumen extending along the portion of the length of the catheter shaft, said cover adhered to the outer surface of the catheter shaft adjacent to the slot, said cover being puncturable at multiple points along the length by the back end of a guidewire, said cover being resistant to tearing by the guidewire at a puncture site following having been punctured by the guidewire.
Specification