Apparatus for catheterization permitting use of a smaller gage needle

Claim 2

An introducing catheter for use with a plurality of different diameter wire guides, the larger of which is a J-type wire guide, in order to enlarge a tract and facilitate the passage of a larger diameter catheter through said tract, said introducing catheter comprising: a tube having proximal and distal open ends, said tube having an inwardly curved portion between said ends, said tube having a tapered tip at said distal end, said tube also having a lumen, the size of said lumen decreasing towards said distal end, said tube further having a side port which is distally positioned from said curved portion and along the inward side of said curved portion so that when a J-type wire guide is advanced within said tube from said proximal end the guide will automatically emerge through said side port, said lumen having a diameter at said distal end which is substantially smaller than the diameter of said side port.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said inwardly curved portion is located closer to said distal end than to said proximal end.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said side tube is radiopaque and said port is elliptically shaped and has its major axis along the length of said tube, said lumen having a diameter at said distal end which is substantially smaller than the minor axis diameter of said port.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 3 and further comprising: a base portion fixed to said tube at said proximal end for grasping and manipulating said introducing catheter during a catheterization.

Claim 6

A kit used for performing a percutaneous nephrostomy, comprising: a hollow thin wall needle, said needle having a lumen therethrough; a first wire guide, said first wire guide having a diameter sized to permit the first wire guide to be received within the lumen of said needle; an introducing catheter, said introducing catheter including a tube having proximal and distal open ends, said tube having an inwardly curved portion between said ends, said tube having a tapered tip at said distal end, said tube also having a lumen, the size of said lumen decreasing towards said distal end, said tube further having a side port which is distally positioned from said curved portion and along the inward side of said curved portion, said lumen having a diameter at said distal end which is sufficiently large to receive therethrough said first wire guide; a stiffening cannula, said stiffening cannula having proximal and distal open ends and a lumen therethrough, said cannula sized to be received within said introducing catheter, said cannula having an outer diameter which is larger than the lumen of said introducing catheter at the distal end, said cannula sized to receive the first wire guide through said lumen; a second wire guide, said second wire guide having a flexible J-tip, said second wire guide having a diameter which is substantially larger than the diameter of said first wire guide and the lumen of said introducing catheter at the distal end, said second wire guide sized to be received through the proximal end and the side port of said introducing catheter; a drainage catheter, said drainage catheter having a lumen therethrough sized so that said second wire guide may be received through said drainage catheter.

Claim 7

A kit used for performing a percutaneous nephrostomy, comprising: a hollow thin wall needle, said needle having a lumen therethrough; a first wire guide, said first wire guide having a diameter sized to permit the first wire guide to be received within the lumen of said needle; an introducing catheter, said introducing catheter including a tube having proximal and distal open ends, said tube having an inwardly curved portion between said ends, said tube having a tapered tip at said distal end, said tube also having a lumen, the size of said lumen decreasing towards said distal end, said tube further having a side port which is distally positioned from said curved portion and along the inward side of said curved portion, said lumen having a diameter at said distal end which is sufficiently large to receive therethrough said first wire guide; a stiffening cannula, said stiffening cannula having proximal and distal open ends and a lumen therethrough, said cannula sized to be received within said introducing catheter, said cannula having an outer diameter which is larger than the lumen of said introducing catheter at the distal end, said cannula sized to receive the first wire guide through said lumen; a second wire guide, said second wire guide having a flexible J-tip, said second wire guide having a diameter which is substantially larger than the diameter of said first wire guide and the lumen of said introducing catheter at the distal end, said second wire guide sized to be received through the proximal end and the side port of said introducing catheter; a drainage catheter, said drainage catheter having a lumen therethrough sized so that said second wire guide may be received through said drainage catheter.

Claim 8

The kit of claim 5, wherein said needle is a 21 gauge needle, said first wire guide has a diameter of 0.46 mm, said second wire guide has a diameter of 0.97 mm, and said stiffening cannula is 21 gauge having an inner diameter of 0.46 mm.

Claim 9

7 . An introducing catheter combination comprising: a) a tube formed of resilient material and having an inwardly curved portion between proximal and distal open ends, said tube having a tapered tip at said distal end, said tube also having a lumen the size of which decreases towards said distal end, said tube further having a side port which is distally located relative to said curved portion and along the inward side of said curved portion, said lumen having a diameter at said distal end which is substantially smaller than said side port; b) a stiffening cannula received within said tube and extending into said inwardly curved portion to straighten said curved portion and stiffen said tube, said cannula being removable from said tube to permit said tube to resume its inwardly curved shape.

Claim 10

7 . An introducing catheter combination comprising: a) a tube formed of resilient material and having an inwardly curved portion between proximal and distal open ends, said tube having a tapered tip at said distal end, said tube also having a lumen the size of which decreases towards said distal end, said tube further having a side port which is distally located relative to said curved portion and along the inward side of said curved portion, said lumen having a diameter at said distal end which is substantially smaller than said side port; b) a stiffening cannula received within said tube and extending into said inwardly curved portion to straighten said curved portion and stiffen said tube, said cannula being removable from said tube to permit said tube to resume its inwardly curved shape.

Claim 11

The introducing catheter combination of claim 7 and further comprising: c) a wire guide received within said tube and cannula and having an external size approximately the same size as said distal end.