Catheter and guidewire exchange system

Claim 2

A catheter system according to claim 1 characterised in that the slit (28) terminates at the distal tip (17) of the catheter.

Claim 3

A catheter system according to claim 1 characterized in that the slit (28) has a distal terminal end proximal of the distal end of the catheter thereby defining an unslit distal segment (34) of the catheter.

Claim 4

A catheter system according to claim 3 characterized in that an encircling member (20) is mounted to the catheter on the distal segment.

Claim 5

A catheter system according to claim 4 characterised in that an encircling member is mounted to the catheter on the distal segment and in that the encircling member comprises a balloon (20), the catheter having a second lumen (22) extending through the shaft for inflation and deflation of the balloon (20).

Claim 6

A catheter system according to any preceding claim characterized in that a guidewire (14) extends through the slit (28) into and through the slit lumen, and out the distal end of the catheter.

Claim 7

A catheter system according to claim 5 characterised in that the proximal fitting (24) is connected to the proximal end of the catheter and communicates with the second lumen (22).

Claim 8

A catheter system according to claim 6 characterised by means (12) for guiding the guidewire (14) transversely into and out of the lumen through the slit (28).

Claim 9

A catheter system according to claim 8 characterised in that the guide means comprises a guide member (12) having separate means for receiving the guidewire (14) and the catheter (10) and means for merging the guidewire and the catheter by guiding the guidewire transversely through the slit (28) in the catheter and into the guidewire lumen and for separating the guidewire and catheter by guiding the guidewire out of the lumen transversely through said slit (28).

Claim 10

A catheter system according to claim 9 charactersied in that the guidewire (14) is disposed within the lumen distally of the guide means (12) and extends transversely out of the lumen and catheter proximally of the guide means (12).

Claim 11

A catheter system according to claim 9 characterised in that the guide means is constructed and arranged to effect said merging and separating in response to relative movement of the guide member (12) to at least one of the guidewire (14) or the catheter (10).

Claim 12

A catheter system according to claim 11 characterised in that the guide member (12) comprises a body having a guidewire passageway (48) extending therethrough and a catheter passageway (46) which intersects the guidewire passageway, said catheter passageway and guidewire passageway merging into a common passageway (44).

Claim 13

A catheter system according to claim 12 characterised by spreading means (54) adjacent the intersection of said passageways for spreading the slit of the catheter shaft.

Claim 14

A catheter system according to claim 13 characterised in that the spreading means comprises a spreader member (54) mounted within the body of the guide member (12) at said intersection and being adapted to project through the slit (28) in the catheter into the lumen to spread the edges of the slit.

Claim 15

A catheter system according to claim 14 characterised in that the spreader (54) is located at the distal end of the catheter passageway (46).

Claim 16

A catheter system according to claim 6 characterised in that a guide member (12) is mounted on the catheter and has means for receiving a guidewire (14) and means (12) for merging the guidewire and the catheter by guiding the guidewire transversely through the slit (28) in the catheter and into the guidewire lumen and for separating the guidewire and catheter by guiding the guidewire transversely out of the lumen through said slit.

Claim 17

A catheter system according to claim 16 characterised in that the guidewire (14) is disposed within the lumen distally of the guide means and extends transversely out of the lumen and catheter proximally of the guide means.

Claim 18

A catheter system according to claim 16 characterised in that the guide means is constructed and arranged to effect such merging and separating in response to relative movement of the guide member to at least one of the guidewire or catheter.

Claim 19

A catheter system comprising an elongate flexible catheter shaft (10) having proximal and distal ends and a lumen (22) extending longitudinally therethrough; a connector fitting (24) mounted to the proximal end of the catheter shaft characterised in that the catheter is adapted for accommodating only a guidewire (14), in that the system is adapted to enable catheter exchanges without using exchange wires or guidewire exchanges, in that the catheter shaft further includes a guidewire lumen (26) extending longitudinally therethrough and a single, linear longitudinally extending slit (28) formed in the catheter shaft (10) and extending from a location in proximity to said fitting (24) along the catheter shaft (10) and in communication with the guidewire lumen (26) to enable transverse access to the guidewire lumen (26) through the catheter shaft (10), the slit extending along the major portion of the length of the catheter shaft and in that the system further comprises a guide member (12) mounted on the catheter shaft (10) and having a means for receiving a guidewire (14) and means for merging the guidewire and the catheter by guiding the guidewire transversely through the slit (28) in the catheter shaft and into the guidewire lumen and for separating the guidewire and catheter by guiding the guidewire transversely out of the guidewire lumen (26) through said slit; said guide member (12) being constructed and arranged to effect such merging and separating in response to relative movement of the guide member to at least one of the guidewire (14) or catheter (10), said guide member comprising a body having a guidewire passageway (48) extending longitudinally therethrough and a catheter passageway (46) which intersects the guidewire passageway (48), the catheter passageway and guidewire passageway merging into a common passageway (44).

Claim 20

A catheter system according to claim 19 characterised by means (54) adjacent the intersection of said passageways for spreading the slit (28) of the catheter shaft.

Claim 21

A catheter system according to claim 20 characterised in that the spreading means comprises a spreader member (54) mounted within the body (12) of the guide member at said intersection and being adapted to project through the slit (28) in the catheter into the lumen to spread the edges of the slit.

Claim 22

A catheter system according to claim 21 characterised in that the spreader (54) is located at the distal end of the catheter passageway (46).

Claim 23

A catheter system according to claim 13 or claim 22 characterised by a tubular member (48) mounted in the guide member adjacent the intersection of the passageways and having a distal end (50) extending toward the common passageway (44), the tubular member (48) being smaller in diameter than the common passageway (44) to enable the guidewire lumen of the catheter to wrap about the tubular member, the tubular member being adapted to receive and guide the guidewire (14) into the the guidewire lumen of the catheter.