Abstract A low-friction catheter guide for facilitating the insertion of catheters into the vascular system of human beings or animals, especially where insertion through relatively long lengths of blood vessels is involved. Friction is minimized by forming a catheter guide over which the lumen of the enclosing catheter passes and contact between the two is reduced to a series of point contacts. The guide is formed in such a fashion that a series of radial extensions or protuberances constitute the contact areas. A preferred method of forming the guide is by winding a wire upon a non-circular mandrel and permitting the coil to unwind slightly after it is removed from the mandrel. The unwinding or springback results in adjacent convolutions of the coil being rotated slightly with respect to each other.
A low-friction catheter guide comprising a length of wire formed into a coil of non-circular cross-section the successive convolutions of which are axially disoriented from its adjacent convolution.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
28 words
A low-friction catheter guide comprising a length of wire formed into a coil of non-circular cross-section the successive convolutions of which are axially disoriented from its adjacent convolution.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
39 words
A low-friction catheter guide as defined in claim 1 wherein said coil is formed of a plurality of turns, each of said turns being of similar non-circular configuration, and being progressively axially rotationally displaced relative to its adjacent turns.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
A low-friction catheter guide as defined in claim 1 wherein said coil comprises turns of wire of generally oval cross-section.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
A low-friction catheter guide as defined in claim 3 wherein adjacent ones of said turns of oval cross-section are rotationally displaced relative to each other.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
42 words
In combination with a catheter having a lumen, a catheter guide over which said catheter may be passed, said guide being formed with a successive series of longitudinally spaced radially offset protuberances, said lumen being in contact only with saId spaced protuberances.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
42 words
In combination with a catheter having a lumen, a catheter guide over which said catheter may be passed, said guide being formed with a successive series of longitudinally spaced radially offset protuberances, said lumen being in contact only with saId spaced protuberances.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
In a combination as defined in claim 5, a catheter guide comprising a length of wire formed into a coil of non-circular cross-section, said protuberances comprising the radial extremities of said coil.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
31 words
In a combination as defined in claim 6, a catheter guide in which each turn of said coil has a generally oval cross-section, adjacent turns being rotationally displaced from one another.