Eversible catheter

Claim 2

An instrument for everting a flexible tube into a body passage comprising: a. a hollow casing having at least one opening extending through the wall thereof; b. a connector removably secured to said casing in fluid-tight communication with said opening, said connector having a bore extending therethrough in fluid communication with the interior of said casing; c. a flexible tube positioned substantially entirely within said casing and having one end sealed to the periphery of said bore and having means sealing the other end of said tube; d. pressure means for increasing the pressure in the interior of said casing, said increased pressure being effective to cause Said tube to evert through said bore to form a doublewalled tube; and e. a fitting near the said other end of said tube adapted to coact with said connector after said tube has been substantially completely everted from said casing to form a doublewalled tube so that said connector and said everted double-walled tube may be removed from said casing without substantially decreasing the pressure within said everted tube.

Claim 3

The instrument of claim 1 wherein the end of the connector opposite the casing is in fluid-tight communication with a tip, said tip having an axial bore therethrough and being adapted to enter a body passage.

Claim 4

The instrument of claim 2 wherein the tip at the end opposite the end in fluid-tight communication with the connector has flexible extensions which expand radially outward to permit passage of the everting flexible tube.

Claim 5

The instrument of claim 1 wherein the flexible tube has one end in which the wall thickness is less than the other end.

Claim 6

The instrument of claim 1 wherein the flexible tube has an eversible, thin-walled balloon portion positioned intermediate the thinner and thicker portions.

Claim 7

The instrument of claim 1 wherein one end portion of the flexible tube has a wall thickness of from about 0.001 inch to about 0.024 inch and the other end portion has a wall thickness of from about 0.010 inch to about 0.035 inch.

Claim 8

The instrument of claim 5 wherein one end portion of the flexible tubing has a wall thickness of from about 0.001 inch to about 0.024 inch, the balloon portion has a wall thickness of from about 0.00075 inch to about 0.024 inch and the other end portion has a wall thickness of from about 0.010 inch to about 0.035 inch.

Claim 9

An instrument for everting a flexible tube into a body passage comprising: a. a hollow casing having at least one opening extending through the wall thereof; b. a connector removably secured to said casing in fluid-tight communication with said opening, said connector having a bore extending therethrough in fluid communication with the interior of said casing; c. a flexible tube positioned substantially entirely within said casing and having one end sealed to the periphery of said bore and having means sealing the other end of said tube; d. pressure means for increasing the pressure in the interior of said casing to cause said tube to evert through said bore, said pressure means comprising an elongated, rigid shaft extending through a second opening in said casing and having a distal and proximal end and further having first and second sealing means attached thereto, said first sealing means being permanently positioned on the distal end of said shaft, said second sealing means being positioned proximally of said first sealing means and slidably attached to said shaft, said sealing means each having attached thereto sealing rings which frictionally engage the interior surface of said hollow casing to prevent fluid within said casing from escaping through said second opening, the distal end of said shaft having an outer diameter smaller than the diameter of said second opening; and e. a fitting near the said other end of said tube adapted to coact with said connector after said tube has been substantially completely everted from said casing to form a double-walled tube so that said connector and said tube may be removed from said casing without substantially decreasing the pressure within said everted tube.

Claim 10

An instrument for everting a flexible tube into a body passage comprising: a. a hollow casing having at least one opening extending through the wall thereof; b. a connector removably secured to said casing in fluid-tight communication with said opening, said connector having a bore extending therethrough in fluid communication with the interior of said casing; c. a flexible tube positioned substantially entirely within said casing and having one end sealed to the periphery of said bore and having means sealing the other end of said tube; d. pressure means for increasing the pressure in the interior of said casing to cause said tube to evert through said bore, said pressure means comprising an elongated, rigid shaft extending through a second opening in said casing and having a distal and proximal end and further having first and second sealing means attached thereto, said first sealing means being permanently positioned on the distal end of said shaft, said second sealing means being positioned proximally of said first sealing means and slidably attached to said shaft, said sealing means each having attached thereto sealing rings which frictionally engage the interior surface of said hollow casing to prevent fluid within said casing from escaping through said second opening, the distal end of said shaft having an outer diameter smaller than the diameter of said second opening; and e. a fitting near the said other end of said tube adapted to coact with said connector after said tube has been substantially completely everted from said casing to form a double-walled tube so that said connector and said tube may be removed from said casing without substantially decreasing the pressure within said everted tube.

Claim 11

A retention catheter comprising outer and inner elongated tubes having proximal and distal ends and having an annular space therebetween; a retention balloon connecting the proximal ends of said tubes and sealing the proximal end of said annular space, said balloon having a toroidal shape with a central opening therethrough; an inflation fluid filling said annular space and said balloon; a connector secured to the distal end of said outer tube and having female seating means therein; a fittIng secured near the distal end of said inner tube and having male seating means in contact with said female seating means and maintaining said male and female means together so as to seal the distal end of said annular space, said fitting having an aperture therethrough and removable means closing said aperture; and a lumen in said inner tube extending entirely through said catheter and communicating said aperture with the central opening in said balloon.

Claim 12

A retention catheter comprising outer and inner elongated tubes having proximal and distal ends and having an annular space therebetween; a retention balloon connecting the proximal ends of said tubes and sealing the proximal end of said annular space, said balloon having a toroidal shape with a central opening therethrough; an inflation fluid filling said annular space and said balloon; a connector secured to the distal end of said outer tube and having female seating means therein; a fittIng secured near the distal end of said inner tube and having male seating means in contact with said female seating means and maintaining said male and female means together so as to seal the distal end of said annular space, said fitting having an aperture therethrough and removable means closing said aperture; and a lumen in said inner tube extending entirely through said catheter and communicating said aperture with the central opening in said balloon.