Catheter with a vascular support

Claim 1

A process for making a device with a radially self-expanding permeable mesh vascular support, the process comprising: (a) providing a tubular outer catheter having a proximal end and a distal end defining a first lumen with a distal opening; (b) providing an inner catheter having a proximal portion and a distal portion defining a second, guidewire receiving lumen; (c) providing a vascular support means formed from a radially self-expanding permeable mesh of braided fibers and having a proximal portion and a distal portion; (d) providing a tapered tip with a proximal portion; (e) placing the proximal portion of the vascular support means on the distal portion of the inner catheter; (f) placing a first heat shrink tube over the proximal portion of the vascular support means; (g) placing the distal portion of the vascular support means on the proximal portion of the tip; (h) placing a second heat shrink tube over the distal portion of the vascular support means; (i) heating the first and second heat shrink tubes to simultaneously compress and affix the proximal portion of the vascular support means to the distal portion of the inner catheter and to simultaneously compress and affix the distal portion of the vascular support means to the proximal portion of the tip, such that the vascular support means forms a proximal mesh cone at the proximal portion of the vascular support means and a distal mesh cone at the distal portion of the vascular support means; and (j) disposing the tubular outer catheter about the inner catheter such that the inner catheter is coaxially disposed in the first lumen of the tubular outer catheter and axially movable with respect to the tubular outer catheter, and the tip is adapted to close and seal the distal opening of the outer catheter when the distal opening of the outer catheter is adjacent the proximal portion of the tip.

Claim 3

A method for making a medical device comprising: (a) providing a tubular outer catheter having a proximal end and a distal end defining a first lumen with a distal opening; (b) providing an inner catheter having a proximal portion and a distal portion defining a second, guidewire receiving lumen; (c) providing a vascular support means formed from a radially self-expanding permeable mesh of braided fibers and having a proximal portion and a distal portion; (d) providing a tapered tip with a proximal portion; (e) attaching the vascular support means to the inner catheter distal portion and tip proximal portion, thereby forming a medical device with a vascular support adapted to self-expand and support vasculature and having a proximal mesh cone at the proximal end of the vascular support means and a distal mesh cone at the distal end of the vascular support means; and (f) disposing the tubular outer catheter about the inner catheter such that the inner catheter is coaxially disposed in the first lumen of the tubular outer catheter and axially movable with respect to the tubular outer catheter, and the tip is adapted to close and seal the distal opening of the outer catheter when the distal opening of the outer catheter is adjacent the proximal portion of the tip.

Claim 4

A method for making a medical device comprising: (a) providing a tubular outer catheter having a proximal end and a distal end defining a first lumen with a distal opening; (b) providing an inner catheter having a proximal portion and a distal portion defining a second, guidewire receiving lumen; (c) providing a vascular support means formed from a radially self-expanding permeable mesh of braided fibers and having a proximal portion and a distal portion; (d) providing a tapered tip with a proximal portion; (e) attaching the vascular support means to the inner catheter distal portion and tip proximal portion, thereby forming a medical device with a vascular support adapted to self-expand and support vasculature and having a proximal mesh cone at the proximal end of the vascular support means and a distal mesh cone at the distal end of the vascular support means; and (f) disposing the tubular outer catheter about the inner catheter such that the inner catheter is coaxially disposed in the first lumen of the tubular outer catheter and axially movable with respect to the tubular outer catheter, and the tip is adapted to close and seal the distal opening of the outer catheter when the distal opening of the outer catheter is adjacent the proximal portion of the tip.