US6021340A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Guiding catheter for the coronary sinus
Assignee: Medtronic Inc
•
Filing: 1998-07-07
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Granted: 2000-02-01
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Expires: 2018-07-07
Abstract
Abstract A guiding catheter for delivery of intravascular devices to a patient's coronary sinus. The guiding catheter has a relatively stiff proximal section and a relatively flexible distal section, the latter being about 1 to about 6 inches in length and being configured to subselect a branch cardiac vein leading to the coronary sinus. The distal shaft section preferably has a proximal portion which has a flexibility greater than that of the proximal shaft section, and a distal portion which has a flexibility greater than that of the proximal portion of the distal shaft section, and at least one of the distal portion and the proximal portion being shaped with a bend to facilitate entry within the patient's coronary sinus. An inflatable balloon may be disposed on the distal shaft section. The guiding catheter is particularly suitable for delivering an intravascular device for sensing electrical activity into a cardiac vein to detect such activity from within the blood vessel.
Inventors
- 👤 Yvonne Randolph
- 👤 Duane Dickens
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 05:32
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61M; A61M29/00; A61M29/02; A61M25/00; A61M25/0043; A61M25/0054; A61B; A61B18/00; A61B18/04; A61B18/12; A61B18/14; A61B18/1492; A61M25/0067; A61M25/008; A61M2025/0081; A61M25/10; A61M2025/1043; A61M2025/1052; A61M2210/00; A61M2210/12; A61M2210/125; A61M25/0021; A61M25/0041; A61M25/01; A61M25/0105; A61M25/0133; A61M25/0141; A61M25/0152; A61M25/06; A61M25/0662; A61N; A61N1/00; A61N1/02; A61N1/04; A61N1/05; A61N1/056; A61N1/057
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 36
Claim 1
Independent Claim
195 words
A guiding catheter for directing an intravascular device within a patient's coronary sinus, comprising: a) an elongated shaft having a proximal end, a distal end, a port in a distal tip of the shaft, and an inner lumen extending to and in fluid communication with the port in the distal tip which is configured to slidably receive the intravascular device; b) a relatively stiff proximal shaft section of the elongated shaft; c) a relatively flexible distal shaft section of the elongated shaft having a length of about 2.5 to about 15 centimeters and having a proximal portion having a flexibility greater than that of the proximal shaft section, and a nontraumatic distal portion having a flexibility greater than that of the proximal portion, at least a section of the lumen in the distal portion being axially aligned with the port in the distal tip of the shaft, and at least one of the portions of the distal section being shaped with a bend to facilitate entry within the patient's coronary sinus; and d) an adapter on the proximal end of the elongated shaft to provide access to the inner lumen extending within the elongated shaft.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
195 words
A guiding catheter for directing an intravascular device within a patient's coronary sinus, comprising: a) an elongated shaft having a proximal end, a distal end, a port in a distal tip of the shaft, and an inner lumen extending to and in fluid communication with the port in the distal tip which is configured to slidably receive the intravascular device; b) a relatively stiff proximal shaft section of the elongated shaft; c) a relatively flexible distal shaft section of the elongated shaft having a length of about 2.5 to about 15 centimeters and having a proximal portion having a flexibility greater than that of the proximal shaft section, and a nontraumatic distal portion having a flexibility greater than that of the proximal portion, at least a section of the lumen in the distal portion being axially aligned with the port in the distal tip of the shaft, and at least one of the portions of the distal section being shaped with a bend to facilitate entry within the patient's coronary sinus; and d) an adapter on the proximal end of the elongated shaft to provide access to the inner lumen extending within the elongated shaft.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
The guiding catheter of claim 1 wherein an expandable occluding member is provided on the distal section of the catheter shaft.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
The guiding catheter of claim 2 wherein the expandable occluding member is an inflatable balloon.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
46 words
The guiding catheter of claim 3 wherein the elongated catheter shaft has an inflation lumen extending therein from the proximal end to a location spaced proximally from the distal end and wherein the balloon has an interior which is in fluid communication with the inflation lumen.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
The guiding catheter of claim 1 wherein the distal section of the elongated shaft has a length of about 5 to about 13 centimeters.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
The guiding catheter of claim 1 wherein the proximal shaft section is formed of a polymer material having a hardness of about 60 to about 85 D (Shore).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
The guiding catheter of claim 1 wherein the distal shaft section is formed of a polymer material having a hardness of about 80 A to about 60 D (Shore).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
The guiding catheter of claim 1 including an intermediate section having a flexibility greater than the proximal shaft section and less than the distal shaft section.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
The guiding catheter of claim 8 wherein the intermediate shaft section has a hardness of about 30 to about 60 D (Shore).
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
21 words
The guiding catheter of claim 8 wherein the intermediate shaft section has a length of about 1 to about 8 centimeters.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
16 words
The guiding catheter of claim 8 wherein the intermediate shaft section has an expandable occluding member.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
15 words
The guiding catheter of claim 11 wherein the expandable occluding member is an inflatable balloon.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
30 words
The guiding catheter of claim 12 wherein the elongated shaft has an inflation lumen extending therein and the inflatable balloon has an interior in fluid communication with the inflation lumen.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
33 words
The guiding catheter of claim 1 wherein the distal portion of the distal shaft section is formed of a polymer material having a hardness of about 80 A to about 20 D (Shore).
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
33 words
The guiding catheter of claim 1 wherein the proximal portion of the distal shaft section is formed of a polymer material having a hardness of about 30 D to about 60 D (Shore).
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
24 words
The guiding catheter of claim 1 wherein the distal section of the elongated shaft has a length of about 2 to about 7 centimeters.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
18 words
The guiding catheter of claim 1 wherein the inner lumen is configured to slidably receive a guidewire therein.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
33 words
The guiding catheter of claim 1 wherein the proximal section, proximal portion of the distal section, and distal portion of the distal section are formed of polymeric materials having different Shore Durometer hardnesses.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
25 words
The guiding catheter of claim 1 wherein the port in the distal tip is directed away from a longitudinal axis of the proximal shaft section.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
23 words
The guiding catheter of claim 1 wherein the port in the distal tip has a diameter equal to the diameter of the lumen.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
216 words
An intravascular assembly including a) a guiding catheter for directing an intravascular device within a patient's coronary sinus, comprising: an elongated shaft having a proximal and distal ends, a port in the distal end and an inner lumen extending to and in fluid communication with the port in the distal end, a relatively stiff proximal shaft section of the elongated shaft, a relatively flexible distal shaft section of the elongated shaft having a length of about 2.5 to about 15 centimeters and having a proximal portion having a flexibility greater than that of the proximal shaft section, and a nontraumatic distal portion having a flexibility greater than that of the proximal portion, and at least one of the portions of the distal section being shaped with a bend to facilitate entry within the patient's coronary sinus; and an adapter on the proximal end of the elongated shaft to provide access to the inner lumen extending within the elongated shaft; and b) slidably disposed within the inner lumen of the guiding catheter, an intravascular device for detecting electrical activity of a patient's heart from within a cardiac vein thereof which includes an elongated shaft, a plurality of sensing electrodes on a distal extremity of the intravascular device and individual electrical conductors electrically connected to the sensing electrodes.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
216 words
An intravascular assembly including a) a guiding catheter for directing an intravascular device within a patient's coronary sinus, comprising: an elongated shaft having a proximal and distal ends, a port in the distal end and an inner lumen extending to and in fluid communication with the port in the distal end, a relatively stiff proximal shaft section of the elongated shaft, a relatively flexible distal shaft section of the elongated shaft having a length of about 2.5 to about 15 centimeters and having a proximal portion having a flexibility greater than that of the proximal shaft section, and a nontraumatic distal portion having a flexibility greater than that of the proximal portion, and at least one of the portions of the distal section being shaped with a bend to facilitate entry within the patient's coronary sinus; and an adapter on the proximal end of the elongated shaft to provide access to the inner lumen extending within the elongated shaft; and b) slidably disposed within the inner lumen of the guiding catheter, an intravascular device for detecting electrical activity of a patient's heart from within a cardiac vein thereof which includes an elongated shaft, a plurality of sensing electrodes on a distal extremity of the intravascular device and individual electrical conductors electrically connected to the sensing electrodes.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
60 words
The intravascular assembly of claim 21 wherein the intravascular device has a length greater than a length of the guiding catheter so that the proximal end of the intravascular device extends out the proximal end of the guiding catheter when the distal extremity of the intravascular device having sensing electrodes thereon extends out the distal end of the guiding catheter.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
24 words
The intravascular assembly of claim 21 wherein the distal section of the elongated shaft has a length of about 2 to about 7 centimeters.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
18 words
The intravascular assembly of claim 21 wherein the inner lumen is configured to slidably receive a guidewire therein.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
258 words
A method of detecting electrical activity within a patient's heart, comprising: a) providing a guiding catheter having an elongated shaft having a proximal and distal ends, a port in the distal end and an inner lumen extending to and in fluid communication with the port in the distal end, a relatively stiff proximal shaft section of the elongated shaft, a relatively flexible distal shaft section of the elongated shaft having a length of about 2.5 to about 15 centimeters and having a proximal portion having a flexibility greater than that of the proximal shaft section, and a nontraumatic distal portion having a flexibility greater than that of the proximal portion, and at least one of the portions of the distal section being shaped with a bend to facilitate entry within the patient's coronary sinus; and an adapter on the proximal end of the elongated shaft to provide access to the inner lumen extending within the elongated shaft; b) advancing the guiding catheter through the patient's peripheral venous system into a right atrium of the patient's heart; c) guiding the distal end of the guiding catheter through the coronary sinus ostium into the coronary sinus; d) advancing an intravascular device having sensing electrodes on a distal portion thereof through the inner lumen of the guiding catheter until the distal portion of the intravascular device having sensing electrodes thereon extends out the port in the distal end of the guiding catheter; and e) detecting electrical activity by means of the sensing electrodes on the distal portion of the intravascular device.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
258 words
A method of detecting electrical activity within a patient's heart, comprising: a) providing a guiding catheter having an elongated shaft having a proximal and distal ends, a port in the distal end and an inner lumen extending to and in fluid communication with the port in the distal end, a relatively stiff proximal shaft section of the elongated shaft, a relatively flexible distal shaft section of the elongated shaft having a length of about 2.5 to about 15 centimeters and having a proximal portion having a flexibility greater than that of the proximal shaft section, and a nontraumatic distal portion having a flexibility greater than that of the proximal portion, and at least one of the portions of the distal section being shaped with a bend to facilitate entry within the patient's coronary sinus; and an adapter on the proximal end of the elongated shaft to provide access to the inner lumen extending within the elongated shaft; b) advancing the guiding catheter through the patient's peripheral venous system into a right atrium of the patient's heart; c) guiding the distal end of the guiding catheter through the coronary sinus ostium into the coronary sinus; d) advancing an intravascular device having sensing electrodes on a distal portion thereof through the inner lumen of the guiding catheter until the distal portion of the intravascular device having sensing electrodes thereon extends out the port in the distal end of the guiding catheter; and e) detecting electrical activity by means of the sensing electrodes on the distal portion of the intravascular device.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 25 including ablating heart tissue causing or involved with the sensed electrical activity.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 25 wherein the guiding catheter includes an expandable occluding member on the elongated shaft, and further including inflating the expandable occluding member before the detection of the electrical activity.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 25 wherein the inner lumen of the guiding catheter is configured to slidably receive a guidewire, and wherein the step of advancing the guiding catheter further includes advancing the guiding catheter over the guidewire.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 25 further including the step of guiding the distal end of the guiding catheter into a branch vein which drains into the coronary sinus.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
154 words
A guiding catheter for directing an intravascular device within a patient's coronary sinus, comprising: a) an elongated shaft having proximal and distal ends, a port in the distal end, a first inner lumen extending therein to a location proximal to a distal extremity of the shaft, and a second inner lumen extending to and in fluid communication with the port in the distal end; b) a proximal shaft section of the elongated shaft; c) a distal shaft section of the elongated shaft having a length of about 2.5 to about 15 centimeters and being shaped with a bend to facilitate entry within the patient's coronary sinus; d) an expandable occluding member on the distal shaft section having an interior in fluid communication with the first inner lumen; and e) an adapter on the proximal end of the elongated shaft to provide access to the first and second inner lumens extending within the elongated shaft.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
154 words
A guiding catheter for directing an intravascular device within a patient's coronary sinus, comprising: a) an elongated shaft having proximal and distal ends, a port in the distal end, a first inner lumen extending therein to a location proximal to a distal extremity of the shaft, and a second inner lumen extending to and in fluid communication with the port in the distal end; b) a proximal shaft section of the elongated shaft; c) a distal shaft section of the elongated shaft having a length of about 2.5 to about 15 centimeters and being shaped with a bend to facilitate entry within the patient's coronary sinus; d) an expandable occluding member on the distal shaft section having an interior in fluid communication with the first inner lumen; and e) an adapter on the proximal end of the elongated shaft to provide access to the first and second inner lumens extending within the elongated shaft.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
15 words
The guiding catheter of claim 30 wherein the expandable occluding member is an inflatable balloon.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
23 words
The guiding catheter of claim 30 wherein the length of the distal section shaped with a bend is at least about 2.5 cm.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-01-31 | 2003-08-02 | 2004-02-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-01-31 | 2007-08-02 | 2008-02-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-01-31 | 2011-08-02 | 2012-02-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |