US6482221B1
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Manipulatable delivery catheter for occlusive devices (II)
Assignee: VASCULAR FX LLC
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Filing: 2000-10-31
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Granted: 2002-11-19
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Expires: 2020-10-31
Abstract
Abstract This is in the general field of surgical instruments and is specifically a delivery catheter with a flexible, proximally-manipulated hinge or joint region. The inventive catheter may have a balloon region. The catheter may have a shaft of varying flexibility which contains several lumen. The inner, or delivery, lumen generally may be used with a guidewire to access target sites within the body via the flexible, small diameter vessels of the body. The delivery lumen may be also used for placement of occlusive materials, e.g., in an aneurysm. Inflation of the micro-balloon, located near the distal tip of the catheter, is effected using the inflation lumen. The push/pull wire lumen contains a wire, which when manipulated, flexes the catheter's distal tip. The push/pull wire tubing may have a variable thickness to aid in adjusting the degree of flexibility. Moreover, the delivery catheter may be capable of twisting in a helical or corkscrew-like manner for traversing certain vasculature. This may be accomplished by winding the push/pull wire within the catheter and fixedly attaching it. The catheter may further include an entry in the catheter wall to allow for the insertion of a guidewire; this may facilitate the rapid exchange of catheter devices as desired by the user.
Inventors
- 👤 Stephen Hebert
- 👤 Marc-Alan Levine
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 05:11
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61M; A61M25/00; A61M25/01; A61M25/0105; A61M25/0133; A61M25/0147; A61B; A61B17/00; A61B17/12; A61B17/12022; A61B17/12027; A61B17/1204; A61B17/12099; A61B17/12109; A61B17/12113; A61B17/12131; A61B17/12136; A61B17/1214; A61M25/0144; A61M25/10; A61M25/1006; A61B2017/1205; A61M25/0021; A61M25/0023; A61M25/0026; A61M2025/0034; A61M2025/0037; A61M2025/0039; A61M2025/004; A61M2025/0177; A61M2025/018; A61M2025/1043; A61M2025/1052; A61M25/0043; A61M25/005; A61M25/0053; A61M25/0054
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
96 words
A catheter section, comprising: a flexible joint region disposed within said catheter section, said catheter section having a distal end and a proximal end and defining an axis therebetween; and a wire comprising a distal end and a proximal end and a length therebetween, said wire being configured to move said catheter section distal end from an untorqued position to a torqued position about said flexible joint region; said wire distal end being attached in said catheter section such that a portion of said wire length is angularly and rotatingly disposed about said catheter section axis.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
96 words
A catheter section, comprising: a flexible joint region disposed within said catheter section, said catheter section having a distal end and a proximal end and defining an axis therebetween; and a wire comprising a distal end and a proximal end and a length therebetween, said wire being configured to move said catheter section distal end from an untorqued position to a torqued position about said flexible joint region; said wire distal end being attached in said catheter section such that a portion of said wire length is angularly and rotatingly disposed about said catheter section axis.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
The catheter section of claim 1 , further comprising: a balloon region comprising a distal end and a proximal end and defining an axis therebetween; and an inflatable member disposed in said balloon region.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
The catheter section of claim 1 , wherein said portion of wire length is partially wound about said catheter section axis.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
The catheter section of claim 3 , wherein said portion of wire length is wound about 180° about said catheter section axis.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
The catheter section of claim 1 , wherein said catheter section is configured such that imparting a force to said wire rotates said catheter section about said axis into a helical shape.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
The catheter section of claim 1 , wherein said portion of wire length is angularly disposed in a right-handed orientation about said catheter section axis.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
The catheter section of claim 1 , wherein said portion of wire length is angularly disposed in a left-handed orientation about said catheter section axis.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
The catheter section of claim 1 , wherein said wire moves said catheter section distal end about said flexible joint region up to about 90°.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
The catheter section of claim 1 , wherein said flexible joint region comprises a coil member.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
The catheter section of claim 2 wherein the inflatable member comprises a material selected from the group consisting of elastomers and thermoplastic polymers.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
30 words
The catheter section of claim 10 wherein said elastomer is selected from the group consisting of silicone rubber, latex rubber, natural rubber, butadiene-based co-polymers, EPDM, polyvinyl chloride, and complex co-polymers.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
14 words
The catheter section of claim 11 , where the elastomer comprises styreneethylene butylene-styrene co-polymers.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
16 words
The catheter section of claim 10 wherein thermoplastic polymer is selected from polyethylene, polypropylene, and Nylon.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
31 words
The catheter section of claim 1 , wherein said catheter section is configured such that imparting a force to said wire moves said catheter section at least rotatingly about said axis.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
23 words
The catheter section of claim 1 , wherein said wire is untensioned when said catheter section distal end is in said untorqued position.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
23 words
The catheter section of claim 1 , wherein said wire is tensioned when said catheter section distal end is in said torqued position.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
100 words
A catheter section, comprising: a flexible joint region disposed within said catheter section, said catheter section having a distal end and a proximal end and defining an axis therebetween; and a wire comprising a distal end and a proximal end and a length therebetween, said wire being configured to move said catheter section distal end about said flexible joint region, said wire distal end being attached in said catheter section such that a portion of said wire length is angularly and rotatingly disposed about said catheter section axis; said catheter section defining an entry through which a guidewire is inserted.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
100 words
A catheter section, comprising: a flexible joint region disposed within said catheter section, said catheter section having a distal end and a proximal end and defining an axis therebetween; and a wire comprising a distal end and a proximal end and a length therebetween, said wire being configured to move said catheter section distal end about said flexible joint region, said wire distal end being attached in said catheter section such that a portion of said wire length is angularly and rotatingly disposed about said catheter section axis; said catheter section defining an entry through which a guidewire is inserted.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
34 words
A catheter section of claim 17 , further comprising: a balloon region comprising a distal end and a proximal end and defining an axis therebetween; and an inflatable member disposed in said balloon region.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
17 words
The catheter section of claim 17 , wherein said entry is proximal of said flexible joint region.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
21 words
The catheter section of claim 17 , wherein said portion of wire length is partially wound about said catheter section axis.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
22 words
The catheter section of claim 20 , wherein said portion of wire length is wound about 180° about said catheter section axis.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
84 words
A catheter section, comprising: a flexible joint region disposed within said catheter section, said catheter section having a distal end and a proximal end and defining an axis therebetween; and a wire comprising a distal end and a proximal end and a length therebetween, said wire being configured to move said catheter section distal end from an untorqued position to a torqued about said flexible joint region; said wire being further configured to move said catheter section distal end about said catheter section axis.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
84 words
A catheter section, comprising: a flexible joint region disposed within said catheter section, said catheter section having a distal end and a proximal end and defining an axis therebetween; and a wire comprising a distal end and a proximal end and a length therebetween, said wire being configured to move said catheter section distal end from an untorqued position to a torqued about said flexible joint region; said wire being further configured to move said catheter section distal end about said catheter section axis.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
34 words
The catheter section of claim 22 , further comprising: a balloon region comprising a distal end and a proximal end and defining an axis therebetween; and an inflatable member disposed in said balloon region.
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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) | 2005-11-18 | 2006-05-20 | 2006-11-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2009-11-18 | 2010-05-20 | 2010-11-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2013-11-18 | 2014-05-20 | 2014-11-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |