Manipulatable delivery catheter for occlusive devices (II)

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.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09 / 643,085 entitled “MANIPULATABLE DELIVERY CATHETER FOR OCCLUSIVE DEVICES” filed Aug. 21, 2000, now pending and incorporated by reference in its entirety.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] This invention is in the general field of surgical instruments and is specifically a catheter having a flexible, proximally-manipulated hinge region. The inventive catheter may include a balloon. The catheter may have a shaft of varying flexibility which contains several lumen. The inner, or delivery, lumen generally may be used with a guide wire to access target sites within the body through 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 optional micro-balloon, located near the distal tip of the catheter, is effected using the inflation lumen. The push / pull wire tubing contains a wire, which w...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0010] The wire may be slidingly held, e.g., within a separate tubing. This tubing may potentially be used to aid in adjusting the flexibility of the joint region. This may be accomplished by several different variations. One variation utilizes a wire tubing having collinear consecutive sections of decreasing wall thickness. Alternatively, the wire tubing may be tapered according to the desired degree of joint flexibility. The tubing itself may be a braided tubing which may be of varying flexibility.

[0012] In taking advantage of the flexibility and capabilities of the present invention, a variation capable of twisting in a helical or corkscrew-like manner may be accomplished with or without an inflatable member or balloon region. This variation is particularly useful in traversing tortuous vasculature and in making difficult approaches to aneurysms. This alternative varation utilizes a wire which may be wound about the guidewire or inner tubing and fixedly attached. It is thus possible to wind the wire any number of times or just a few degrees off the wire axis depending upon the vasculature being traversed and the degree of flexibility or twisting desired. Moreover, different variations may be developed capable of twisting in a left or right handed orientation.

Problems solved by technology

Often the target site of the malady is difficult to reach.

Inadvertent embolism due to an inability to contain the fluid agent within the aneurysm is one risk which may occur when using fluid embolic agents.

Some embolic coils are subject to the same placement risks as that of fluid embolic agents in that it is difficult to contain the occlusive coil within the open space of the aneurysm.

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