Steerable balloon dilatation catheter assembly having dye injection and pressure measurement capabilities

Claim 2

A steerable balloon dilatation catheter assembly comprising an elongate flexible tubular member having first and second lumens extending therethrough, a balloon carried by the distal portion of the tubular member and having its interior in communication with the second lumen, a guide wire extending through the first lumen and having a coil carried by the distal portion thereof and extending beyond the distal extremity of the tubular member, means coupled to the guide wire facilitating at least limited rotation of the distal extremity of the guide wire, means coupled to the guide wire limiting movement of the guide wire in the direction longitudinal of the axis of rotation of the guide wire, a first fitting coupled to the second lumen and adapted to receive a liquid for inflating and deflating the balloon, and a second fitting in communication with the first lumen, said first lumen and said guide wire being sized so that dye injections and/or pressure measurements can be made through the second fitting.

Claim 3

A catheter assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the coil of said guide wire is rotatable with respect to the distal extremity of the tubular member and is extensible with respect to the tubular member.

Claim 4

A catheter as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 further comprising means for bonding the proximal extremity of the coil to the distal extemity of the tubular member, said tubular member having at least one opening remote from the balloon extending from the first lumen to the environment whereby dye injections and pressure measurements can be made through said opening.

Claim 5

A catheter assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the guide wire includes an elongate flexible element extending through the tubular member and to the distal extremity of the coil and a hemispherical tip bonding the distal extremities of the flexible elongate element and the coil to each other.

Claim 6

A catheter assembly as claimed in claim 4 wherein the flexible elongate element of the guide wire is free to rotate with respect to the proximal extremity of the coil.

Claim 7

A catheter assembly as claimed in claim 4 wherein the proximal extremity of the coil is bonded to the tubular member.

Claim 8

A catheter assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein the means for limiting movement of the guide wire in a direction longitudinal of the axis of rotation includes a fixed member, a knob secured to the guide wire and means carried by the knob and adapted to engage the fixed member to limit inward and outward movement with respect to the fixed member.

Claim 9

A steerable balloon dilatation catheter assembly comprising a first elongate flexible tubular member having a lumen extending therethrough and a second elongate flexible tubular element forming between the first and second tubular elements an annular lumen extending longitudinally of the first and second tubular elements, a balloon carried by the second tubular element and having its interior in communication with the lumen extending between the first and second tubular elements, a guide wire extending through the lumen of the first tubular element and having a coil carried by the distal extremity thereof and extending beyond the distal extremity of the first and second tubular elements, means coupled to the guide wire facilitating at least limited rotation of the distal extremity of the guide wire and limiting movement of the guide wire in a direction longitudinal of the axis of rotation of the guide wire, a first fitting coupled to the lumen extending between the first and second tubular elements and adapted to receive a liquid for inflating and deflating the balloon, a second fitting in communication with the lumen in the first tubular element, said first lumen in said first tubular element and said guide wire being sized so that dye injections and/or pressure measurements can be made through the second fitting.

Claim 10

A steerable balloon dilatation catheter assembly comprising a first elongate flexible tubular member having a lumen extending therethrough and a second elongate flexible tubular element forming between the first and second tubular elements an annular lumen extending longitudinally of the first and second tubular elements, a balloon carried by the second tubular element and having its interior in communication with the lumen extending between the first and second tubular elements, a guide wire extending through the lumen of the first tubular element and having a coil carried by the distal extremity thereof and extending beyond the distal extremity of the first and second tubular elements, means coupled to the guide wire facilitating at least limited rotation of the distal extremity of the guide wire and limiting movement of the guide wire in a direction longitudinal of the axis of rotation of the guide wire, a first fitting coupled to the lumen extending between the first and second tubular elements and adapted to receive a liquid for inflating and deflating the balloon, a second fitting in communication with the lumen in the first tubular element, said first lumen in said first tubular element and said guide wire being sized so that dye injections and/or pressure measurements can be made through the second fitting.