Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
219 words
A right coronary artery angiographic catheter characterised in that it comprises: a relatively soft, distal tip portion (45), the tip portion having a preformed curvature in a first direction; a body portion (47) extending proximally from the tip portion, the body portion having a preformed curvature in a second direction, opposite the direction of curvature of the tip portion, the body portion being resilient so that it tends to assume its preformed curvature; a lumen (49) extending from the distal end of the tip portion through at least a substantial part of the body portion, the lumen being suitable for the injection of angiographic dye therethrough to exit from the distal end of the tip portion of the catheter; the body portion (47) having an amount of curvature in a second segment which is less than the amount of curvature of the aortic arch of a human being, the second segment being that part of the body portion disposed in the aortic arch when the tip portion is disposed in the ostium of the right coronary artery so that the body portion of the catheter is resiliently deformed where it passes through the artic arch, the deformation resulting in the biassing of the tip portion of the catheter into the ostium of the right coronary artery when in use.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
219 words
A right coronary artery angiographic catheter characterised in that it comprises: a relatively soft, distal tip portion (45), the tip portion having a preformed curvature in a first direction; a body portion (47) extending proximally from the tip portion, the body portion having a preformed curvature in a second direction, opposite the direction of curvature of the tip portion, the body portion being resilient so that it tends to assume its preformed curvature; a lumen (49) extending from the distal end of the tip portion through at least a substantial part of the body portion, the lumen being suitable for the injection of angiographic dye therethrough to exit from the distal end of the tip portion of the catheter; the body portion (47) having an amount of curvature in a second segment which is less than the amount of curvature of the aortic arch of a human being, the second segment being that part of the body portion disposed in the aortic arch when the tip portion is disposed in the ostium of the right coronary artery so that the body portion of the catheter is resiliently deformed where it passes through the artic arch, the deformation resulting in the biassing of the tip portion of the catheter into the ostium of the right coronary artery when in use.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
A right coronary artery angiographic catheter as claimed in C!aim 1 wherein the shape of the tip portion (45) is such as to prevent spasm of the right coronary artery when the tip portion is inserted in the ostium thereof.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
A right coronary artery angiographic catheter as claimed in Claim 1 or 2 wherein the tip portion (45) of the catheter extends in the direction of the right coronary artery approximately ten millimeters when in use.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
A right coronary artery angiographic catheter as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the tip portion curvature includes an approximately ninety degree bend.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
A right coronary artery angiographic catheter as claimed in Claim 4 wherein the ninety degree bend has an inner radius of approximately five millimeters.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
42 words
A right coronary artery angiographic catheter as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the radius of curvature for the body portion (47) exceeds by at least an order of magnitude the radius of curvature of the tip portion (45).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
37 words
A right coronary artery angiographic catheter as claimed in Claim 6 wherein the radius of curvature for the body portion exceeds the radius of curvature of the tip portion by at least a factor of approximately twenty.