EP0363203A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Cardiac assist balloon and method of insertion
Assignee: Abiomed Inc
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Filing: 1989-10-05
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2009-10-05
Abstract
Abstract A novel cardiac assist balloon assembly and methods of insertion are shown. In one embodiment, the balloon end of the assembly has an intrinsic curvature adapted to the aortic arch, and is straightened by a removable stiff member extending within the catheter to facilitate insertion along the passage. When the balloon is at a curved portion of the passage, the stiff member is retracted, allowing the balloon and adjacent support to conform to the curved passage and advance further without trauma to the vessel. The curved balloon may be stably positioned in a curved arterial passage and pumped with a pulsatile inflation source. In another aspect, an occluding balloon having an asymmetric curvature achieves reliable blood pumping near to the atrium. A torsion-free extender stretches the balloon for compacting it and insertion, and may be inserted over a guide wire, operating without blocking the pressure lumen.
Inventors
- 👤 Fredric L. Milder
- 👤 Timothy E. Moutafis
- 👤 Saul Stricker
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 17:06
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61M; A61M25/00; A61M25/10; A61M60/00; A61M60/10; A61M60/122; A61M60/126; A61M60/13; A61M60/135; A61M60/139; A61M60/20; A61M60/295; A61M60/40; A61M60/497; A61M60/80; A61M60/841; A61M60/843; A61M60/855; A61M60/865; A61M25/0043; A61M2025/0063; A61M25/0021; A61M25/0041; A61M25/1002; A61M60/247; A61M60/253; A61M60/268; A61M60/274
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
110 words
A balloon catheter assembly comprising an inflation catheter having a proximal end connected to an inflation handle and also having a distal end, a balloon having proximal and distal ends, said balloon proximal end being connected to said inflation catheter distal end, a pressure lumen interconnecting said balloon distal end with said handle, a thrust-receiving member non-rotatably secured to said balloon distal end, and an extension member extending through the pressure lumen, one end thereof including means for irrotationally engaging said thrust receiving member, and the other end thereof extending from said balloon to said handle to permit stretching of the balloon without twisting as said other end is moved.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
110 words
A balloon catheter assembly comprising an inflation catheter having a proximal end connected to an inflation handle and also having a distal end, a balloon having proximal and distal ends, said balloon proximal end being connected to said inflation catheter distal end, a pressure lumen interconnecting said balloon distal end with said handle, a thrust-receiving member non-rotatably secured to said balloon distal end, and an extension member extending through the pressure lumen, one end thereof including means for irrotationally engaging said thrust receiving member, and the other end thereof extending from said balloon to said handle to permit stretching of the balloon without twisting as said other end is moved.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
The balloon catheter assembly of claim 1, wherein the handle includes means for advancing the extension member while rotating it at a pitch greater than approximately five millimeters of advance per rotation.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
The balloon catheter assembly of claim 1 wherein the extension member is hollow and does not occlude the pressure lumen.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The balloon catheter assembly of claim 1, wherein the extension member has a bending stiffness greater than that of said inflation catheter and pressure lumen.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
42 words
The balloon catheter assembly of any of claims 1-4, wherein said extension member is a torsion resistant extension member and said handle includes mechanical means for precisely determining the angular alignment of said balloon distal end as said other end is moved.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
35 words
The balloon catheter assembly of claim 5, wherein said extension means includes plural detents defining an advancing motion between (.15) and (.75) times the distance between said balloon distal end and said balloon proximal end.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
17 words
The balloon catheter assembly of claim 6, wherein said extension member is insertable over a guide wire.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
83 words
The balloon catheter assembly of claim 5, wherein the handle includes a port assembly communicating with said pressure lumen, and also includes a slide mechanism for sliding said port assembly back and forth in said handle, and wherein said extension member is insertable through said port assembly into said fluids sampling pressure lumen, and is removably lockable to the port assembly so that motion of the slide mechanism causes equal motion of said extension member, said pressure lumen and said balloon distal end.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
46 words
The balloon catheter assembly of claim 5, wherein said balloon includes a proximal end wall, a middle peripheral wall and a distal end wall, said walls together forming a closed envelope, and wherein a said end wall meets said middle peripheral wall at an obtuse angle.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
10 words
The assembly of claim 9, wherein said balloon is non-symmetric.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
130 words
An inflatable device for attachment to a catheter to be positioned in an aorta comprising, a balloon formed of a thin elastomeric material, said balloon being generally elongate along a first axis and having its maximum inflated dimension in a plane approximately normal to said first axis at a point intermediate the ends of said balloon along said first axis, said balloon being provided with an orifice at one end for attachment to said catheter, said balloon tapering from said point of maximum dimension toward one of its ends to a dimension substantially reduced from the maximum dimension at that end, and tapering in the opposite direction toward the orifice end of said balloon with a generally symmetrical taper, said maximum inflated dimension being effective to occlude the ascending aorta.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
130 words
An inflatable device for attachment to a catheter to be positioned in an aorta comprising, a balloon formed of a thin elastomeric material, said balloon being generally elongate along a first axis and having its maximum inflated dimension in a plane approximately normal to said first axis at a point intermediate the ends of said balloon along said first axis, said balloon being provided with an orifice at one end for attachment to said catheter, said balloon tapering from said point of maximum dimension toward one of its ends to a dimension substantially reduced from the maximum dimension at that end, and tapering in the opposite direction toward the orifice end of said balloon with a generally symmetrical taper, said maximum inflated dimension being effective to occlude the ascending aorta.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
16 words
A device in accordance with claim 11, wherein said balloon tapers in a generally symmetrical form.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
38 words
A device in accordance with claim 11, wherein the slope of said balloon from said point of maximum dimension toward the closed or tip end of said balloon has plural substantially distinct values along the said first axis.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
37 words
A device in accordance with claim 11, wherein the position along the first axis of the maximum dimension of said balloon is at substantially between halfway and the three quarters point between the ends of said balloon.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
26 words
A device in accordance with claim 11, wherein the taper sections are asymmetrical so as to provide an off-axis orifice or off-axis tip section or both.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
16 words
A device in accordance with any of claims 11-15, wherein said elongate first axis is curvilinear.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
79 words
An insertable balloon assembly comprising a balloon having a first and second ends, a balloon supporting structure extending between the first and second ends of the balloon and having a curvature and stiffness effective to support said balloon in a curved shape, an inflation catheter, a handle assembly interconnected with the balloon by the inflation catheter, and a straightening member insertable over a guide wire through said catheter and having a bending stiffness effective to straighten said supporting structure.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
79 words
An insertable balloon assembly comprising a balloon having a first and second ends, a balloon supporting structure extending between the first and second ends of the balloon and having a curvature and stiffness effective to support said balloon in a curved shape, an inflation catheter, a handle assembly interconnected with the balloon by the inflation catheter, and a straightening member insertable over a guide wire through said catheter and having a bending stiffness effective to straighten said supporting structure.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
31 words
An assembly according to claim 17, wherein said balloon has a curvature between opposed ends thereof effective to stabilize the balloon in a curved vessel during repetitive inflation and deflation cycles.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
61 words
An assembly according to claim 17 or 18, wherein the straightening member is adapted for removable insertion through said catheter to straighten said supporting structure for enabling insertion of the balloon along a path, and said supporting structure conforms to the curvature of the aortic arch, so that by withdrawing the straightening member the balloon may advance past the aortic arch.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
129 words
An insertable balloon assembly comprising a balloon having first and second ends, a curved balloon support coupled to the first end of the balloon and extending through the balloon at least to the second end, an inflation catheter coupled to the second end of the balloon and having a curvature substantially matching the balloon support at said second end, a handle assembly connected to said catheter, and straightening means insertable through said handle, said catheter and said balloon support for straightening said balloon support so that the balloon may be inserted along an arterial passage, said straightening means having a bending stiffness greater than the bending stiffness of the curved balloon support, and said catheter, balloon support and straightening means together being sufficiently flexible for insertion to the aorta.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
129 words
An insertable balloon assembly comprising a balloon having first and second ends, a curved balloon support coupled to the first end of the balloon and extending through the balloon at least to the second end, an inflation catheter coupled to the second end of the balloon and having a curvature substantially matching the balloon support at said second end, a handle assembly connected to said catheter, and straightening means insertable through said handle, said catheter and said balloon support for straightening said balloon support so that the balloon may be inserted along an arterial passage, said straightening means having a bending stiffness greater than the bending stiffness of the curved balloon support, and said catheter, balloon support and straightening means together being sufficiently flexible for insertion to the aorta.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
19 words
An insertable balloon assembly according to claim 20, wherein said support has a curvature conforming to the aortic arch.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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