Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
173 words
A catheter device for accessing an internal tissue site along a vessel path from an external body access site, comprising: a catheter having an inner lumen extending between proximal and distal ends, an inflatable balloon disposed in a distal end region of the catheter, means communicating the catheter lumen with the balloon, to allow bidirectional fluid flow between the balloon and the catheter lumen, and means defining an aperture disposed distally to the communicating means between the lumen and the balloon, such that when the aperture is blocked, fluid supplied through the lumen is forced into the balloon, a flexible guide wire having proximal and distal ends and carried in said catheter for axial sliding movement therein, and valve structure defined by said aperture and guide wire designed to block the aperture at one or more selected guide wire positions, to permit the catheter balloon to be inflated by supplying fluid through the catheter lumen and to allow the balloon to deflate when the guide wire is moved away from said selected positions.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
173 words
A catheter device for accessing an internal tissue site along a vessel path from an external body access site, comprising: a catheter having an inner lumen extending between proximal and distal ends, an inflatable balloon disposed in a distal end region of the catheter, means communicating the catheter lumen with the balloon, to allow bidirectional fluid flow between the balloon and the catheter lumen, and means defining an aperture disposed distally to the communicating means between the lumen and the balloon, such that when the aperture is blocked, fluid supplied through the lumen is forced into the balloon, a flexible guide wire having proximal and distal ends and carried in said catheter for axial sliding movement therein, and valve structure defined by said aperture and guide wire designed to block the aperture at one or more selected guide wire positions, to permit the catheter balloon to be inflated by supplying fluid through the catheter lumen and to allow the balloon to deflate when the guide wire is moved away from said selected positions.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
The device of claim 1, wherein the catheter is formed of a tube having an inflatable distal end section which forms said balloon, and said ring is positioned within the inflatable end section.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
The device of claim 1, wherein the catheter is formed of a tube which has an inflatable intermediate section forming said balloon, and said ring is positioned within the tube, distal to said inflatable section.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
The device of claim 1, wherein the catheter is formed of a tube having an inflatable distal end section which forms said balloon, and said ring is positioned within the inflatable end section.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
66 words
The device of claim 1, wherein the inflatable balloon is disposed along a distal end region of a catheter tube, the balloon communicates with the inner lumen of the catheter through an opening in the tube which is adjacent the tube'distal end, but proximal thereto, and the valve structure includes an elastomeric annular seal carried on the guide wire for contacting and sealing the inner lumen.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
225 words
A catheter device for accessing an internal tissue site along a vessel path from an external body access site, comprising a catheter having an inner lumen extending between proximal and distal ends, an inflatable balloon disposed adjacent the distal catheter end, means communicating the catheter lumen with the balloon, to allow bidirectional fluid flow between the catheter and lumen, and means defining an aperture disposed distally to the communicating means such that when the aperture is blocked, fluid supplied through the lumen is forced into the balloon, a flexible guide wire having proximal and distal ends and carried in said catheter for axial sliding movement therein, and valve structure defined by said aperture and guide wire designed to block the aperture at one or more selected guide wire positions, to permit the catheter balloon to be inflated by supplying fluid through the catheter lumen, and to allow the balloon to deflate when the guide wire is moved away from such selected positions, wherein said catheter aperture is defined by an annular ring mounted to the distal end of the catheter, and is dimensioned to receive the distal end segment of the guide wire freely therethrough, and the valve structure includes an annular enlargement on the guide wire proximal to said end segment, dimensioned to block the aperture, when the enlargement is advanced against the ring.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
225 words
A catheter device for accessing an internal tissue site along a vessel path from an external body access site, comprising a catheter having an inner lumen extending between proximal and distal ends, an inflatable balloon disposed adjacent the distal catheter end, means communicating the catheter lumen with the balloon, to allow bidirectional fluid flow between the catheter and lumen, and means defining an aperture disposed distally to the communicating means such that when the aperture is blocked, fluid supplied through the lumen is forced into the balloon, a flexible guide wire having proximal and distal ends and carried in said catheter for axial sliding movement therein, and valve structure defined by said aperture and guide wire designed to block the aperture at one or more selected guide wire positions, to permit the catheter balloon to be inflated by supplying fluid through the catheter lumen, and to allow the balloon to deflate when the guide wire is moved away from such selected positions, wherein said catheter aperture is defined by an annular ring mounted to the distal end of the catheter, and is dimensioned to receive the distal end segment of the guide wire freely therethrough, and the valve structure includes an annular enlargement on the guide wire proximal to said end segment, dimensioned to block the aperture, when the enlargement is advanced against the ring.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
35 words
The device of claim 6, wherein the catheter is formed of a tube which has an intermediate inflatable section forming said balloon, and said ring is positioned within the tube, distal to said inflatable section.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
59 words
The device of claim 6, wherein the catheter is formed of a tube which has an inflatable intermediate section, and which further includes an axially compressible member disposed inside the balloon, along said intermediate section, to maintain the diameter of said intermediate section substantially the same as the adjacent tube regions, when the balloon is in a deflated state.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
13 words
The device of claim 8, wherein the compressible member is a compressible coil.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
The device of claim 8, wherein the inflatable section is a substantially inelastic sleeve which is maintained in a substantially stretched condition by the coil, in an uninflated state.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system of claim 6, wherein a distal end portion of the guide wire is ensheathed in a substantially constant-diameter flexible coil.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
37 words
The device of claim 6, which further includes means attached to the proximal end of the guide wire for torquing the wire along its axis, to orient the distal end of the wire in a selected direction.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
320 words
A method of accessing an internal body site along a narrow-vessel tortuous path which includes at least one branch point at which the path follows the larger-diameter of two branch vessels, and at least one branch point at which the path follows the smaller diameter of two branch vessels, said method comprising, providing a catheter device composed of (a) a catheter having an inner lumen extending between proximal and distal ends, an inflatable balloon disposed in a distal end region of the catheter, means communicating the catheter lumen with the balloon, to allow bidirectional fluid flow between the balloon and the catheter lumen, and means defining an aperture disposed distally to the communicating means between the lumen and the balloon, such that when the aperture is blocked, fluid supplied through the lumen is forced into the balloon, (b) a flexible guide wire having proximal and distal ends and carried in said catheter for axial sliding movement therein, and (c) valve structure defined by said aperture and guide wire designed to block the aperture at one or more selected guide wire positions, to permit the catheter balloon to be inflated by supplying fluid through the catheter lumen and to allow the balloon to deflate when the guide wire is moved way from said selected positions, advancing the wire along the path, when the branch point at which the vessel path follows the larger-diameter of two branch vessels is reached, placing the guide wire axially in a position to block said aperture, and supplying fluid through the catheter to inflate the balloon, whereby the distal end of the catheter can be carried by fluid flow into larger-diameter vessel, and when a branch point at which the vessel path follows the smaller diameter of two branch vessels is reached, torquing said guide wire to orient the guide wire tip in the direction of the smaller-diameter vessels, and advancing the catheter into such vessel.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
320 words
A method of accessing an internal body site along a narrow-vessel tortuous path which includes at least one branch point at which the path follows the larger-diameter of two branch vessels, and at least one branch point at which the path follows the smaller diameter of two branch vessels, said method comprising, providing a catheter device composed of (a) a catheter having an inner lumen extending between proximal and distal ends, an inflatable balloon disposed in a distal end region of the catheter, means communicating the catheter lumen with the balloon, to allow bidirectional fluid flow between the balloon and the catheter lumen, and means defining an aperture disposed distally to the communicating means between the lumen and the balloon, such that when the aperture is blocked, fluid supplied through the lumen is forced into the balloon, (b) a flexible guide wire having proximal and distal ends and carried in said catheter for axial sliding movement therein, and (c) valve structure defined by said aperture and guide wire designed to block the aperture at one or more selected guide wire positions, to permit the catheter balloon to be inflated by supplying fluid through the catheter lumen and to allow the balloon to deflate when the guide wire is moved way from said selected positions, advancing the wire along the path, when the branch point at which the vessel path follows the larger-diameter of two branch vessels is reached, placing the guide wire axially in a position to block said aperture, and supplying fluid through the catheter to inflate the balloon, whereby the distal end of the catheter can be carried by fluid flow into larger-diameter vessel, and when a branch point at which the vessel path follows the smaller diameter of two branch vessels is reached, torquing said guide wire to orient the guide wire tip in the direction of the smaller-diameter vessels, and advancing the catheter into such vessel.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 13, which further includes inflating said balloon when the catheter distal end encounters a region of vessel constriction, thereby to extend and relax the constricted vessel region and facilitate movement of the catheter device therethrough.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
198 words
A catheter device for accessing an internal tissue site along a vessel path from an external body access site, comprising a catheter having an inner lumen extending between proximal and distal ends, an inflatable balloon disposed adjacent the distal catheter end, means communicating the catheter lumen with the balloon to allow bidirectional fluid flow between the catheter and lumen, and means defining an aperture disposed distally to the communicating means, such that when the aperture is blocked, fluid supplied through the lumen is forced into the balloon, a flexible guide wire having proximal and distal ends and carried in said catheter for axial sliding movement therein, and valve structure defined by said aperture and guide wire designed to block the aperture at one or more selected guide wire positions, to permit the catheter balloon to be inflated by supplying fluid through the catheter lumen, and to allow the balloon to deflate when the guide wire is moved away from such selected positions, wherein said catheter aperture is defined by an annular ring mounted to the distal end of the catheter, and is dimensioned to receive the distal end segment of the guide wire snugly, in a sealed fashion.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
198 words
A catheter device for accessing an internal tissue site along a vessel path from an external body access site, comprising a catheter having an inner lumen extending between proximal and distal ends, an inflatable balloon disposed adjacent the distal catheter end, means communicating the catheter lumen with the balloon to allow bidirectional fluid flow between the catheter and lumen, and means defining an aperture disposed distally to the communicating means, such that when the aperture is blocked, fluid supplied through the lumen is forced into the balloon, a flexible guide wire having proximal and distal ends and carried in said catheter for axial sliding movement therein, and valve structure defined by said aperture and guide wire designed to block the aperture at one or more selected guide wire positions, to permit the catheter balloon to be inflated by supplying fluid through the catheter lumen, and to allow the balloon to deflate when the guide wire is moved away from such selected positions, wherein said catheter aperture is defined by an annular ring mounted to the distal end of the catheter, and is dimensioned to receive the distal end segment of the guide wire snugly, in a sealed fashion.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
384 words
A method of accessing an internal body site along a narrow-vessel tortuous path which includes at least one branch point in which the path follows the larger-diameter of two branch vessels, and at least one branch point at which the path follows the smaller diameter of two branch vessels, said method comprising, providing a catheter device composed of (a) a catheter having an inner lumen extending between proximal and distal ends, an inflatable balloon disposed in a distal end region of the catheter, means communicating the catheter lumen with the balloon, to allow bidirectional fluid flow between the balloon and the catheter lumen, and means defining an aperture disposed distally to the communicating means between the lumen and the balloon, such that when the aperture is blocked, fluid supplied through the lumen is forced into the balloon, (b) a guide wire having proximal and distal ends and carried in said catheter for axial sliding movement therein, and (c) valve structure defined by said aperture and guide wire designed to block the aperture at one or more selected guide wire positions, to permit the catheter balloon to be inflated by supplying fluid through the catheter lumen and to allow the balloon to deflate when the guide wire is moved away from said selected positions, advancing the wire along the path, when the branch point at which the vessel path follows the larger-diameter of two branch vessels is reached, placing the guide wire axially in a position to block said aperture, and supplying fluid through the catheter to inflate the balloon, whereby the distal end of the catheter can be carried by fluid flow into larger-diameter vessel, and when a branch point at which the vessel path follows the smaller diameter of two branch vessels is reached, torquing said guide wire to orient the guide wire tip in the direction of the smaller-diameter vessels, and advancing the catheter into such vessel, wherein the valve structure in the catheter is defined by a ring mounted in the distal end of the catheter, and a guide wire enlargement which abuts the ring, when the guide wire is moved distally to a valve-closure position, which further includes advancing the guide wire distally, after valve closure, to advance the guide wire and catheter as a unit along the vessel path.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
384 words
A method of accessing an internal body site along a narrow-vessel tortuous path which includes at least one branch point in which the path follows the larger-diameter of two branch vessels, and at least one branch point at which the path follows the smaller diameter of two branch vessels, said method comprising, providing a catheter device composed of (a) a catheter having an inner lumen extending between proximal and distal ends, an inflatable balloon disposed in a distal end region of the catheter, means communicating the catheter lumen with the balloon, to allow bidirectional fluid flow between the balloon and the catheter lumen, and means defining an aperture disposed distally to the communicating means between the lumen and the balloon, such that when the aperture is blocked, fluid supplied through the lumen is forced into the balloon, (b) a guide wire having proximal and distal ends and carried in said catheter for axial sliding movement therein, and (c) valve structure defined by said aperture and guide wire designed to block the aperture at one or more selected guide wire positions, to permit the catheter balloon to be inflated by supplying fluid through the catheter lumen and to allow the balloon to deflate when the guide wire is moved away from said selected positions, advancing the wire along the path, when the branch point at which the vessel path follows the larger-diameter of two branch vessels is reached, placing the guide wire axially in a position to block said aperture, and supplying fluid through the catheter to inflate the balloon, whereby the distal end of the catheter can be carried by fluid flow into larger-diameter vessel, and when a branch point at which the vessel path follows the smaller diameter of two branch vessels is reached, torquing said guide wire to orient the guide wire tip in the direction of the smaller-diameter vessels, and advancing the catheter into such vessel, wherein the valve structure in the catheter is defined by a ring mounted in the distal end of the catheter, and a guide wire enlargement which abuts the ring, when the guide wire is moved distally to a valve-closure position, which further includes advancing the guide wire distally, after valve closure, to advance the guide wire and catheter as a unit along the vessel path.