Balloon catheter and locking guidewire system

Claim 2

A dilatation catheter and guidewire comprising: an elongate flexible catheter shaft having a proximal end, a distal end, a guidewire lumen and an inflation lumen; a dilatation balloon mounted on the distal end of the shaft with the inflation lumen being in communication with the interior of the balloon; a guidewire extending through the guidewire lumen, the guidewire comprising a shaft adapted to extend fully through the guidewire lumen and a flexible distal segment affixed to the distal end of the guidewire shaft, the flexible distal segment extending distally beyond the distal end of the catheter shaft; means for attaching an extension wire to the proximal end of the guidewire; and means for releasably locking a proximal portion of the guidewire to the proximal portion of the catheter; the guidewire lumen being larger in diameter than the outer diameter of any portion of the guidewire shaft proximal to the flexible distal segment; and the locking means, when locked, allowing the guidewire to be rotated relative to the catheter while preventing relative axial movement between the guidewire and the catheter, and when unlocked, allowing the guidewire to be rotated and advanced independently of the catheter.

Claim 3

A dilatation catheter and guidewire as in claim 1 wherein the guidewire shaft, in the region of the balloon, is of a reduced diameter.

Claim 4

A dilatation catheter and guidewire as in claim 1 wherein the interior diameter of the guidewire lumen at the distal end is less than the interior diameter of the guidewire lumen at the proximal end.

Claim 5

A dilatation catheter and guidewire as in claim 1 wherein the outer diameter of the distal end of the catheter shaft corresponds substantially to the outer diameter of the distal segment of the guidewire.

Claim 6

A dilatation catheter and guidewire as in claim 4 wherein the dilatation catheter comprises a low profile balloon dilation catheter.

Claim 7

A dilatation catheter and guidewire as in claim 5 wherein the balloon comprises polyethylene terephthalate.

Claim 8

A dilatation catheter and guidewire as in claim 1 wherein the guidewire comprises a stainless steel shaft having a flexible distal segment at its distal end.

Claim 9

A dilatation catheter and guidewire as in claim 7 wherein the flexible distal segment of the guidewire comprises a helical coil.

Claim 10

A dilatation catheter and guidewire as in claim 1 wherein the outer diameter of the flexible distal segment of the guidewire is greater than the diameter of the guidewire lumen at the extreme distal end of the catheter.

Claim 11

A dilatation catheter and guidewire as in claim 1 wherein the catheter shaft comprises a main catheter body having a catheter tip segment affixed to the distal end thereof.

Claim 12

A dilatation catheter and guidewire as in claim 1 wherein the catheter shaft comprises polyethylene.

Claim 13

A dilatation catheter and guidewire as in claim 1 wherein the locking means has a guidewire lumen therethrough and comprises a catheter fitting portion, a body portion containing a compressible bushing and an end cap, the body portion and catheter fitting portion being connected by a . rotating, dynamic seal.

Claim 14

A dilatation catheter and guidewire as in claim 12 wherein the compressible bushing comprises a silicone elastomer.

Claim 15

A low profile dilatation catheter and guidewire comprising: an elongate flexible catheter shaft having a proximal end, a distal end, a guidewire lumen and an inflation lumen; a dilatation balloon mounted on the distal end of the shaft with the inflation lumen being in communication with the interior of the balloon; a guidewire extending through the guidewire lumen, the guidewire comprising a shaft having a maximum cross-sectional diameter of approximately 0.012 inches adapted to extend fully through the guidewire lumen and a flexible distal segment having a cross-sectional diameter of approximately 0.016 inches to approximately 0.017 inches affixed to the distal end of the guidewire shaft and extending distally beyond the distal end of the catheter shaft; means for attaching an extension wire to the proximal end of the guidewire, and means for releasably locking a proximal portion of the guidewire to the proximal portion of the catheter; the guidewire lumen having a minimum cross-sectional diameter of approximately 0.014 inches to approximately 0.016 inches; and the locking means, when locked, allowing the guidewire to be rotated relative to the catheter while preventing relative axial movement between the guidewire and the catheter, and when unlocked, allowing the guidewire to be rotated and advanced independently of the catheter.

Claim 16

A low profile dilatation catheter and guidewire comprising: an elongate flexible catheter shaft having a proximal end, a distal end, a guidewire lumen and an inflation lumen; a dilatation balloon mounted on the distal end of the shaft with the inflation lumen being in communication with the interior of the balloon; a guidewire extending through the guidewire lumen, the guidewire comprising a shaft having a maximum cross-sectional diameter of approximately 0.012 inches adapted to extend fully through the guidewire lumen and a flexible distal segment having a cross-sectional diameter of approximately 0.016 inches to approximately 0.017 inches affixed to the distal end of the guidewire shaft and extending distally beyond the distal end of the catheter shaft; means for attaching an extension wire to the proximal end of the guidewire, and means for releasably locking a proximal portion of the guidewire to the proximal portion of the catheter; the guidewire lumen having a minimum cross-sectional diameter of approximately 0.014 inches to approximately 0.016 inches; and the locking means, when locked, allowing the guidewire to be rotated relative to the catheter while preventing relative axial movement between the guidewire and the catheter, and when unlocked, allowing the guidewire to be rotated and advanced independently of the catheter.

Claim 17

A low profile dilatation catheter and guidewire as in claim 14 wherein the balloon comprises polyethylene terephthalate.

Claim 18

A low profile dilatation catheter and guidewire as in claim 14 wherein the catheter shaft comprises polyethylene.

Claim 19

A low profile dilatation catheter and guidewire as in claim 14 wherein the interior diameter of the guidewire lumen at the distal end is less than the interior diameter of the guidewire lumen at the proximal end.

Claim 20

A dilatation catheter and guidewire as in claim 14 wherein the locking means has a guidewire lumen therethrough and comprises a catheter fitting portion, a body portion containing a compressible bushing and an end cap, the body portion and catheter fitting portion being connected by a rotating, dynamic seal.

Claim 21

A low profile dilatation catheter and guidewire as in claim 18 wherein the compressible bushing comprises a silicone elastomer.

Claim 22

A low profile dilatation catheter and guidewire as in claim 14 wherein the catheter shaft comprises a main catheter body having a catheter tip segment affixed to the distal end thereof.

Claim 23

A dilatation catheter and guidewire as defined in either of claims 1 or 14 dimensioned and constructed to be percutaneously insertable into a patient's arteries and advanceable into the coronary arteries.

Claim 24

A dilatation catheter as defined in either of claims 1 or 14 wherein said catheter comprises a coronary angioplasty dilatation catheter.

Claim 25

A dilatation catheter and guidewire comprising: an elongate flexible catheter shaft having a proximal end, a distal end, a guidewire lumen and an inflation lumen; a dilatation balloon mounted on the distal end of the shaft with the inflation lumen being in communication with the interior of the balloon; a guidewire extending through the guidewire lumen, the guidewire comprising a shaft adapted to extend fully through the guidewire lumen and a flexible distal segment affixed to the distal end of the guidewire shaft, the flexible distal segment extending distally beyond the distal end of the catheter shaft; a connector element at the proximal end of the guidewire adapted to be connected to an extension wire; and a guidewire locking member at the proximal end of the catheter adapted to releasably lock a proximal portion of a guidewire to the catheter; the guidewire lumen being larger in diameter than the outer diameter of any portion of the guidewire shaft proximal to the flexible distal segment; and the locking member being rotatably mounted with respect to the catheter to enable the guidewire to be rotated relative to the catheter while preventing relative axial movement between the guidewire and the catheter, the locking member being further constructed so that when unlocked, the guidewire can be rotated and advanced independently of the catheter.

Claim 26

A dilatation catheter and guidewire comprising: an elongate flexible catheter shaft having a proximal end, a distal end, a guidewire lumen and an inflation lumen; a dilatation balloon mounted on the distal end of the shaft with the inflation lumen being in communication with the interior of the balloon; a guidewire extending through the guidewire lumen, the guidewire comprising a shaft adapted to extend fully through the guidewire lumen and a flexible distal segment affixed to the distal end of the guidewire shaft, the flexible distal segment extending distally beyond the distal end of the catheter shaft; a connector element at the proximal end of the guidewire adapted to be connected to an extension wire; and a guidewire locking member at the proximal end of the catheter adapted to releasably lock a proximal portion of a guidewire to the catheter; the guidewire lumen being larger in diameter than the outer diameter of any portion of the guidewire shaft proximal to the flexible distal segment; and the locking member being rotatably mounted with respect to the catheter to enable the guidewire to be rotated relative to the catheter while preventing relative axial movement between the guidewire and the catheter, the locking member being further constructed so that when unlocked, the guidewire can be rotated and advanced independently of the catheter.

Claim 27

A catheter as defined in claim 23 dimensioned to be percutaneously insertable into a patient's arteries and advanceable to the coronary arteries.

Claim 28

A catheter as defined in claim 23 wherein said catheter comprises a coronary angioplasty catheter.