Guide wire receptacle for catheters having rigid housings

Claim 2

An ultrasonic imaging catheter comprising: a flexible catheter body having a proximal end and a distal end; a rigid housing secured to the distal end of the flexible catheter body, said housing including a distal portion and a proximal portion joined by an external metal rod; a flexible end piece having a tapered distal end and a proximal end secured to the housing, whereby the stiffness of the end piece lessens in the distal direction away form the housing; means within the housing for forming an ultrasonic image in a plane normal to the housing, whereby the metal rod forms an image artifact; and a flexible guide wire tube axially-aligned with but separate from the housing and the flexible end piece and having a continuous lumen extending proximally form the distal tip of the end piece to beyond the proximal end of the housing, whereby the flexible guide wire tube may slip relative to the flexible end piece when the tube and end piece are bent.

Claim 3

An ultrasonic imaging catheter as in claim 1, wherein the rigid housing is formed form stainless steel.

Claim 4

An ultrasonic imaging catheter as in claim 1, wherein the proximal and distal portions of the rigid cylindrical housing are joined by at least two external metal rods.

Claim 5

An ultrasonic imaging catheter as in claim 1, wherein the flexible end piece is a helical coil.

Claim 6

An ultrasonic imaging catheter as in claim 1, wherein the flexible end piece is composed of an elastomeric polymer.

Claim 7

An ultrasonic imaging catheter as in claim 1, wherein the flexible guide wire tube is composed of a polymer.

Claim 8

An ultrasonic imaging catheter as in claim 6, wherein the flexible guide wire tube is a seamless polymeric tube.

Claim 9

An ultrasonic imaging catheter comprising: a flexible catheter body having a proximal end, a distal end, a central lumen, and a guide wire lumen; a rigid housing secured to the distal end of the flexible catheter body and aligned with the central lumen thereof, said housing including a proximal bearing retainer, a distal transducer shield, and an axially-aligned structural members rigidly joining the retainer to the shield; a flexible end piece having a tapered distal end and a proximal end secured to the distal transducer shield, wherein the flexible end piece has a bending stiffness constant in the range from about 0.05 to 0.4 in-lb-in with a higher constant near the proximal end thereof and a lower constant near the distal end thereof; a flexible guide wire tube axially-aligned with the housing and flexible end piece and having a lumen which is joined contiguously with the guide wire lumen in the catheter body; a rotatable mirror in the bearing retainer; means in the central lumen for rotating the rotatable mirror; an ultrasonic transducer in the transducer shield; and an ultrasonically transparent sheath formed over the housing, end piece, and guide wire tube, whereby the guide wire tube retains freedom of movement relative to the end piece.

Claim 10

An ultrasonic imaging catheter comprising: a flexible catheter body having a proximal end, a distal end, a central lumen, and a guide wire lumen; a rigid housing secured to the distal end of the flexible catheter body and aligned with the central lumen thereof, said housing including a proximal bearing retainer, a distal transducer shield, and an axially-aligned structural members rigidly joining the retainer to the shield; a flexible end piece having a tapered distal end and a proximal end secured to the distal transducer shield, wherein the flexible end piece has a bending stiffness constant in the range from about 0.05 to 0.4 in-lb-in with a higher constant near the proximal end thereof and a lower constant near the distal end thereof; a flexible guide wire tube axially-aligned with the housing and flexible end piece and having a lumen which is joined contiguously with the guide wire lumen in the catheter body; a rotatable mirror in the bearing retainer; means in the central lumen for rotating the rotatable mirror; an ultrasonic transducer in the transducer shield; and an ultrasonically transparent sheath formed over the housing, end piece, and guide wire tube, whereby the guide wire tube retains freedom of movement relative to the end piece.

Claim 11

An ultrasonic imaging catheter as in claim 8, wherein the guide wire lumen in the catheter body extends over only a portion of said body.

Claim 12

An ultrasonic imaging catheter as in claim 9, wherein the catheter body has a length from about 65 cm to 150 cm and the guide wire lumen has a length from about 10 cm to 30 cm.

Claim 13

An ultrasonic imaging catheter as in claim 8, wherein the rigid housing is formed from stainless steel.

Claim 14

An ultrasonic imaging catheter as in claim 8, wherein the flexible end piece is a helical coil.

Claim 15

An ultrasonic imaging catheter as in claim 8, wherein the flexible end piece is composed of a polymer.

Claim 16

An ultrasonic imaging catheter as in claim 8, wherein the flexible guide wire tube is composed of a polymer.

Claim 17

An ultrasonic imaging catheter as in claim 14, wherein the flexible guide wire tube is a seamless polymeric tube.

Claim 18

An ultrasonic imaging catheter as in claim 8, wherein the bearing retainer and transducer shield are joined by at least two axially-aligned structural members.

Claim 19

An improved ultrasonic imaging catheter of the type comprising a catheter body having a housing at its distal end, a fixed ultrasonic transducer disposed within the housing, and a rotatable mirror axially spaced-apart form the transducer within the housing and disposed to reflect and receive ultrasonic energy about the periphery of the housing, wherein the improvement comprises: a flexible end piece having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the proximal end is secured to the housing and the end piece is tapered in the direction from the proximal end to the distal end, whereby the stiffness of the end piece lessens in the distal direction away from the housing; and a flexible guide wire tube attached to the outside of the housing and the end piece nd having a continuous lumen extending proximally form the distal tip of the end piece to at least the proximal end of the housing wherein the tub is able to slide relative to the end piece as the end piece is bent.

Claim 20

An improved ultrasonic imaging catheter of the type comprising a catheter body having a housing at its distal end, a fixed ultrasonic transducer disposed within the housing, and a rotatable mirror axially spaced-apart form the transducer within the housing and disposed to reflect and receive ultrasonic energy about the periphery of the housing, wherein the improvement comprises: a flexible end piece having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the proximal end is secured to the housing and the end piece is tapered in the direction from the proximal end to the distal end, whereby the stiffness of the end piece lessens in the distal direction away from the housing; and a flexible guide wire tube attached to the outside of the housing and the end piece nd having a continuous lumen extending proximally form the distal tip of the end piece to at least the proximal end of the housing wherein the tub is able to slide relative to the end piece as the end piece is bent.

Claim 21

An ultrasonic imaging catheter as in claim 17, wherein the flexible end piece is a helical coil.

Claim 22

An ultrasonic imaging catheter as in claim 17, wherein the flexible end piece is composed of a polymer.

Claim 23

An ultrasonic imaging catheter as in claim 17, wherein the flexible guide wire tube is composed of a polymer.

Claim 24

An ultrasonic imaging catheter as in claim 20, wherein the flexible guide wire tube is a seamless polymeric tube.