Balloon dilatation catheter with integral detachable guidewire

Claim 2

A balloon angioplasty catheter comprising: an elongate flexible shaft having proximal and distal ends, lumen means extending through the shaft for communicating fluid and receiving a guidewire; a balloon mounted to the distal end of the shaft, and wherein the interior of the balloon is in communication with said lumen means; at least a portion of said lumen means being adapted to receive fluid for inflating and deflating the balloon; a guidewire extending through said lumen means, a portion of the guidewire extending distally beyond the distal end of the catheter shaft; and means for sealing the inflation fluid within the catheter and including a sealed connection of a portion of the shaft in the distal end to the guidewire, and means for selectively rupturing said sealed connection so as to detach the guidewire and said catheter to replace said catheter.

Claim 3

A catheter as defined in claim 1 further comprising: an actuating wire extending along the length of the catheter shaft, the actuating wire having proximal and distal ends, the distal end being integrated into the sealed connection; the proximal end of the actuating wire being exposed at the proximal end of the catheter and being actuable to rupture the sealed connection.

Claim 4

A catheter as defined in claim 2 wherein said actuating wire comprises a pull wire.

Claim 5

A catheter as defined in claim 2 wherein the distal end of the actuating wire is coiled about the shaft of the guidewire within the sealed connection.

Claim 6

A catheter as defined in claim 4 wherein the sealed connection includes an adhesive bond.

Claim 7

A catheter as defined in claim 5 wherein the adhesive bond is adapted to be deteriorated by heat, the actuating wire comprising means for transmitting energy along the catheter shaft to develop heat in the adhesive bond.

Claim 8

A catheter as defined in claim 6 wherein the coil at the distal end of the actuating wire comprises a resistance heater and wherein the actuating wire comprises electrically conductive wire means for operating the resistance heater.

Claim 9

A catheter as defined in any one of claims 1-3 further comprising: the proximal end of the guidewire being exposed at the proximal end of the catheter, the proximal end of the guidewire having connector means for connection to an extension wire for extending the effective length of the guidewire.

Claim 10

A catheter as defined in claim 4 further comprising: the proximal end of the guidewire being exposed at the proximal end of the catheter, the proximal end of the guidewire having connector means for connection to an extension wire for extending the effective length of the guidewire.

Claim 11

A catheter as defined in claim 5 further comprising: the proximal end of the guidewire being exposed at the proximal end of the catheter, the proximal end of the guidewire having connector means for connection to an extension wire for extending the effective length of the guidewire.

Claim 12

A catheter as defined in claim 6 further comprising: the proximal end of the guidewire being exposed at the proximal end of the catheter, the proximal end of the guidewire having connector means for connection to an extension wire for extending the effective length of the guidewire.

Claim 13

A balloon angioplasty catheter comprising: an elongate flexible, tubular shaft having proximal and digital ends, and having a lumen extending through the shaft for communicating fluid and receiving a guidewire; a balloon mounted to the distal end of the shaft, and wherein the interior of the balloon is in communication with said lumen; at least a portion of said lumen being adapted to receive fluid for inflating and deflating the balloon; a guidewire extending through said lumen, a portion of said guidewire extending distally beyond the distal end of the catheter shaft; a sleeve extending about the guidewire along at least the portion of the guidewire extending within the balloon, the sleeve being connected at its distal end to the distal end of the balloon; and means for sealing the portion of the lumen by which the balloon may be inflated and deflated, and including a sealed connection of the proximal end of the sleeve to the guidewire in the distal region to the guidewire, and means for selectively rupturing said sealed connection so as to detach the guidewire and said catheter to replace said catheter.

Claim 14

A balloon angioplasty catheter comprising: an elongate flexible, tubular shaft having proximal and digital ends, and having a lumen extending through the shaft for communicating fluid and receiving a guidewire; a balloon mounted to the distal end of the shaft, and wherein the interior of the balloon is in communication with said lumen; at least a portion of said lumen being adapted to receive fluid for inflating and deflating the balloon; a guidewire extending through said lumen, a portion of said guidewire extending distally beyond the distal end of the catheter shaft; a sleeve extending about the guidewire along at least the portion of the guidewire extending within the balloon, the sleeve being connected at its distal end to the distal end of the balloon; and means for sealing the portion of the lumen by which the balloon may be inflated and deflated, and including a sealed connection of the proximal end of the sleeve to the guidewire in the distal region to the guidewire, and means for selectively rupturing said sealed connection so as to detach the guidewire and said catheter to replace said catheter.

Claim 15

A catheter as defined in claim 12 further comprising: an actuating wire extending along the length of the catheter shaft, the actuating wire having proximal and distal ends, the distal end being integrated into the sealed connection; the proximal end of the actuating wire being exposed at the proximal end of the catheter and being actuable to rupture the sealed connection.

Claim 16

A catheter as defined in claim 13 wherein said actuating wire comprises a pull wire.

Claim 17

A catheter as defined in claim 13 wherein the distal end of the actuating wire is coiled about the shaft of the guidewire within the sealed connection.

Claim 18

A catheter as defined in claim 15 wherein the sealed connection includes an adhesive bond.

Claim 19

A catheter as defined in claim 16 wherein the adhesive bond is adapted to be deteriorated by heat, the actuating wire comprising means for transmitting energy along the catheter shaft to develop heat in the adhesive bond.

Claim 20

A catheter as defined in claim 17 wherein the coil at the distal end of the actuating wire comprises a resistance heater and wherein the actuating wire comprises electrically conductive wire means for operating the resistance heater.

Claim 21

A catheter as defined in claim 12 further comprising: the proximal end of the guidewire being exposed at the proximal end of the catheter, the proximal end of the guidewire having connector means for connection to an extension wire for extending the effective length of the guidewire.

Claim 24

A method as defined in claim 20 further comprising: thereafter advancing a second over-the-wire catheter along the guidewire whereby the guidewire may direct the second catheter to the site of the previous catheter.

Claim 25

A method as defined in claim 20 further comprising: before withdrawing the first catheter, attaching an extension wire to the proximal end of the guidewire whereby the exposed portion of the guidewire and extension wire may define a combined length that is greater than the length of either of the catheters.

Claim 26

A method as defined in claim 20 further comprising: thereafter advancing a second over-the-wire catheter of monorail configuration along the guidewire whereby the guidewire may direct the monorail catheter to the site of the previous catheter.