Fixed-wire dilatation catheter with rotatable balloon assembly

Claim 2

An intravascular catheter, comprising: a) an elongated catheter body with an inner lumen extending therein; b) an expandable member freely rotatably mounted to the catheter body near its distal extremity; c) means for setting the interior of said expandable member in fluid communication with the inner lumen of the catheter body; d) a guide element supported within the catheter which extends through at least part of the interior of the expandable member and out the distal end thereof; e) means for preventing the loss of fluid from within the expandable member's interior; and f) means for preventing longitudinal movement of the guide element relative the catheter.

Claim 3

The intravascular catheter of claim 1 including means disposed between the distal end of the expandable member and the portion of the guide element extending therethrough to allow the passage of gas but preclude the passage of liquid therethrough.

Claim 4

The intravascular catheter of claim 2 wherein the means to allow the passage of gas but preclude the passage of liquid therethrough is a hydrophilic material disposed between the distal end of the expandable member and the guide element which expands sufficiently upon contact with an aqueous based liquid to prevent the passage therethrough of liquid under relatively high pressure.

Claim 5

The intravascular catheter of claim 3 wherein the hydrophilic material which expands upon contact with aqueous based liquid is in porous form.

Claim 6

The intravascular catheter of claim 3 wherein the hydrophilic material is selected from the group consisting of polyacrylamide or high molecular weight polyethylene.

Claim 7

The intravascular catheter of claim 1 comprising means to prevent relative longitudinal movement between the guide element and the distal end of the expandable member.

Claim 8

The intravascular catheter of claim 6 wherein the means to prevent relative longitudinal movement between the guide element and the distal end of the expandable member include at least two radially extending protrusions longitudinally spaced along the exterior of the guide element and an annular bearing affixed to said expandable member which is rotatably mounted about the guide element between two of the radially extending protrusions.

Claim 9

An intravascular catheter, comprising: a) an elongated catheter body with an inner lumen extending therein; b) an expandable member freely rotatably mounted to the catheter body near its distal extremity so as to prevent relative longitudinal movement; c) means for setting the interior of said expandable member in fluid communication with the inner lumen of the catheter body; d) a guide element supported within the catheter which extends through at least part of the interior of the expandable member and out the distal end thereof; e) bearing means to support the distal end of the expandable member about the guide element so as to prevent relative longitudinal movement while allowing free relative rotation therebetween; and f) means for preventing the loss of fluid from within the expandable member's interior out its distal end.

Claim 10

An intravascular catheter, comprising: a) an elongated catheter body with an inner lumen extending therein; b) an expandable member freely rotatably mounted to the catheter body near its distal extremity so as to prevent relative longitudinal movement; c) means for setting the interior of said expandable member in fluid communication with the inner lumen of the catheter body; d) a guide element supported within the catheter which extends through at least part of the interior of the expandable member and out the distal end thereof; e) bearing means to support the distal end of the expandable member about the guide element so as to prevent relative longitudinal movement while allowing free relative rotation therebetween; and f) means for preventing the loss of fluid from within the expandable member's interior out its distal end.

Claim 11

The fixed-wire dilatation catheter, comprising: a) an elongated torquable shaft; which has a main tubular section and a more flexible, relatively short distal tubular section distal to the main tubular section; which has an inner lumen extending through the main and distal tubular sections; and which has at least one inflation port in the distal tubular section in fluid communication with the inner lumen; b) a guide member; which has proximal and distal ends; and which is secured by the proximal end thereof to the distal tubular section of the torquable shaft; c) an inflatable assembly disposed about said torquable shaft so as to be freely rotatable relative thereto, and longitudinally fixed relative thereto; which has proximal and distal ends; which has an inflatable member with an interior in fluid communication with the inflation port; and which has a proximal tubular extension disposed about at least a portion of the distal tubular section of the torquable shaft and at least a portion of the guide element which is in fluid communication with said inflatable member and said inflation port to thereby define an inflation lumen; d) means to allow free relative rotational movement between the inflatable member assembly and the torquable shaft; and e) means for sealing the inflatable assembly about said torquable shaft to prevent loss of inflation fluid from the inflatable assembly upon the inflation of the inflatable member.

Claim 12

The fixed-wire dilatation catheter, comprising: a) an elongated torquable shaft; which has a main tubular section and a more flexible, relatively short distal tubular section distal to the main tubular section; which has an inner lumen extending through the main and distal tubular sections; and which has at least one inflation port in the distal tubular section in fluid communication with the inner lumen; b) a guide member; which has proximal and distal ends; and which is secured by the proximal end thereof to the distal tubular section of the torquable shaft; c) an inflatable assembly disposed about said torquable shaft so as to be freely rotatable relative thereto, and longitudinally fixed relative thereto; which has proximal and distal ends; which has an inflatable member with an interior in fluid communication with the inflation port; and which has a proximal tubular extension disposed about at least a portion of the distal tubular section of the torquable shaft and at least a portion of the guide element which is in fluid communication with said inflatable member and said inflation port to thereby define an inflation lumen; d) means to allow free relative rotational movement between the inflatable member assembly and the torquable shaft; and e) means for sealing the inflatable assembly about said torquable shaft to prevent loss of inflation fluid from the inflatable assembly upon the inflation of the inflatable member.

Claim 13

A fixed-wire dilatation catheter, comprising: a) an elongated torquable shaft which includes a main tubular section and a relatively more flexible distal tubular section; an inner lumen extending through the main and distal tubular sections; and at least one inflation port in the distal tubular section which sets said tubular section's exterior into fluid communication with the inner lumen; b) a guide member which has proximal and distal ends, and which is secured by its proximal end to the distal tubular section of the torquable shaft; and c) a balloon assembly which includes: a tubular extension having a proximal end and a distal end, and which is disposed about at least a portion of the distal tubular section of the torquable shaft and at least a portion of the guide member such that the interior of said tubular extension is in fluid communication with said inner lumen via said inflation port; means for rotatably attaching the proximal end of said tubular extension to said elongated torquable shaft so as to allow free rotation therebetween; means for sealing between said tubular extension and said torquable shaft allowing free rotation therebetween an inflatable balloon, having a proximal end and a distal end, and which is disposed about said guide member, its proximal end being affixed to said tubular extension and in fluid communication therewith; means for rotatably attaching the distal end of said balloon to said guide member so as to allow free rotation therebetween; and means for sealing between the distal end of said balloon and said guide member allowing free rotation therebetween whereby the balloon assembly is freely rotatable about the torquable shaft and guide member.

Claim 14

A fixed-wire dilatation catheter, comprising: a) an elongated torquable shaft which includes a main tubular section and a relatively more flexible distal tubular section; an inner lumen extending through the main and distal tubular sections; and at least one inflation port in the distal tubular section which sets said tubular section's exterior into fluid communication with the inner lumen; b) a guide member which has proximal and distal ends, and which is secured by its proximal end to the distal tubular section of the torquable shaft; and c) a balloon assembly which includes: a tubular extension having a proximal end and a distal end, and which is disposed about at least a portion of the distal tubular section of the torquable shaft and at least a portion of the guide member such that the interior of said tubular extension is in fluid communication with said inner lumen via said inflation port; means for rotatably attaching the proximal end of said tubular extension to said elongated torquable shaft so as to allow free rotation therebetween; means for sealing between said tubular extension and said torquable shaft allowing free rotation therebetween an inflatable balloon, having a proximal end and a distal end, and which is disposed about said guide member, its proximal end being affixed to said tubular extension and in fluid communication therewith; means for rotatably attaching the distal end of said balloon to said guide member so as to allow free rotation therebetween; and means for sealing between the distal end of said balloon and said guide member allowing free rotation therebetween whereby the balloon assembly is freely rotatable about the torquable shaft and guide member.

Claim 15

The fixed-wire dilatation catheter of claim 10 wherein the means for rotatably attaching the tubular extension to said elongated shaft includes an annular bearing which is secured to the inside of the tubular extension of the balloon assembly and is rotatably disposed about the distal tubular section.

Claim 16

The fixed-wire dilatation catheter of claim 11 further comprising means to prevent relative longitudinal movement between the annular bearing and the distal tubular section of the torquable shaft.

Claim 17

The fixed-wire dilatation catheter of claim 12 wherein the longitudinal movement preventing means include radially extending protrusions longitudinally spaced along the exterior of the distal tubular section of the torquable shaft.

Claim 18

The fixed-wire dilatation catheter of claim 13 wherein said annular bearing is rotatably mounted about the distal tubular section between said radially extending protrusions that are longitudinally spaced along the exterior of the distal tubular section of the torquable shaft.

Claim 19

The fixed-wire dilatation catheter of claim 10 wherein a portion of said guide member extends out the distal end of the balloon assembly and wherein a flexible body is disposed about and secured thereto.

Claim 20

The fixed wire dilatation catheter of claim 15 wherein said flexible body has a distal end and wherein a rounded plug is formed in said distal end.

Claim 21

The fixed-wire dilatation catheter of claim 16 wherein a shaping ribbon having proximal and distal ends is secured at the proximal end thereof to the guide member and at the distal end thereof to the rounded plug.

Claim 22

The fixed-wire dilatation catheter of claim 17 wherein the shaping ribbon is formed of a metal selected from the group consisting of tungsten, rhenium, and alloys thereof and stainless steel.

Claim 23

The fixed-wire dilatation catheter of claim 15 wherein the flexible body is a helical coil.

Claim 24

The fixed-wire dilatation catheter of claim 19 wherein a distal portion of the coil is formed of radiopaque material.

Claim 25

The fixed-wire dilatation catheter of claim 15 wherein the flexible body is a helical coil or an elongated body of flexible plastic.

Claim 26

The fixed-wire dilatation catheter of claim 16 wherein the distal end of the guide member is secured to the rounded plug.

Claim 27

The fixed-wire dilatation catheter of claim 16 wherein the distal end of the guide member terminates short of the rounded plug.

Claim 28

The fixed-wire dilatation catheter of claim 15 wherein said flexible body has a distal end and wherein the distal end of the guide member is secured to the flexible body at an intermediate location proximal to the distal end thereof.

Claim 29

The fixed-wire dilatation catheter of claim 10 including means to vent air from the interior of the balloon displaced during the inflation of the balloon with inflating liquid.

Claim 30

The fixed-wire dilatation catheter of claim 25 wherein the venting means includes hydrophilic material disposed between the distal end of the balloon and the guide member which expands sufficiently upon contact with an aqueous based liquid to prevent the passage therethrough of liquid under relatively high pressure.

Claim 31

The fixed-wire dilatation catheter of claim 26 wherein the hydrophilic material is formed of polyacrylamide or high molecular weight polyethylene.

Claim 32

The fixed-wire dilatation catheter of claim 26 wherein the tubular extension is formed of polyimide.

Claim 33

The fixed-wire dilatation catheter of claim 10 wherein the means for sealingly between the distal end of the balloon and the guide member prevents the loss of fluid but allows the passage of air therethrough.

Claim 34

The fixed-wire dilatation catheter of claim 29 wherein the means for sealingly attaching the distal end of the balloon and the guide member include a porous body which swells upon contact with an aqueous liquid.

Claim 35

The fixed-wire dilatation catheter of claim 29 wherein the means for sealing between the distal end of the balloon and the guide member extending therethrough is secured to the inside of the distal end of the balloon.

Claim 36

The fixed-wire dilatation catheter of claim 10 wherein the main tubular section of the torquable member is formed of metal and is relatively flexible with respect to lateral loads but relatively rigid with respect to torque loads.

Claim 37

The fixed-wire dilatation catheter of claim 32 wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of stainless steel and a nickel-titanium alloy having superelastic properties.

Claim 38

The fixed-wire dilatation catheter of claim 10 wherein the outer diameter of the main tubular section is less than 0.02 inch.

Claim 39

The fixed-wire dilatation catheter of claim 10 wherein the balloon is formed from a plastic material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, nylon, polyimide, polyvinyl chloride and polyurethane.

Claim 40

The fixed-wire dilatation catheter of claim 10 wherein torque means is secured to the main tubular section at or near the proximal end thereof.

Claim 41

The fixed-wire dilatation catheter of claim 10 wherein a removable hub is secured to the proximal end of the main tubular section.

Claim 42

The fixed-wire dilatation catheter of claim 10 wherein the guide member extends through the interior of the balloon and the distal end of the balloon is sealed about the distal end of the guide member.

Claim 43

The fixed-wire dilatation catheter of claim 10 wherein the tubular extension has a wall thickness of less than 0.002 inch.

Claim 44

The fixed-wire dilatation catheter of claim 10 wherein said balloon is formed from a tube of polyethylene terephthalate material having an intrinsic viscosity of less than 1.