Variable stiffness angioplasty catheter
US4976690A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 22, 1990 |
| Grant date | Dec 11, 1990 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 22, 2010 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61M2025/1079
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An improved vascular catheter for angioplasty providing a variable stiffness lengthwise of the catheter. A relatively stiff shaft portion is provided for transmitting the necessary axial forces for advancing the catheter along a guide wire through a series of sharp bend to the arterial branch for dilatation, and a more flexible waist portion connects from the shaft to the balloon and tip portion. This allows the tip and balloon portions to follow sharply bending turns in the guide wire without the shaft portion tending to push the tip beyond a branch or dislodge the guide wire. A set of such catheters may be provided for a surgical procedure, having varying lengths of the waist portion according to the circumstances of the case. If a sharp turn is encountered that cannot be tracked, the catheter can be withdrawn leaving the guide wire in place, and another catheter of the set having a longer waist portion can be inserted to successfully follow the turn.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.