U.S. patent application number 10/277719 was filed with the patent office on 2003-03-27 for flexible catheter.
Invention is credited to Domingo, Juan T., Kim, Isaac J., Omaleki, Samuel L..
Application Number | 20030060802 10/277719 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 22960907 |
Filed Date | 2003-03-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030060802 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Omaleki, Samuel L. ; et
al. |
March 27, 2003 |
Flexible catheter
Abstract
A balloon catheter having improved flexibility in and about its
distal end is provided. The flexibility of the catheter is
determined in part by improving the properties of a wire or
catheter located within the area where the balloon is mounted. In
one aspect of the present invention, connecting wires extend
through the balloon from the distal end of a catheter body to the
proximal end of a core wire. The core wire extends distally away
from the connecting wires and the catheter body. In another aspect
of the present invention, a core wire is provided having a proximal
end extending within the balloon into the catheter tubular body but
is not mounted therein. This allows the proximal end of the core
wire to "float" within the tubular body, such that when the
catheter is advanced through the vasculature of a patient, the core
wire may move longitudinally within the tubular body. In another
aspect of the present invention, the balloon is mounted over a
tubular body which is configured to give the catheter longitudinal
flexibility.
Inventors: |
Omaleki, Samuel L.; (Morgan
Hill, CA) ; Kim, Isaac J.; (San Jose, CA) ;
Domingo, Juan T.; (Union City, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
KNOBBE MARTENS OLSON & BEAR LLP
2040 MAIN STREET
FOURTEENTH FLOOR
IRVINE
CA
92614
US
|
Family ID: |
22960907 |
Appl. No.: |
10/277719 |
Filed: |
October 21, 2002 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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10277719 |
Oct 21, 2002 |
|
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09253591 |
Feb 22, 1999 |
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6500147 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
604/528 ;
600/434; 604/95.04; 606/194 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61M 25/09 20130101;
A61M 2025/1093 20130101; A61M 2025/1079 20130101; A61M 2025/09008
20130101; A61M 25/09033 20130101; A61M 2025/0098 20130101; A61M
2025/09183 20130101; A61M 25/104 20130101; A61M 25/0054
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
604/528 ;
600/434; 604/95.04; 606/194 |
International
Class: |
A61M 031/00 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A catheter, comprising: an elongate body having a proximal end
and a distal end; at least one connecting wire, the wire having a
proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end of the wire being
mounted to the distal end of the elongate body and the distal end
of the wire extending past the distal end of the elongate body; and
a core wire having a proximal end connected to the distal end of
the at least one connecting wire and extending distally
therefrom.
2. The catheter of claim 1, further comprising an expandable member
having a proximal end mounted to the distal end of the elongate
body and a distal end surrounding a proximal portion of the core
wire.
3. The catheter of claim 1, wherein two connecting wires connect
the elongate body to the proximal end of the core wire.
4. The catheter of claim 1, further comprising a first coil
extending from the distal end of the elongate body and surrounding
the at least one connecting wire.
5. The catheter of claim 4, further comprising a second coil
extending distally from the first coil and surrounding the core
wire.
6. A catheter, comprising: an elongate tubular body having a
proximal end and a distal end and a lumen extending therethrough;
an expandable member mounted over the distal end of the tubular
body; a core wire lying along substantially the same longitudinal
axis as the tubular body, the core wire having a proximal end and a
distal end, the proximal end of the core wire being distally spaced
from the distal end of the tubular body outside of the lumen; and a
plurality of connecting wires connecting the distal end of the
tubular body to the core wire.
7. The catheter of claim 6, wherein the connecting wires converge
distally from the tubular body to the core wire.
8. The catheter of claim 6, wherein each of the connecting wires
has flattened ends.
9. The catheter of claim 6, further comprising at least one coil
extending from the distal end of the tubular body within the
expandable member.
10. The catheter of claim 9, wherein the expandable member has a
proximal end mounted over the distal end of the tubular body and a
distal end mounted over the coil.
11. The catheter of claim 10, wherein the proximal end of the core
wire is positioned within the expandable member.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a divisional of U.S. application Ser.
No. 09/253,591, filed Feb. 22, 1999.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] This application relates to medical catheters for use in
intravascular procedures, and more particularly, to a catheter
having improved flexibility at its distal end.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] Medical catheters such as balloon catheters have been proven
efficacious in treating a wide variety of blood vessel disorders.
Moreover, these types of catheters have permitted clinicians to
treat disorders with minimally invasive procedures that, in the
past, would have required complex and perhaps life-threatening
surgeries. For example, balloon angioplasty is now a common
procedure to alleviate stenotic lesions (i.e., clogged arteries) in
blood vessels, thereby reducing the need for heart bypass
operations.
[0006] Because medical catheters must be passed through a tortuous
blood vessel network to reach the intended treatment site, it is
desirable that the catheter be fairly flexible, especially at the
distal end. However, the distal end must not be so flexible that it
tends to bend back upon itself when the clinician advances the
catheter distal end through the patient.
[0007] One method of imparting desired flexibility characteristics
to a catheter has been to incorporate a "core wire" into the distal
end of the catheter. A core wire is a wire that extends from the
distal end of the catheter body, providing structural support to
the distal end to prevent prolapse, bend backs or kinks during
catheter advancement. Furthermore, the core wire is also flexible,
such that the catheter's distal end may navigate tortuous blood
vessel networks or other body cavities.
[0008] However, conventional core wires often do not offer an ideal
flexibility profile for the distal end of a catheter. For instance,
when a core wire is mounted inside the distal end of a catheter
body, because the catheter body is relatively rigid compared to the
relatively flexible core wire, an abrupt transition in flexibility
is produced between the core wire and the catheter body. This
transition is undesirable because when the catheter is advanced
through a tortuous pathway, the catheter may experience a sharp
bend at the transition point. This makes it difficult for the
catheter to navigate the vessel and increases the likelihood of
damage to the vessel.
[0009] Moreover, a catheter carrying a balloon or other expandable
member on its distal end experiences particular problems related to
the flexibility profile of the device. For instance, with many
balloon catheters, the transition in flexibility between the
catheter portion carrying the balloon and the wire extending past
the distal end of the balloon is often too abrupt, leading to the
problem that when the catheter is advanced through a blood vessel,
the flexible wire is capable of navigating blood vessel turns, but
the stiffer portion where the balloon is located cannot. This
causes stabbing of the balloon into the walls of the vessel during
navigation of tight turns.
[0010] Problems also arise in these devices with regard to the
dimensional range of the balloon. Balloons mounted on the distal
end of the catheters have a tendency to expand not only radially
but also longitudinally upon inflation. Depending on the balloon
material used, the balloon length may expand minimally (e.g.,
polyethylene terephthalate) or extensively (e.g., latex or C-Flex).
For example, an unmounted C-Flex balloon with a length of about 9
mm has been found to expand longitudinally anywhere from 2 to 20 mm
upon inflation. Thus, when the catheters and/or core wires to which
these balloons are mounted are too rigid, inflation of the balloon
may cause bowing of the catheter and/or core wire and other
undesired effects.
[0011] Furthermore, balloon centering and rupture are also affected
by the flexibility profile of the catheter. In particular, when
balloon expansion is limited by the rigidity of the catheter and/or
core wire, the balloon cannot uniformly expand. This causes an
uneven distribution of stresses within the balloon which causes the
balloon to become poorly centered. Moreover, the uneven
distribution of stresses can create stress concentration points
leading to diminished fatigue life and ultimately quicker balloon
failure.
[0012] Accordingly, what is needed is an improved balloon catheter
offering desired flexibility characteristics around and within the
balloon to improve balloon range, centering and rupture properties.
What is also needed is a catheter having improved flexibility to
exhibit a better transition from the proximal end to the distal end
of the catheter.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0013] The present invention solves the needs described above by
providing a catheter having an improved flexibility profile in and
about its distal end. In particular, for a catheter carrying a
balloon on its distal end, the preferred embodiments of the present
invention improve the transition and flexibility of the catheter in
and around the area where the balloon is mounted. In one aspect of
the present invention, a catheter is provided comprising an
elongate body having a proximal end and a distal end. At least one
connecting wire having a proximal end and a distal end is provided,
the proximal end of the wire being mounted to the distal end of the
elongate body and the distal end of the wire extending past the
distal end of the elongate body. A core wire is provided having a
proximal end connected to the distal end of the connecting wire and
extending distally therefrom. In one embodiment, because the core
wire is not directly attached to the catheter body, a transition
region is provided between the catheter body and the core wire to
give the catheter a gradually increasing flexibility.
[0014] In another aspect of the present invention, a medical device
is provided comprising an elongate body having a proximal end and a
distal end. An expandable member is mounted to the distal end of
the elongate body. A core wire is provided lying along
substantially the same longitudinal axis as the elongate body, the
core wire having a proximal end and a distal end. The proximal end
of the core wire is located within the expandable member and is
spaced distally from the distal end of the elongate body. Means are
provided for connecting the elongate body to the core wire.
[0015] In another aspect of the present invention, a balloon
catheter is provided comprising an elongate tubular body having a
proximal end and a distal end and a lumen extending therethrough.
An inflatable balloon is mounted over the distal end of the tubular
body. A core wire lies along substantially the same longitudinal
axis as the tubular body, the core wire having a proximal end and a
distal end. The proximal end of the core wire is distally spaced
from the distal end of the tubular body outside of the lumen. A
plurality of connecting wires connects the distal end of the
tubular body to the core wire.
[0016] In another aspect of the present invention, a catheter is
provided comprising an elongate tubular body having a proximal end
and a distal end and a lumen extending therethrough. A core wire
having a proximal end and a distal end is provided, wherein the
proximal end of the core wire extends into the lumen of the tubular
body and the distal end extends distally away from the tubular
body. A portion of the core wire is positioned coaxially inside the
lumen to create an annular space between the core wire and the
tubular body. The annular space extends around the core wire over
the entire length of that portion of the core wire inside the
lumen. An expandable member is provided having a proximal end
mounted over the distal end of the tubular body and a distal end
mounted over the core wire distal to the tubular body.
[0017] This embodiment in effect allows the proximal end to "float"
within the tubular body, such that when the catheter is advanced
through the vasculature of a patient, the core wire may move
longitudinally within the tubular body. This longitudinal movement
creates the effect that the catheter is gradually increasing in
flexibility between the tubular body and the core wire, because
when the distal end of the catheter bends, the core wire moves
distally out of the catheter to make the bend more gradual.
Furthermore, when a balloon or other expandable device is mounted
between the tubular body and the core wire, the longitudinal
movement allowed by the floating core wire further accommodates any
longitudinal expansion by the balloon or expandable device upon
actuation.
[0018] In another aspect of the present invention, a catheter is
provided comprising an elongate tubular body having a proximal end
and a distal end and a lumen extending therethrough. A core wire
having a proximal end and a distal end is provided, the proximal
end of the core wire extending into the lumen at the distal end but
remaining unattached thereto. A flexible member connects the
tubular body to the core wire.
[0019] In another aspect of the present invention, a catheter is
provided comprising an elongate tubular body having a proximal
section and a distal section and a lumen extending therethrough. An
expandable member is mounted to the distal section. The distal
section is configured to axially expand in response to expansion of
the expandable member.
[0020] In another aspect of the present invention, a catheter is
provided comprising an elongate tubular body having a proximal end
and a distal end and a lumen extending therethrough. An expandable
member is mounted to the distal end of the tubular body. The
tubular body has a coiled section that extends at least partially
within the expandable member to provide the tubular body with
longitudinal flexibility upon actuation of the expandable
member.
[0021] In another aspect of the present invention, a catheter is
provided comprising an elongate body having a proximal end and a
distal end. An expandable member is mounted to the distal end. The
elongate body receives cuts at least partially proximal to the
expandable member.
[0022] In another aspect of the present invention, a catheter is
provided comprising an elongate assembly having a distal portion. A
balloon is mounted on the distal portion of the elongate assembly,
the balloon being comprised of a sheet material attached to the
elongate assembly at spaced locations such that the sheet material
between the spaced locations expands outwardly in response to
inflation pressure to inflate the balloon. The elongate assembly is
axially expandable between the spaced locations to accommodate
changes in the balloon shape as the balloon is inflated, whereby
stresses in the balloon are reduced.
[0023] In another aspect of the present invention, a method is
provided, comprising providing a catheter comprised of an elongate
assembly having a balloon thereon. The balloon is inflated in a
body lumen. A portion of the elongate assembly is axially elongated
within the balloon during inflation of the balloon to reduce
stresses on the balloon material.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0024] FIG. 1 is a side view of a balloon catheter of the present
invention.
[0025] FIG. 2 illustrates a syringe assembly operably coupled to an
inflation adapter at a proximal portion of a balloon catheter.
[0026] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the catheter valve and
balloon catheter of FIG. 2 placed within an open inflation
adapter.
[0027] FIGS. 4A and 4B show the open and closed low profile
catheter valve positions, respectively.
[0028] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of one preferred aspect of
the distal end of a balloon catheter, more particularly showing a
core wire attached to a tubular body through two connecting
wires.
[0029] FIGS. 6A, 6B and 6C are cross-sectional views of the
catheter shown in FIG. 5, along lines 6A-6A, 6B-6B, and 6C-6C,
respectively.
[0030] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of another preferred aspect
of the distal end of a balloon catheter, more particularly showing
a floating core wire within the catheter tubular body.
[0031] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment
of the catheter shown in FIG. 7.
[0032] FIGS. 9A and 9B are cross-sectional views of a catheter
having a core wire mounted at its proximal end to an adapter and at
its distal end to an inflation balloon.
[0033] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the balloon and core
wire of FIG. 9A, with the balloon shown in an inflated state
exhibiting bowing.
[0034] FIG. 11A is a cross-sectional view of a catheter carrying an
uninflated balloon on its distal end and having a floating core
wire extending therethrough.
[0035] FIG. 11B is a cross-sectional view of the catheter in FIG.
11A, showing the balloon inflated.
[0036] FIG. 12A is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the proximal
end of the catheter shown in FIG. 1A.
[0037] FIG. 12B is a cross-sectional view of the proximal end of
the catheter of FIG. 12A through line 12B-12B.
[0038] FIG. 13A is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the
distal end of a balloon catheter having a longitudinally flexible
hypotube.
[0039] FIG. 13B is an enlarged view of the proximal end of the
balloon of FIG. 13A.
[0040] FIG. 14 is a side view of a coiled hypotube having a
constant ribbon width and pitch.
[0041] FIG. 15A is a cross-sectional view of a balloon catheter
having a longitudinally flexible hypotube with a variable cut
depth.
[0042] FIG. 15B is an enlarged view of the proximal end of the
balloon of FIG. 15A.
[0043] FIGS. 16A-16D are side views of the core wire inserted into
the hypotube of FIG. 13A or FIG. 15A.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0044] The preferred embodiments of the present invention depict
balloon catheters having improved flexibility especially in and
around the area of the balloon. Although the embodiments are
depicted and discussed in the context of being part of a simple
occlusive device having a single lumen, it should be appreciated
that the principles and aspects of these embodiments are applicable
to more complex occlusive devices having structures and
functionalities not discussed herein. For example, the present
inventors contemplate that the embodiments described herein may be
used in occlusive devices functioning as anchorable guidewires or
filters. In addition, the embodiments are also applicable to
catheters having balloons such as latex or silicone, or to
catheters used for dilatation balloons made of materials such as
polyethylene terephthalate. Moreover, the embodiments may also be
adapted to other types of non-balloon catheters, such as irrigation
catheters used in drug delivery or radiation therapy, or catheters
carrying other types of expandable members, such as filters and
meshes. The tip design of the catheter can also be applicable to
ordinary guidewires. Thus, the guidewire may be hollow or solid.
The manner of adapting the embodiments described herein to these
various structures and functionalities will become apparent to
those of skill in the art in view of the description which
follows.
[0045] I. Overview of Occlusion System
[0046] A. Occlusion Balloon Guidewire
[0047] The preferred embodiments of the present invention relate to
the use an occlusion balloon/guidewire such as generally
illustrated in FIG. 1. These guidewires or catheters perform the
function of occluding a vessel and allowing for the slidable
insertion or advancement of various other catheters and devices.
The term "catheter" as used herein is therefore intended to include
both guidewires and catheters with these desired characteristics.
The term "occlusion" refers to both partial or total occlusion of a
vessel.
[0048] As shown in FIG. 1, catheter 110 generally comprises an
elongate flexible tubular body 112 extending between a proximal
control end 114, corresponding to a proximal section of the tubular
body 112, and a distal functional end 116, corresponding to a
distal section of tubular body 112. Tubular body 112 has a central
lumen 118 which extends between ends 114 and 116. An inflation port
120 is provided on tubular body 112 near the proximal end 114.
Inflation port 120 is in fluid communication with lumen 118 such
that fluid passing through inflation port 120 into or out of lumen
118 may be used to inflate or deflate an inflatable balloon 122 in
communication with lumen 118. Inflation port 120 may be similar to
existing female luer lock adapters or would be a removable valve at
the end. Further details are disclosed in assignee's co-pending
application entitled LOW PROFILE CATHETER VALVE AND INFLATION
ADAPTER, application Ser. No. 08/975,723, filed Nov. 20, 1997, now
U.S. Pat. No. 6,050,972, the entirety of which is hereby
incorporated by reference.
[0049] The length of tubular body 112 may be varied considerably
depending on the desired application. For example, when catheter
110 serves as a guidewire for other catheters in a conventional
percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty procedure involving
femoral artery access, tubular body 112 is comprised of a hollow
hypotube having a length in the range from about 160 to about 320
centimeters, with a length of about 180 centimeters being optimal
for a single operator device, or 300 centimeters for over the wire
applications. Alternatively, for a different treatment procedure
not requiring as long a length of tubular body 112, shorter lengths
of tubular body 112 may be provided.
[0050] Tubular body 112 generally has a circular cross-sectional
configuration with an outer diameter within the range from about
0.008 inches to 0.14 inches. In applications where catheter 110 is
to be used as a guidewire for other catheters, the outer diameter
of tubular body 112 ranges from 0.010 inches to 0.038 inches and
preferably is about 0.014 to 0.020 inches in outer diameter or
smaller. Noncircular cross-sectional configurations of lumen 118
can also be adapted for use with the catheter 110. For example,
triangular, rectangular, oval and other noncircular cross-sectional
configurations are also easily incorporated for use with the
present invention, as will be appreciated by those of skill in the
art. The tubular body 112 may also have variable cross-sections, as
described in further detail below.
[0051] Tubular body 112 has sufficient structural integrity or
"pushability" to permit catheter 110 to be advanced through the
vasculature of a patient to distal arterial locations without
buckling or undesirable kinking of tubular body 112. It is also
desirable for tubular body 112 to have the ability to transmit
torque such as in those embodiments where it may be desirable to
rotate tubular body 112 after insertion into a patient. A variety
of biocompatible materials known by those of skill in the art to
possess these properties and to be suitable for catheter
manufacture may be used to produce tubular body 112. For example,
tubular body 112 may be made of a stainless steel material such as
ELGILOY.TM., or may be made of polymeric material such as PEEK,
nylon, polyimide, polyamide, polyethylene or combinations thereof.
In one preferred embodiment, the desired properties of structural
integrity and torque transmission are achieved by forming tubular
body 112 out of an alloy of titanium and nickel, commonly referred
to as nitinol. In a more preferred embodiment, the nitinol alloy
used to form tubular body 112 is comprised of about 50.8% nickel
and the balance titanium, which is sold under the trade name
TINEL.TM. by Memry Corporation. It has been found that a catheter
tubular body having this composition of nickel and titanium
exhibits an improved combination of flexibility and kink resistance
in comparison to other materials. Other details regarding
construction of catheter 110 may be found in assignee's copending
applications entitled HOLLOW MEDICAL WIRES AND METHODS OF
CONSTRUCTING SAME, application Ser. No. 08/812,876, filed Mar. 6,
1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,068,623, and SHAFT FOR MEDICAL CATHETERS,
application Ser. No. 09/026,105, filed Feb. 19, 1998, now U.S. Pat.
No. 6,228,072, both of which are hereby incorporated by reference
in their entirety.
[0052] As illustrated in FIG. 1, an expandable member such as
inflatable balloon 122 is mounted on the distal end 116 of tubular
body 112. In one preferred embodiment, balloon 122 is a compliant
balloon formed of a material comprising a block polymer of
styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene (SEBS), as disclosed in
assignee's copending application entitled BALLOON CATHETER AND
METHOD OF MANUFACTURE, application Ser. No. 09/026,225, filed on
Feb. 19, 1998, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by
reference. Balloon 122 may be secured to tubular body 112 by any
means known to those skilled in the art, such as adhesives or heat
bonding as described in further detail below. The balloon 122
described in the preferred embodiments has a length of about 5 to 9
mm. Other expandable members are suitable for the catheter 110,
such as those disclosed in assignee's copending application
entitled OCCLUSION OF A VESSEL, application Ser. No. 09/026,106,
filed Feb. 19, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,312,407, the entirety of
which is hereby incorporated by reference.
[0053] B. Overview of Balloon Inflation/Deflation
[0054] FIGS. 2-4 illustrate the inflation/deflation of the
occlusion balloon guidewire catheter shown in FIG. 1. As shown in
FIG. 2, a syringe assembly 32 is connected to the occlusion balloon
guidewire catheter 110 utilizing an inflation adapter 34. The
syringe assembly 32, comprising the inflation syringe 36 and a
larger capacity or reservoir syringe 38, is attached via tubing 40
to the inflation adapter 34 within which a low profile catheter
valve 42 and the balloon catheter 110 are engaged during use.
[0055] The catheter valve 42, described in more detail below in
connection with FIGS. 4A and 4B, is attached to an open proximal
end of the catheter 110. The syringe 36 is used to inject inflation
fluid through the adapter 34 and valve 42 into the lumen 118 of the
hollow catheter 110, and into the balloon 122. The inflation
adapter 34, described in more detail below in connection with FIG.
3, is used to open and close the valve 42 to regulate the inflation
of the balloon 122 mounted on the distal end of the catheter
110.
[0056] More particularly, the balloon guidewire catheter 110 has a
low profile catheter valve 42 attached to its proximal end having a
side-access inflation port 120, shown in greater detail in FIGS. 4A
and 4B. The inflation port 120, proximal end of the catheter 110
and distal end of the valve 42 are positioned within the inflation
adapter 34 (see FIG. 3) to which syringe assembly 32 has been
operably coupled. The inflation syringe 36 is coupled via an
injection cap 44 at its distal end to a valve 46 that also connects
the large capacity syringe 38 and a short tube segment 40. The tube
segment 40 is adapted to connect to a fitting or male luer member
48 of the inflation adapter 34. Thus, the valve 42 is opened and
closed by the adapter 34 to allow use of the low volume syringe 36
of the syringe assembly 32 to inflate the balloon 122 at the end of
the catheter 110. Preferably, the low profile catheter valve 42 is
as described in the above-referenced application LOW PROFILE
CATHETER VALVE AND INFLATION ADAPTER, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,050,972,
the entirety of which is incorporated by reference. It will be
apparent especially from FIGS. 4A and 4B that the valve 42 is
considered "low profile" since it is no larger in cross-sectional
diameter than the catheter 110 itself.
[0057] Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the inflation adapter 34
comprises a housing having two halves 50, 52 preferably formed of
metal, medical grade polycarbonate, or the like. The halves 50, 52
are attached by hinges 54 to be separated or joined in a clam shell
manner. A locking clip 56 secures the halves while the adapter 34
is in use. A groove within the housing has a width to accept the
proximal end 58 of the catheter 110 having the low profile valve
42. The male luer member 48 (FIG. 2), or other suitable connector,
extends from a top of the housing to provide an inflation
passageway. Seals 60 are provided within the housing and around the
internal segment 62 of the inflation pathway to conduct the
pressurized fluid provided by the syringe 36 attached to the male
luer member 48.
[0058] In one embodiment shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the low profile
catheter valve 42 comprises a movable sealer portion 64 attached at
a distal end of a wire segment 66 and positioned within an
inflation lumen 118 of the guidewire catheter 110. The wire 66 may
be secured to a spring just within a proximal opening of the
catheter 110. It will be noted that various spring or biasing
arrangements may be utilized, including a zig-zag wire 68 which is
formed on or replaces the wire segment and which provides biasing
force to the sealer portion 64 due to frictional engagement with
the walls of the lumen 118. The sealer portion 64 forms a fluid
tight seal with the inflation lumen 118 by firmly contacting the
entire circumference of a section of the inflation lumen 118. The
sealer portion 64 may be positioned proximally of the side-access
inflation port 120 on the catheter to establish an unrestricted
fluid pathway between the inflation port 120 and the inflatable
balloon 122 on the distal end. As desired, the clinician may move
the sealer portion to a position at, or distal of, the inflation
port, thereby preventing any fluid from being introduced into or
withdrawn from the balloon 122 via the inflation port 120.
[0059] An actuator 70, shown in FIG. 2 at the top of the adapter
housing, controls a cam which operates sliding panels 72 (FIG. 3)
contained in the housing. Preferably, the catheter 110 is
positioned within the housing with the valve closed (FIG. 4B), such
that the side inflation port 120 is located in the sealed inflation
area 62 of the housing. It should also be appreciated that an
adapter may be provided wherein the catheter 110 is positioned in
the second half 52 of the adapter. An adjacent proximal portion of
the catheter extends outside the housing (and the patient), and a
proximal portion 58 of the catheter valve 42 extends out of the
other side of the housing. The locking clip 56 is then secured and
then the syringe 36 may be attached. The actuator 70 is moved from
a first position to a second position, such that the sliding panels
72 within the housing cause the valve to be in an open position to
allow fluid flow through the inflation port 120 (FIG. 4A). Closing
the valve is accomplished by moving the actuator 70 from the second
position back to the first position (FIG. 4B), such that the
balloon inflation is maintained.
[0060] Other inflation adapter/inflation syringe assemblies may
also be used. For instance, the adapter 34 can have additional
features, such as a safety lock provided on the actuator knob 70 to
prevent accidental opening when the adapter is being used and the
catheter valve is open. In addition, the adapter can be provided
with an overdrive system to overdrive a sealing member into a
catheter. Details of these features and other inflation assemblies
may be found in assignee's copending applications LOW PROFILE
CATHETER VALVE AND INFLATION ADAPTER, application Ser. No.
08/975,723, filed Nov. 20, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,050,972,
SYRINGE AND METHOD FOR INFLATING LOW PROFILE CATHETER BALLOONS,
application Ser. No. 09/025,991, filed Feb. 19, 1998, and LOW
VOLUME SYRINGE AND METHOD OF INFLATING SURGICAL BALLOONS,
application Ser. No. 09/195,796, filed Nov. 20, 1998, all of which
are incorporated by reference in their entirety.
[0061] II. Balloon Catheter With Connecting Wires
[0062] FIG. 5 depicts a cross-sectional view of the distal portion
of a balloon catheter 110 in one preferred aspect of the present
invention, using the same reference numbers as in FIG. 1 for like
components. This distal portion of the catheter generally comprises
a balloon 122 mounted on the distal end 116 of tubular body 112,
connecting wires 124, 126 mounted inside the balloon 122 to the
distal end 116 of the tubular body 112 and extending distally
therefrom, and a core wire 128 lying in substantially the same
longitudinal axis as the tubular body and having a proximal end
distally spaced from the distal end 116 of the tubular body outside
the lumen 118. Coils 130, 132 surround the connecting wires and the
core wire, respectively.
[0063] More particularly, at the distal end 116 of the tubular body
112, connecting wires are attached to the tubular body 112 and
extend beyond the distal end. These wires may be attached either to
the outside of the tubular body 112 or inside the lumen 118, by
using adhesives, soldering, brazing, welding, or any other means
known to those of skill in the art. Preferably, as shown in FIGS. 5
and 6A, two connecting wires 124, 126 are attached at their
proximal ends 124A, 126A, respectively, to opposite sides of the
outer wall of tubular body 112. These wires are preferably made of
a metallic material, and more preferably are made of a material
such as nitinol. Each wire preferably has a diameter of about 0.003
to 0.010 inches, and more preferably about 0.005 inches. The
proximal ends 124A and 126A are preferably flattened as shown in
FIG. 6A to form a better attachment with tubular body 112.
[0064] The connecting wires 124, 126 are illustrated as being
substantially round over most of their length. The present
inventors also contemplate that other shapes may be used. For
instance, the wires 124, 126 may be ribbons having a substantially
flattened configuration throughout.
[0065] Furthermore, it is not essential that two wires be used to
connect the tubular body to the core wire. Thus, the core wire may
be connected to the distal end of the tubular body through only one
wire, or through three or more wires as well. Moreover, it is also
contemplated that different means may be used to connect the
tubular body to the core wire, such as through coils 130 and 132
alone, or by the balloon 122 itself.
[0066] As illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6B, the two wires 124, 126
extend beyond the distal end of tubular body 112 for a length
corresponding approximately to the length of the balloon 122. In
FIG. 5, where the balloon 122 has a working length of about 5 mm,
the wires 124, 126 extend in a longitudinal direction over a length
of about 5 mm. These wires converge at their distal ends 124B, 126B
near the distal end of balloon 122, where they are attached to core
wire 128. At the connection point with the core wire 128, the wires
124, 126 are preferably attached at opposite sides of the proximal
end 128A of the core wire and are preferably flattened at ends
124B, 126B, shown in FIG. 6C, in order to form a better connection
to the core wire. The connection between the wires 124, 126 and
core wire 128 is preferably made by adhesives, soldering, or a
combination of the two.
[0067] The core wire 128 shown in FIG. 5 extends from a proximal
end 128A at the attachment point of the core wire to the connecting
wires to a distal end 128B. The proximal end 128A of the core wire
128 is preferably located within the interior of balloon 122 and
near balloon distal end 122B. The core wire 128 may range in length
from about 10 to 200 mm, more preferably from about 25 to 50 mm,
and for most occlusive device applications, is typically about 35
mm. In the illustrated embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the length of
the core wire 128 is about 30 mm, and has a diameter of about 0.007
inches. The core wire is preferably formed of a shape memory alloy
such as nitinol, but may also be formed from other materials such
as stainless steel. Other details regarding construction and design
of the core wire may be found in assignee's copending application
entitled CATHETER CORE WIRE, application Ser. No. 09/253,971, filed
Feb. 22, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,355,016, which is hereby
incorporated by reference in its entirety.
[0068] As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6A-6C, a first coil 130 is provided
within balloon 122 around the connecting wires 124, 126, and
extends from the distal end 116 of tubular body 112 to a position
adjacent the attachment of the connecting wires to the core wire
128. The coil 130 is mounted at its proximal end 130A over the
flattened proximal ends 124A, 126A of connecting wires 124, 126, as
well as over tubular body 112, as shown in FIG. 6A. The coil 130 is
secured to the distal end of tubular body 112 by suitable means
such as soldering, brazing or by an adhesive. One preferred
adhesive type for connecting coil 130 to the tubular body 112 and
wires 124, 126 is a cyanoacrylate. The coil 130 is formed of
suitable radiopaque material, such as gold or platinum, or may be
formed of nitinol or stainless steel. Preferably, the coil 130 is
formed of stainless steel. The coil 130 has a suitable outer
diameter preferably of about 0.017 inches when the tubular body 112
at distal end 116 has an outer diameter of 0.014 inches. The length
of coil 130 corresponds approximately to the working length of
balloon 22, and is about 2 to 8 mm, more preferably, as shown in
FIG. 5, about 5 mm.
[0069] As shown in FIG. 5, a second coil 132 is provided around the
core wire 128. The second coil extends over substantially the
entire length of the core wire, and as illustrated, is about 30 mm.
This second coil 132 has an outer diameter of about 0.014 inches
when the distal end of the tubular body 112 has a 0.014 inch outer
diameter. This enables balloon inflation to be substantially
uniform from proximal end 122A to distal end 122B. The first coil
130 overlaps the second coil 132 near the attachment point between
the connecting wires and the core wire, as shown in FIG. 6C, and
the two are preferably connected by adhesives, soldering, welding
or brazing, as described above. Second coil 132 may be formed of
similar materials as coil 130, and is preferably made of a
radiopaque material. Coil 132 is preferably soldered to the core
wire 128 at distal end 128B, forming a ball 134 at the distal end
of the catheter. It should be appreciated that although two coils
are described in the preferred embodiment, one coil by itself may
suffice.
[0070] Balloon 122 is attached to the distal end 116 of the tubular
body 112. More preferably, balloon 122 has a proximal end 122A
mounted to the distal end 116 of the tubular body 112, and a distal
end 122B mounted to the coils away from the distal end of tubular
body 112. The proximal end 122A of the balloon 122 is secured to
tubular body 112 by any means known to those of skill in the art,
such as adhesives or heat bonding. As shown in FIG. 5, an adhesive
136 is used to connect the tubular body to the balloon 122.
Adhesive 136 is preferably a cyanoacrylate. Similarly, at distal
end 122B, the balloon 122 is secured to second coil 132 just distal
to the overlap between coils 130 and 132 through the use of
adhesive 136. Inflation of balloon 122 is provided by the passage
of fluid through lumen 118 and through gaps in the coil 130. The
wires 124 and 126 are preferably solder bonded or otherwise sealed
at 152 to the proximal end of the core wire 128 and the coils 130
and 132 near the distal end 122B of the balloon to prevent
inflation fluid from escaping from the distal end of the
catheter.
[0071] Adhesives 136 applied to the proximal and distal ends 122A
and 122B of balloon 122 wick into the balloon to form a bond with
tubular body 112 and coil 132, respectively. To control the
adhesion length of the balloon 122, optional adhesive stops 138,
140 are preferably provided on the tubular body 112 and coil 132.
As illustrated in FIG. 5, an adhesive such as a proximal tube 138
is positioned around tubular body 112 and proximal to the coil 130
and connecting wires 124, 126. A distal tube 140 is provided over
the coil 132 abutting against the distal 130B of coil 130. It
should be appreciated that the adhesive stops may be provided at
other locations of catheter 110, such as on coil 130. The adhesive
stops 138, 140 preferably are positioned a desired distance from
the proximal and distal ends of the balloon 122 to control the
working length of balloon inflation. Thus, as illustrated in FIG.
5, where stops 138 and 140 have a length of about 0.25 mm, and
balloon 122 has a length of about 9 mm, the stops 138, 140 are
placed at about 2 mm from the proximal and distal ends of balloon
122 to create a working length of about 5 mm. The adhesive stops
are preferably formed from a thermoset material such as polyimide.
Other details not necessary to repeat here regarding the adhesive
stops may be found in the above-referenced application entitled
BALLOON CATHETER AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE, application Ser. No.
09/026,225, filed on Feb. 19, 1998.
[0072] Proximal to the connection of the balloon 122, coil 130, and
connecting wires 124, 126 to the distal end of the tubular body
112, a radiopaque marker or coil 142 is provided on the tubular
body. However, an embodiment is also contemplated where because the
coils 130, 132 are made of radiopaque material such as gold or
platinum, there is no need for the marker 142. As shown in FIG. 5,
the marker 142 is preferably in the form of a tube surrounding the
tubular body 112. An adhesive taper 144 is provided over the marker
142 at the proximal end connecting the tubular body to the balloon.
Preferably, a cyanoacrylate adhesive is used, although other
similar materials may be used as well. The taper 144 extends from
the proximal end 122A of the balloon 122 to the tubular body 112. A
similar taper 146 is provided from the distal end of the balloon
122 connecting the balloon 122 to the second coil 132. Other
details regarding these features may be found in the
above-referenced application entitled SHAFT FOR MEDICAL CATHETERS,
application Ser. No. 09/026,105, filed Feb. 19, 1998.
[0073] The tubular body 112 of FIG. 5 preferably exhibits a
diameter reduction near distal end 116. In the illustrated
embodiment, the tubular body 112 has an outer diameter of about
0.018 inches at proximal end 114 (not shown), and maintains a
constant diameter substantially throughout the length of the
tubular body 112 until near to distal end 116. At about 5 to 30 cm
from distal end 116, the outer diameter of tubular body 112
decreases from 0.018 inches to about 0.014 inches. This section of
decreasing diameter preferably extends over a length of about 1 to
25 cm. At distal end 116, the tubular body 112 has a section of
constant cross-section, which as illustrated, is about 5 to 29 cm
in length.
[0074] The dimensional decrease in diameter of tubular body 112 is
provided to minimize the profile of catheter 110 to provide for
easier and safer advancement of catheter 110 into the vasculature
of a patient. Specifically, with balloon 122 mounted to distal end
116, the maximum profile of the catheter 110 during advancement
depends on the uninflated outer diameter of balloon 122. By making
the distal end of tubular body 112 relatively smaller than the rest
of the tubular body, mounting of the balloon 122 on distal end 116
does not significantly increase the profile of the catheter, as
compared with the size of the proximal end of the device. The 0.018
inch hypotube provides a stiffer shaft for better pushability and
support of larger PTCA devices, especially for bulky stent delivery
systems. Also, with a larger outer diameter, the inner diameter may
be increased which reduces the inflation and deflation times. It
should be appreciated, however, that the tubular body 112 can have
a constant diameter therethrough. Optionally, the distal end of the
tubular body may also or alternatively be softened in a salt bath
to improve flexibility by heat treating the tube.
[0075] Catheter 110, described in FIGS. 5 and 6A-6C above, offers
significant improvements in flexibility and balloon centering at
the distal end of catheter 110. In particular, this design offers a
better transition between the tubular body 112 to balloon 122 to
tip 134. By placing the proximal end of the core wire beyond the
distal end of the tubular body, the catheter possesses a transition
region between the tubular body and the core wire formed in part by
connecting wires found inside the balloon 122 and coil 130. The
coil 130 gives the catheter 110 flexibility while the wires 124,
126 add structure and support. Thus, the flexibility of the
catheter gradually increases from the tubular body 112, through the
balloon 122, to the core wire 128.
[0076] Balloon centering is improved because the reduction of
stress concentration points in the balloon leads to a more uniform
expansion. In particular, mounting the balloon over a flexible
member allows the balloon to expand more uniformly by more equally
distributing stresses within the balloon wall. In addition, the
uniform expansion of the balloon reduces localized thinning of the
balloon which may cause premature rupture or balloon failure.
[0077] III. Coaxial Core Wire
[0078] FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate another preferred aspect of the
distal end of a balloon catheter 110, wherein catheter 110 has
improved flexibility characteristics at its distal end. For ease of
understanding, reference numbers used in FIG. 7 and 8 correspond
substantially to the reference numbers used in FIGS. 1 and 5-6C.
The tubular body 112 as shown in FIG. 7 is preferably substantially
the same as described in the embodiment with respect to FIG. 5,
specifically wherein tubular body 112 has an outer diameter of
about 0.018 inches over a substantial portion of its length from
proximal end 114, and reduces to an outer diameter of about 0.014
inches at distal end 116. However, it should be appreciated that
the design described herein could be used for a tube with a
constant outer diameter, for instance of about 0.014 inches, along
the entire length of the tubular body 112. A core wire 128 inserted
into the distal end of the tubular body 112 and extends out of the
lumen 118 in a distal direction therefrom. Coils 130, 132 are
provided surrounding core wire 128, and balloon 122 is mounted over
the coils to the distal end of tubular body 112.
[0079] More particularly, as illustrated in FIG. 7, the proximal
end 128A of the core wire 128 extends into the lumen 118 of tubular
body 112 but is not attached to the tubular body, thereby creating
an annular space between the tubular body 112 and the core wire
128. The annular space extends around the core wire over the entire
length of the core wire that is positioned inside the lumen 118.
The proximal end of the core wire 128 preferably extends into the
lumen 118 at distal end 116 for a distance of about 2 to 200 mm,
and more preferably abort 7 mm. The core wire 128 extends from its
proximal end 128A to its distal end 128B over a length of about 20
to 200 mm, and more preferably, from about 25 to 50 mm, and for
most occlusive devices, about 35 mm. As shown in FIG. 7, the core
wire 128 has a length of about 45 mm. The core wire preferably has
a diameter of about 0.003 inches extending over its distal length
128B, although it will be appreciated that a tapered core wire may
be used as well. The core wire is preferably formed of nitinol,
although stainless steel or any other suitable materials may also
be used.
[0080] The first coil 130 is attached to the distal end of the
tubular body 112 and extends distally therefrom to surround core
wire 128. Coil 130 is preferably made of nitinol, although
materials such as stainless steel, gold or platinum, may also be
used. The coil 130 has an outer diameter preferably of about 0.017
inches, and preferably extends over a length of about 5 mm from the
distal end of tubular body 112, corresponding approximately to the
working length of balloon 122. Coil 130 is attached to tubular body
112 by soldering, brazing, or an adhesive. One preferred adhesive
is a cyanoacrylate, although as will be appreciated by those of
skill in the art, other similar adhesives adapted to form
metal-to-metal bonds may be used.
[0081] The second coil 132 extends from the distal end of the first
coil 130 in a distal direction surrounding core wire 128. The
second coil 132 is attached to the inside of the first coil 130,
and bonded by soldering or a similar technique. Alternatively, a
butt joint could be used if the coils 130 and 132 are of the same
or similar dimensions. The coil 132 extends over the core wire
distal end 128B of the core wire, where the coil 132 is soldered
into a ball 134. As illustrated in FIG. 7, coil 132 extends over a
length of about 30 mm and has an outer diameter of about 0.014
inches. The coil 132 is preferably made of radiopaque materials
such as platinum, although other materials such as nitinol, gold
and stainless steel may also be used.
[0082] The balloon 122 is attached to the tubular body 112 such
that its proximal end 122A is mounted on the distal end 116 of the
tubular body and the distal end 122B of the balloon is mounted on
the coil 132, away from the tubular body. Conventional balloon
bonding techniques may be used to mount the balloon 122 to the
tubular body 112, including adhesive bonding or heat bonding, as
known to those of skill in the art. As shown in FIG. 7, the
proximal end 122A of the balloon 122 is bonded to the tubular body
112 by an adhesive 136. One preferred adhesive type is a
cyanoacrylate. Although the balloon 122 is shown as bonded directly
to tubular body 112, the balloon may also be indirectly mounted
through adhesive bonding to coil 130. The distal end 122B of
balloon 122 is bonded by the adhesive 136 to second coil 132, which
in turn is bonded to the core wire 128. Although the adhesive 136
as shown is provided primarily over the second coil 132, the
adhesive 136 may also be provided over the first overlapping coil
130. Furthermore, it is also contemplated that only one coil,
rather than two, may be used. The balloon 122 is preferably mounted
such that the interior or working area of the balloon is
substantially distal to the tubular body 112. Then, inflation of
the balloon may occur through passage of fluids through gaps in
coil 130. As described with respect to FIG. 5 above, a plug 152 is
preferably provided between the coil 132 and core wire 128 at the
proximal end 132A to prevent fluids from escaping the balloon
122.
[0083] Optional adhesive stops 138, 140, as described with respect
to FIGS. 5-6C above, are preferably provided over the tubular body
112 and coil 132, respectively, to prevent adhesive 136 from
wicking into the balloon 122 beyond the point of the stops. The
adhesive 136 wicks into the balloon 122 over a distance preferably
of about 2 mm at each end. Thus, when the balloon length is about 9
mm, the balloon has a working length of about 5 mm. It should be
appreciated that the stops 138, 140 may be provided at other
locations on the catheter.
[0084] The embodiment shown in FIG. 7 also preferably includes a
radiopaque marker 142 mounted on the distal end of the tubular body
112 proximal to the point where the balloon attaches to the tubular
body, as described above. This marker is covered by an adhesive
taper 144 which forms a gradual connection between the tubular body
and the proximal end of the balloon. Similarly, an adhesive taper
146 is provided at the distal end of the balloon 122 from the
distal end 122B to the coil 132, as described in further detail
above.
[0085] The catheter described in FIG. 7 above offers improved
flexibility and balloon properties due in part to the fact that the
proximal end of the core wire is not bonded or fixed to the tubular
body 112 or any other part of the catheter. Rather, the proximal
end 128A is coaxial with the tubular body and thus "floats" within
the tubular body 112. This improves flexibility because the
proximal end of the core wire may move longitudinally within the
tubular body when the distal end of the catheter is bent while it
is moved through a patient's vasculature. Furthermore, when balloon
122 is inflated, longitudinal expansion of the balloon is not
hindered by the core wire being fixably mounted within the tubular
member 112. Thus, as the balloon expands the core wire moves
distally. This reduces the stress placed on the balloon to improve
the balloon's rupture properties. Balloon centering is similarly
improved because the reduction of stress concentration points in
the balloon leads to a more uniform expansion.
[0086] FIG. 8 shows an alternative embodiment of the coaxial core
wire 128 within tubular body 112. In this embodiment, the catheter
contains a stopping mechanism to prevent the proximal end 128A of
the core wire from sliding completely out of the lumen 118 of
tubular body 112. For instance, tubular body 112 may have an
increased wall thickness at distal end 112, or the lumen 118 may be
partially blocked at distal end 116. Then, providing core wire 128
with a dimensional increase at proximal end 128A, the core wire 128
will be prevented from escaping the lumen 118 because the dimension
of the lumen 118 distal to the proximal end of the core wire is
less than the dimension of the proximal end of the core wire.
[0087] As shown in FIG. 8, the tubular body 112 may be crimped near
its distal and 116 and over the core wire proximal end 128A. This
crimp 148 is not substantial enough to actually contact the core
wire 128 when centered within the lumen 118 of the distal end 16.
However, the core wire proximal end 128A is provided with a handle
150 which has a diameter greater than the inner diameter of lumen
118 at the crimp 148. The handle 150 also keeps the core wire
centered in the lumen 118. The handle 150 thereby prevents the core
wire from moving longitudinally within the tubular body 112 beyond
the location of crimp 148. The handle 150 is located preferably
about 5 to 20 mm from the crimp 148. Where the core wire diameter
is about 0.004 inches, the handle preferably has a diameter of
about 0.006 inches, and the distance between opposite sides of
crimp 148 is preferably about 0.005 inches.
[0088] The crimp 148 is preferably located about 1 mm from the
distal end of the tubular body 112. In the embodiments where
tubular body 112 is made of nitinol, sufficient crimping pressure
must be exerted upon the tubular body to overcome the elastic
response of the nitinol. Generally this requires exertion of
sufficient pressure to deform the nitinol tubular body by about 9%
or more. Where a nitinol tubular body has an outer diameter of
0.014 inches and an inner diameter of about 0.0095 inches, it has
been found that a pressure of about 120 ksi is sufficient. Other
pressures may also be used provided that they are sufficient to
cause tubular body 112 to form an indentation over the core wire,
but not so great as to actually contact the core wire and interfere
with its longitudinal movement within the tubular body. Further
details regarding crimping may be found in the above-referenced
application entitled CATHETER CORE WIRE, application Ser. No.
09/253,971, filed Feb. 22, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,355,016.
[0089] The problem of bowing is due to balloon inflation is further
illustrated with respect to FIGS. 9-10. FIGS. 9A and 9B show a
catheter 10 having a tubular body 12 extending from a proximal end
14 to distal end 16. An adapter 18 is mounted to the proximal end
of the tubular body 12, and a core wire 20 is mounted to the
catheter within adapter 18 at the proximal end. A balloon 22 is
mounted to the distal end 16 of the tubular body, and more
specifically the balloon 22 is mounted at its proximal end 24 to
the tubular body and at its distal end 26 to the core wire 20 which
extends through the balloon. A marker 30 is placed on the core wire
20 within the balloon 22, and coils 28 extend from the distal end
of the balloon.
[0090] The problem with this configuration is that the core wire 20
is fixed longitudinally at both its proximal end and its distal
end. When balloon 22 is inflated, the balloon expands not only
radially, but also longitudinally, causing the bowing effect shown
in FIG. 10 because both ends of the balloon are effectively fixed.
This problem also occurs in devices where the proximal and distal
ends of the balloon are both mounted to the same hypotube, or any
other device in which the ends of the balloon are held in fixed
relation.
[0091] FIG. 11A shows an alternative embodiment of a catheter 200
having a floating core wire therein to solve the bowing problem
described above. Catheter 200 comprises an elongate tubular body
202 extending between a proximal end 204 and a distal end 206. A
lumen 208 extends through the tubular body to provide a fluid
passageway from the proximal end to the distal end. A balloon 210
is mounted to the distal end 206 of the tubular body. Coils 212
extend from the distal end of the balloon into a rounded tip 214 at
the distal end of the catheter. A core wire 218 extends from the
proximal end 204 of the tubular body 202 through the distal end 206
and into the balloon 210, terminating at the start of the coils
212. A radiopaque marker 220 is provided on the core wire 218 for
visualizing the catheter 200.
[0092] At the proximal end of the catheter 200, as shown in FIG.
12A, the core wire 218 extends into an adapter 216 into a chamber
222. The adapter 216 is used for inflating the balloon 210 through
lumen 208 and also for torquing the device through use of arms 228.
The proximal end of the core wire is preferably flattened, as shown
in FIG. 12B. This configuration provides an effective locking
mechanism to the adapter which is important when torquing the
adapter to maneuver the distal tip of the catheter. The proximal
end of the core wire further includes an increased dimension such
as protruding head 224 which serves to lock the proximal end of the
core wire inside the chamber 222 during balloon inflation. More
particularly, as shown in FIGS. 11A-12A, the core wire has an
arrowhead shaped proximal end 224 which, in conjunction with the
smaller dimension of the chamber distal to the proximal end 224,
keeps the arrowhead 224 in the chamber 222. As shown in FIG. 12A,
the smaller dimension of the chamber 222 distal to proximal end 224
can be provided with flanges 226 located at the distal end of the
chamber.
[0093] As shown in FIG. 11B, when balloon 210 is inflated, the
balloon expands longitudinally from a length of L.sub.1 to L.sub.2.
This longitudinal expansion causes the core wire 218 to advance
distally within the lumen 208, but no further than substantially
the length of the chamber 222. This longitudinal movement also
provides improved flexibility during navigation as described
above.
[0094] IV. Longitudinally Flexible Hypotube
[0095] In another embodiment of the present invention, a balloon
catheter 300 is provided having unique flexibility characteristics
particularly in the area where the balloon is mounted. As shown in
FIG. 13A, the catheter 300 comprises a tubular body 312 having a
proximal end 314 (not shown) and a distal end 316 and a lumen 318
extending therethrough. An expandable member such as a compliant
inflatable balloon 322 is mounted to the distal end 316 of the
tubular body, preferably such that both the proximal end 322A and
distal end 322B of the balloon are both mounted to the tubular body
312. A core wire 328 is provided inside the lumen 318 at the distal
end 316 of the tubular body and extends distally therefrom. Coils
332 extend from the distal end 316 surrounding core wire 328, and
terminate in a distal ball 334.
[0096] The tubular body is preferably made from a nitinol material
such as described above. A distal section of the tubular body 312
is configured to axially expand in response to expansion of the
expandable member. More preferably, for the balloon catheter shown
in FIG. 13A, a distal section of the tubular body 312 is given
desired flexibility within the balloon area using special cuts 352
made in the wall of the tubular body. These cuts 352 are preferably
made using a laser, although other methods, such as machining and
EDM, may also be used. In the preferred embodiment shown in FIG.
13A, the distal section of the tubular body 312 has a coiled
configuration. However, it should be appreciated that the hypotube
may be cut or configured in a variety of different ways to provide
desired flexibility.
[0097] For the embodiment shown in FIG. 13A, the cuts 352 in the
hypotube providing the coiled configuration preferably begin about
1 to 3 mm from the distal end 316, and extend proximally therefrom
corresponding approximately to the length of the balloon 322 or
further, depending on the desired flexibility. For example, for a
balloon with a length of about 8 mm, cuts may be made over a length
of about 2 to 20 mm. In embodiments where more flexibility is
needed only near the distal end of the hypotube, the cuts may be
provided over a shorter length, for example, about 2 to 3 mm.
Similarly if more flexibility is desired at the proximal end of the
balloon or even beyond, cuts may be made in the tubular body over a
length of 15 mm or more.
[0098] The hypotube coils may have a constant or a variable width
and/or pitch to control the flexibility of the catheter. For the
embodiment shown in FIG. 13A, the tubular body 312 is cut starting
from about 2 mm from the distal end 316 of the hypotube and
extending beyond the proximal end of the balloon 322 over a total
length of about 15 mm. At the distal end of the cuts 352, the coils
in the tubular body 312 have a ribbon width W.sub.1 of about 0.15
mm, which gradually increases proximally to a ribbon width of about
1 to 2 mm at the proximal end of the cuts. The angle of the cuts
352 relative to the longitudinal axis of the hypotube preferably
increases distally as shown in FIG. 13A to further increase the
flexibility toward the distal end. In the preferred embodiment, at
the distal end of the cuts the angle is about 80.degree., which
gradually decreases to about 3.degree. at the proximal end of the
cuts. Over the entire coiled section, the hypotube cuts preferably
have a pitch of about 0.08 mm. The advantage of the variable ribbon
width is that it provides a more gradual transition between the
tubular body 312 and the core wire 328. Furthermore, by gradually
decreasing the angle of the cut proximally, the coiled tubular body
has greater tensile strength as the cut angle decreases.
[0099] It should be appreciated that further variations in the
length, width, pitch and angle of the coiled tubular body are also
contemplated. For example, coils of constant width and pitch
W.sub.2 of about 0.25 mm may be used, as shown in FIG. 14.
Furthermore, the coiled hypotube can be made by starting the coil
with a cut depth at a proximal location that does not extend
entirely through the wall of the tubular body, and gradually
increasing the depth distally until the hypotube is completely cut
through. Such an embodiment is shown in FIGS. 15A and 15B. In
addition, the distal section of the tubular body 312 may also be
given a special heat treatment to further impart flexibility. For
example, in one embodiment, the distal about 30 mm of the tubular
body 312 may be heat treated to improve flexibility.
[0100] In constructing the catheter 300 of the preferred
embodiment, after the tubular body 312 is cut into the desired
configuration, the core wire prepared for mounting inside the
distal end 316 of the tubular body 312 as shown in FIG. 13A. The
preferred inside of a nitinol material and has a proximal end 328A
(not shown) and a distal end 328B. As shown in FIGS. 16A-16D, this
core wire 328 preferably has five sections: a proximal first
section 370 having a substantially constant diameter, a tapered
second section 372, a third section 374 having a substantially
constant diameter, a tapered fourth section 376 and a fifth section
378 having a flattened distal tip. As illustrated in FIG. 16A, for
the preferred embodiment, the first section 370 preferably has a
diameter of about 0.005 to 0.006 inches and a length of about 10
mm. The second section 372 is tapered over a length of about 6 mm,
and increases in diameter from about 0.005 to 0.006 inches to about
0.007 inches. The third section 374 has a substantially constant
diameter of about 0.007 inches and a length of about 4 mm. The
distal end of this third section aligns with the distal end 316 of
tubular body 312. The fourth section 376 tapers over a length of
about 13 to 15 mm to flattened tip 378, which has a length of about
10 mm and a thickness of about 0.002 inches. Within section 378, an
additional taper is provided at transition 380 such that the flat
distal tip decreases proximally in thickness to provide a more
gradual transition between the thin flat section 378 and the round
tapered section 376. This transition 380 preferably has relatively
flat surfaces and a length of about 3 to 5 mm.
[0101] Other details not necessary to repeat here may be found in
the above-referenced CATHETER CORE WIRE, application Ser. No.
09/253,971, filed Feb. 22, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,355,016. It
should be appreciated that core wires having differing lengths and
constructions may also be used for the catheter 300. Thus, a core
wire may be provided having only one of the proximal or distal
tapers, multiple proximal and distal tapers, or no taper at all.
Furthermore, the core wire 328 may be provided without first and
second sections 370 and 372 such that substantially all of the core
wire 328 extends out of the distal end 316. Moreover, a core wire
may be provided having a proximal taper directly adjacent a distal
taper.
[0102] Preferably, the coils 332 are soldered to the core wire and
extend from the start of the distally tapered section 376 to the
distal end of the flattened tip 378. Thus, for the core wire of the
preferred embodiment, the coils 332 extend over a length of about
25 mm. After constructing this coil/core wire subassembly, the core
wire 328 is inserted into the lumen 318 of the tubular body 312
such that the beginning of the distal taper in section 376
corresponds with the very distal end 316 of the tubular body and
the coils 332 butt against the distal end 316. The core wire 328 is
preferably attached to the tubular body 312 in middle section 374
by crimping at one or more points, more preferably at points 362
and 364 as shown in FIG. 13A. Crimping of the tubular body 312 to
the core wore 328 can be accomplished using crimping pressures of
about 120 ksi or other pressures, as described above. In addiction
to or in place of crimping, the core wire 328 may be also be
attached to the tubular body 312 by soldering, adhesives or epoxy,
or by any other methods known to one skilled in the art.
[0103] The core wire 328 extends proximally into the tubular body
312 through the area where the hypotube is cut. The length that the
first, second and third sections 370, 372 and 374 extend into the
tubular body 312 is preferably between about 10 and 100 mm, more
preferably about 15 to 60 mm, and in the preferred embodiment
illustrated in FIG. 13A and 16A, about 20 mm. The length that the
core wire 328 extends out of the lumen 318 is preferably about 10
to 200 mm, more preferably about 15 to 60 mm, and as illustrated in
FIG. 13A, about 25 mm. By extending the core wire proximally into
the hypotube, the core wire provides additional structural support
to the catheter. However, because the preferred core wire is
proximally tapered, the core wire 328 does not contact the inner
wall of the tubular body 312, and therefore, does not substantially
interfere with the ability of the catheter to traverse turns in a
blood vessel or with the inflation of the balloon.
[0104] As shown in FIG. 13A, the balloon 322 is mounted to the
distal end of the tubular body, the balloon 322 having a proximal
end 322A and a distal end 322B which are both mounted to the
tubular body. The balloon 322A of the preferred embodiment has a
length of about 8 mm, an outer diameter of about 0.034 inches and
an inner diameter of about 0.015 inches. As shown in the preferred
embodiment of FIG. 13B, the cuts 352 are made such that they extend
outside of the working area of balloon 322 and also proximally of
the balloon. A sleeve 366 is preferably provided over the tubular
body 312 and the cuts 352 proximal to the balloon working area to
prevent inflation fluid from escaping the lumen 318. The sleeve is
preferably a shrink tube made of PET, FEP, TFE or a similar
material. In the preferred embodiment, this shrink tube has a
length of about 15 mm and extends proximally starting from about 5
mm from the distal end 316. This shrink tube therefore allows cuts
to be made proximally of the working area of the balloon for added
flexibility without allowing fluid to escape. Alternatively, when
proximal cuts do not extend all the way through the tubular body
wall, as in FIG. 15B, or when there are no cuts proximal to the
balloon at all, no shrink tube is needed.
[0105] The balloon 322 is preferably made from a C-Flex material or
other compliant material and is attached to the tubular body 312 by
adhesives or other means as described above. Adhesives stops 338
and 340 are provided about 2 mm from the ends of the balloon, as
described above, to control the wicking length of the adhesive 336
into the balloon working area. Balloon inflation is provided
through the cuts in the tubular body 312.
[0106] The preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 13A also includes a
coiled marker 342 mounted to the tubular body 312 proximal of the
balloon 322. By making the marker 342 coiled, this design provides
added flexibility to the balloon section of the distal end. The
coil 342 is preferably made of platinum or a similar material, with
an outer diameter of about 0.024 inches, an inner diameter of about
0.016 inches, and a length of about 1 mm. As shown in FIG. 13A, the
coiled marker 342 preferably butts against the balloon 322. It
should be appreciated that while the marker 342 is described as
coiled, the marker may also be cut or configured in other manners
to provide improved flexibility.
[0107] Adhesive tapers 344A, 344B and 346 are provided adjacent the
balloon to provide a transition region between the tubular body 312
and balloon 322 at the proximal end 322A and between the balloon
322 and the core wire 328 at the distal end 322B. The distal taper
346 therefore extends from the distal end of the balloon to the
core wire 328. The taper materials are preferably made of
cyanoacrylate adhesives, such as described above, or softer
adhesives, such as UV curable or modified adhesives. In the
embodiment shown in FIG. 13A, the taper 344A is preferably a
cyanoacrylate adhesive, and the adhesives 344B and 346 are
preferably UV adhesives. The distance between the proximal end of
taper 344A and proximal end 322A is preferably about 1 to 3 mm,
more preferably less than about 2.5 mm, with the taper 344A itself
preferably having a length of less than about 1 mm. However, a
single taper could also be used as described above. The length of
the distal taper 346 is preferably about 3 mm. Other details not
necessary to repeat here may be found in the above-referenced
BALLOON CATHETER AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE, application Ser. No.
09/026,225, filed on Feb. 19, 1998, and SHAFT FOR MEDICAL
CATHETERS, application Ser. No. 09/026,105, filed Feb. 19, 1998,
now U.S. Pat. No. 6,228,072.
[0108] Inflation of the balloon 322 in FIG. 13A causes the coils in
the hypotube to expand longitudinally in accommodation of the
longitudinal expansion of the ballon. This expansion uniformly
distributes stresses in the balloon, leading to better rupture
properties and balloon centering. The present inventors have
witnessed, for example, longitudinal growth of the hypotube
typically of about 2 to 4 mm due to balloon expansion, and as much
as about 10 to 20 mm. Moreover, because the sections 370, 372 of
the core wire proximal to the crimps 362 and 364 does not contact
the inner wall of the tubular body 312, the core wire 328 does not
interfere with the balloon's longitudinal expansion.
[0109] It should be understood that certain variations and
modifications of this invention will suggest themselves to one of
ordinary skill in the art. The scope of the present invention is
not to be limited by the illustrations or the foregoing
descriptions thereof, but rather solely by the appended claims.
* * * * *