Apparatus and method for advancing catheters or other medical devices through a lumen

Inventors

Sardesai, Rajendra Gurudas • PANCHOLY, SAMIR BIPIN • Patel, Tejas Madhusudan

Assignees

Vasoinnovations Inc

Abstract

Devices, systems, and methods are disclosed that help deliver catheters or other medical devices to locations within a patient's body. The device comprises a transporter catheter having a proximal end and a distal end, at least a first balloon located at the distal end, substantially at a tip of the transporter catheter, and at least a second balloon located between the distal end and the proximal end of the transporter catheter. The first balloon is an orienting balloon and the second balloon is an anchor balloon. The transporter catheter may include a single lumen or more than one lumen. The transporter catheter may include a shaft comprising an inner layer and an outer layer, the inner layer may be made of a material more flexible than the material of the outer layer. The outer layer may also comprise a braided-wire assembly, said braided-wire assembly being formed by braiding a plurality of flat wires or circular wires. The braided-wire assembly may wrap around the inner layer. The transporter catheter may comprise a shaft that may include a plurality of segments of varying degrees of hardness. The degree of hardness of the segment of the shaft of the transporter catheter located between the first balloon and the second balloon may be less than the degree of hardness of the segment of the shaft between the second balloon and the proximal end of the catheter.

Core Innovation

The disclosure relates to a catheter system in which a transporter catheter is located inside an outer catheter lumen and includes a shaft having an orienting balloon positioned adjacent to the distal end and an anchoring balloon positioned between the orienting balloon and the proximal end. The orienting balloon is configured to slidably engage an inner surface of a patient’s vasculature, while the anchoring balloon is configured to non-slidably anchor the transporter catheter to the outer catheter by pressing against the inner surface of the outer catheter lumen.

When both the orienting balloon and the anchoring balloon are fully inflated, the shaft is configured to be pushed and/or torqued to advance and maneuver the catheter system through the patient’s vasculature. The anchoring balloon functions to prevent slippage or pushback of the transporter catheter relative to the outer catheter during advancement and maneuvering, and this stopper effect limits backing or migration of the orienting balloon.

The shaft includes structural features configured to transmit push and/or torque while resisting kinking and improving maneuverability through flexible/rigidity-varying segments and/or inner/outer layered construction. The shaft is described as including torque-transfer layers such as braided-wire assemblies using a plait matrix and/or helical coil torque-transfer layers, and the disclosure further describes multiple lumens within the catheter system, including a guidewire passage and inflation channels.

Claims Coverage

The partial content provides two independent claims (clm-00001 and clm-00028). Across these claims, the inventive coverage centers on a balloon-based transporter catheter system with an orienting balloon and a non-slidably anchoring balloon, combined with pushing and/or torquing advancement and, in one claim, a guidewire internal channel. A second axis of coverage relates to the positional relationship of the orienting balloon relative to the outer catheter distal end.

Overall, the independent-claim coverage defines an outer catheter with a lumen and a transporter catheter shaft carrying an orienting balloon that slidably engages vasculature and an anchoring balloon that non-slidably anchors the transporter to the outer catheter, together with advancement and maneuvering by pushing and/or torquing when both balloons are fully inflated. In the second independent claim, coverage further specifies the orienting balloon’s proximal and distal portions relative to the outer catheter’s distal end and includes a guidewire internal channel enabling push and/or torque over the guidewire.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications