# US 2024/0198060 A1 · Balloon guide catheter with positive venting of residual air > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2024/0198060 A1 - Document ID: US20240198060A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 18/594,395 - Filed: 2024-03-04 - Published: 2024-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2019-05-09 - Assignees: Neuravi Limited - Applicants: Neuravi Limited - Inventors: Brendan CASEY; Karl KEATING; Ronald KELLY - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20240198060A1 ## CPC - A61M 25/10184: {Means for controlling or monitoring inflation or deflation} - A61M 25/104: {used for angioplasty} - A61M 25/0032: {characterized by at least one unconventionally shaped lumen, e.g. polygons, ellipsoids, wedges or shapes comprising concave and convex parts} - A61M 25/1034: {Joining of shaft and balloon} - A61M 2025/1056: {having guide wire lumens outside the main shaft, i.e. the guide wire lumen is within or on the surface of the balloon} - A61M 2025/1077: {having a system for expelling the air out of the balloon before inflation and use} - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} ## Abstract A balloon guide catheter including a catheter shaft having a main lumen defined therein extending axially therethrough to receive a guidewire therein and an inflation lumen defined axially therein arranged semi-encircling the main lumen. The inflation lumen having an inlet port radially outward from the catheter shaft and an exhaust vent(s) disposed proximate the distal end of the catheter shaft. The exhaust vent(s) being disposed longitudinally through a distal terminating end of the inflation lumen or radially inward in fluid communication with the main lumen. A porous membrane is disposed at the exhaust vent(s) to permit only gas to pass therethrough. Secured about the outer surface proximate the distal end of the catheter shaft and coinciding with the inlet port is a balloon. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A balloon guide catheter comprising: a catheter shaft having an outer surface, a proximal end, and an opposite distal end; the catheter shaft having a main lumen defined therein extending axially therethrough from the proximal end to the distal end; the main shaft being configured to receive a guidewire therein; the catheter shaft having an inflation lumen defined axially therein arranged semi-encircling the main lumen; the inflation lumen having an inlet port defined radially outward from the catheter shaft and an exhaust vent disposed proximate the distal end of the catheter shaft; an expandable balloon secured about the outer surface of the catheter shaft proximate the distal end of the catheter shaft and coinciding with the inlet port; and a porous membrane disposed at the exhaust vent; the porous membrane having a plurality of holes defined therein sized to permit only gas to pass therethrough; wherein the expandable balloon is transitionable between an inflated state and a deflated state; and in the deflated state the expandable balloon sealing off the exhaust vent. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The balloon guide catheter according to claim 1, further comprising a bump projecting radially outward from the outer surface of the catheter shaft and positioned proximally of the exhaust vent disposed longitudinally at an interface between the expandable balloon and the outer surface of the catheter shaft proximate the distal end; wherein the expandable balloon while in a deflated state physically contacts the bump sealing off the exhaust vent. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The balloon guide catheter according to claim 2, wherein the distal end of the catheter shaft includes an expandable distal tip; and a proximal end of the expandable balloon being secured to the outer surface of the catheter shaft while an opposite distal end of the expandable balloon is secured to the expandable distal tip; the expandable distal tip transitioning from a compressed state having a first diameter when the expandable balloon is deflated to an expanded state having a second diameter larger than the first diameter when the expandable balloon is inflated. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The balloon guide catheter according to claim 3, wherein the expandable distal tip is a plurality of expandable separable fingers; the expandable balloon being secured (i) to the expandable distal tip, but not between the expandable separable fingers; or (ii) along and between each of the plural expandable separable fingers of the expandable distal tip. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The balloon guide catheter according to claim 1, wherein the distal end of the catheter shaft includes an expandable distal tip; and a proximal end of the expandable balloon being secured to the outer surface of the catheter shaft while an opposite distal end of the expandable balloon is secured to the expandable distal tip; the expandable distal tip transitioning from a compressed state having a first diameter when the expandable balloon is deflated to an expanded state having a second diameter larger than the first diameter when the expandable balloon is inflated; and a resistant band disposed about the expandable balloon proximally of the expandable distal tip; the expandable balloon being uncoupled from the resistant band so as to permit free movement of the expandable balloon beneath the resistant band. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The balloon guide catheter according to claim 5, wherein the exhaust vent is disposed radially inward in fluid communication with the main lumen. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The balloon guide catheter according to claim 1, wherein the distal end of the catheter shaft includes an expandable distal tip; and a proximal end of the expandable balloon being secured to the outer surface of the catheter shaft while an opposite distal end of the expandable balloon is secured to the expandable distal tip; the expandable distal tip transitioning from a compressed state having a first diameter when the expandable balloon is deflated to an expanded state having a second diameter larger than the first diameter when the expandable balloon is inflated; wherein the expandable distal tip is an expandable braid mounted to the distal end of the catheter shaft. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The balloon guide catheter according to claim 7, wherein the exhaust vent is disposed radially inward in fluid communication with the main lumen. ### Claim 9 A method for using a balloon guide catheter; wherein the balloon guide catheter has a catheter shaft having an outer surface, a proximal end, and an opposite distal end; the catheter shaft having a main lumen defined therein extending axially therethrough from the proximal end to the distal end; the main shaft being configured to receive a guidewire therein; the catheter shaft having an inflation lumen defined axially therein arranged semi-encircling the main lumen; the inflation lumen having an inlet port defined radially outward from the catheter shaft and an exhaust vent disposed proximate the distal end of the catheter shaft; an expandable balloon secured about the outer surface of the catheter shaft proximate the distal end of the catheter shaft and coinciding with the inlet port; and a porous membrane disposed at the exhaust vent; the porous membrane having a plurality of holes defined therein sized to permit only gas to pass therethrough; wherein the expandable balloon is transitionable between an inflated state and a deflated state; and in the deflated state the expandable balloon sealing off the exhaust vent; the method comprising the steps of: prior to introduction of the balloon guide catheter into a target vessel, prepping the balloon guide catheter by positively venting residual air distally from the inflation lumen and the expandable balloon via the exhaust vent. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, further comprising the step of: while deflating the expandable balloon, sealing off passage of air returning proximally through the exhaust vent disposed longitudinally at an interface between the expandable balloon and the outer surface of the catheter shaft proximate the distal end by sealing the deflated balloon in physical contact against a bump disposed radially outward from the outer surface of the catheter shaft and positioned proximally of the longitudinally disposed exhaust vent. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10, wherein the distal end of the catheter shaft includes an expandable distal tip; and a proximal end of the expandable balloon being secured to the outer surface of the catheter shaft while an opposite distal end of the expandable balloon is secured to the expandable distal tip; the method further comprising the step of transitioning the expandable distal tip from a compressed state having a first diameter when the expandable balloon is deflated to an expanded state having a second diameter larger than the first diameter when the expandable balloon is inflated. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, wherein the expandable distal tip is a plurality of expandable separable fingers; the expandable balloon being secured (i) to the expandable distal tip, but not between the expandable separable fingers; or (ii) along and between each of the plural expandable separable fingers of the expandable distal tip. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, wherein the distal end of the catheter shaft includes an expandable distal tip; and a proximal end of the expandable balloon being secured to the outer surface of the catheter shaft while an opposite distal end of the expandable balloon is secured to the expandable distal tip; the method further comprising the step of transitioning the expandable distal tip from a compressed state having a first diameter when the expandable balloon is deflated to an expanded state having a second diameter larger than the first diameter when the expandable balloon is inflated; and wherein the balloon guide catheter further comprises a resistant band disposed about the balloon proximally of the expandable distal tip; the expandable balloon being uncoupled from the resistant band so as to permit free movement of the expandable balloon beneath the resistant band. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method according to claim 13, wherein the exhaust vent is disposed radially inward in fluid communication with the main lumen. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, wherein the distal end of the catheter shaft includes an expandable distal tip; and a proximal end of the expandable balloon being secured to the outer surface of the catheter shaft while an opposite distal end of the expandable balloon is secured to the expandable distal tip; the method further comprising the step of transitioning the expandable distal tip from a compressed state having a first diameter when the expandable balloon is deflated to an expanded state having a second diameter larger than the first diameter when the expandable balloon is inflated; wherein the expandable distal tip is an expandable braid mounted to the distal end of the catheter shaft. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method according to claim 15, wherein the exhaust vent is disposed radially inward in fluid communication with the main lumen.