US 2026/0306793 A1 · CATHETER WITH INFLATABLE EXPANSION TUBE STRUCTURE

Abstract

A catheter for conveying fluids within the body and a method of using the catheter are provided. The catheter has an inflatable and deflatable expansion tube structure that allows the catheter to transition between an inflated configuration and a deflated configuration. When the catheter is in the inflated configuration, the lumen of the catheter is expanded to a maximum diameter to allow the flow of fluid or the insertion of instrumentation. When the catheter is in the deflated configuration, the lumen is substantially occluded to restrict the flow of fluids. The expansion tube structure may have a helical tube structure or a series of individual tubular rings each fluidly connected to an adjacent tubular ring by an inflation tube. The expansion tube structure may include a series of one-way valves that open and close depending on whether the catheter is in the inflated configuration or deflated configuration.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A catheter comprising,

a flexible outer tube;
a helical inflation tube attached to an interior wall of said outer tube in a helical configuration to define a helical fluid chamber;
and
an injection port connected to said helical inflation tube at an end of said catheter,
wherein said injection port is configured to allow injection of a fluid into said helical inflation tube through said injection port to transition said catheter into an inflated configuration, and wherein said injection port is further configured to allow withdrawal of said fluid from said helical inflation tube through said injection port to transition said catheter into a deflated configuration,
wherein said outer tube and said helical inflation tube define a lumen when said catheter is in said inflated configuration, and
wherein said lumen is substantially occluded when said catheter is in said deflated configuration.

4 more elements

A catheter comprising:

a flexible outer tube;
a first helical inflation tube attached to an interior wall of said outer tube,
wherein said first helical inflation tube defines a first helical fluid chamber;
a second helical inflation tube attached to said interior wall of said outer tube,
wherein said second helical inflation tube defines a second helical fluid chamber;
a first injection port,
wherein said first injection port is connected to said first helical inflation tube at an end of said catheter,
wherein said first injection port is configured to allow injection of a fluid into said first helical inflation tube through said first injection port to transition said catheter into an inflated configuration, and wherein said first injection port is further configured to allow withdrawal of said fluid from said first helical inflation tube through said first injection port to transition said catheter into a deflated configuration,
a second injection port,
wherein said second injection port is connected to said second helical inflation tube at an end of said catheter,
wherein said second injection port is configured to allow injection of a fluid into said second helical inflation tube through said second injection port to transition said catheter into said inflated configuration, and wherein said second injection port is further configured to allow withdrawal of said fluid from said second helical inflation tube through said second injection port to transition said catheter into said deflated configuration,
wherein said outer tube and said helical inflation tubes define a lumen when said catheter is in said inflated configuration, and
wherein said lumen is substantially occluded when said catheter is in said deflated configuration.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Catheter with inflatable expansion tube structure

Life of this patent

Catheter with inflatable expansion tube structure

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20