Catheter with angled ball tip for fallopian tube access and method

A catheter for fallopian tube access comprising:

• an elongated catheter body having a distal portion which in an unstressed condition is curved in a first direction;
• said catheter body having a proximal region, a distal end and an elongated passage extending from the proximal region to the distal end, said passage terminating in a distal opening which opens at the distal end;
• and
• said catheter body having a deflecting surface in said elongated passage adjacent the distal opening for directing a member or fluid being passed through said elongated passage out of the distal opening in a second direction which is away from the first direction such that the catheter can direct the member or fluid into a fallopian tube.

A catheter for fallopian tube access comprising:

• an elongated catheter body having a proximal region, a distal end and an elongated passage extending from the proximal region to the distal end, said passage terminating in a distal opening at the distal end;
• said catheter body having a distal body portion which has a larger radial dimension than a radial dimension of a region of the catheter body which is immediately proximal to said distal body portion, said elongated passage extending through the distal body portion, the distal opening and said distal end being on said distal body portion;
• said elongated passage having a major portion and a minor portion, the minor portion being in the distal body portion and extending laterally outwardly of the major portion;
• and
• said distal body portion having a deflecting surface in said elongated passage adjacent the distal opening for deflecting a member or fluid through an angle from about 25.degree. to about 35.degree. out of the distal opening along a path having a component which extends laterally of the catheter body whereby the catheter can direct the member or fluid into a fallopian tube, said deflecting surface at least partially defining said minor portion of said elongated passage.

A catheter for fallopian tube access comprising:

• an elongated catheter body having a proximal region, a distal end and an elongated passage extending from the proximal region to the distal end, said passage terminating in a distal opening which opens at the distal end;
• said catheter body having a distal body portion which has a larger radial dimension than a radial dimension of a region of the catheter body which is immediately proximal to said distal body portion, said elongated passage extending through the distal body portion, the distal opening and said distal end being on said distal body portion;
• said distal body portion having a deflecting surface in said elongated passage adjacent the distal opening for directing a member or fluid out of the distal opening along a path having a component which extends laterally of the catheter body;
• and
• the catheter body having a distal portion which is curved in a first direction and the deflecting surface being arranged to deflect a member or fluid generally in a second direction which is away from the first direction such that transcervical access to an ostium of a fallopian tube is facilitated and the catheter can direct a member or fluid into the fallopian tube.

A catheter for fallopian tube access comprising:

• a flexible, elongated catheter body having a proximal region, a distal end and an elongated passage extending from the proximal region to the distal end, said passage terminating in a distal opening at the distal end;
• said catheter body having an enlarged distal body portion which has an outer surface which is convexly curved as viewed in axial and radial cross section, said elongated passage extending through the distal body portion and having a major portion and a minor inclined passage section, said major portion terminating in the inclined passage section and the inclined passage section extending from said major portion to said distal opening, the distal opening and said distal end being on said distal body portion;
• said distal opening being radially offset from the axis of said major portion of the elongated passage proximally of the enlarged distal body portion;
• said inclined passage section having a deflecting surface adjacent the distal opening, whereby the deflecting surface can deflect a member or fluid through an acute angle toward the distal opening;
• the distal opening lying in a surface region of the distal body portion which is inclined at an acute angle X with respect to a reference plane perpendicular to the axis of said major portion of the elongated passage;
• said surface region and said distal opening extending proximally and radially outwardly as they extend away from the deflecting surface;
• the deflecting surface deflecting the member or fluid through an angle which is equal to or less than the angle X;
• and
• said distal opening at the distal end.