Catheter exchange method and apparatus
OwnerWilliam S. Suhrinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for installing, removing or exchanging catheters into and out of a medical patient's body, including the vascular system, incorporates a slotted guide track for guiding and controlling sliding movement of a catheter while maintaining the relative position of a guidewire. The guide track includes an elongated base having a resilient, cushion-like body, adapted to physically conform to the outer shape of a guidewire and catheter to accommodate the passing through of a catheter and related structures. The guide track includes a clamp at one end for securing a guidewire end, and another clamp at the other end for securing the track to a guide catheter.
Claims20
An apparatus for guiding an elongated, hollow flexible member, said hollow flexible member having a wire received therethrough, said apparatus comprising
- a generally elongated base;
- a body attached to said base;
- wire attaching means for selectively attaching said wire relative to said base;
- and
- a slot in said body extending generally longitudinally and adapted to receive said hollow flexible member to guide said hollow flexible member during movement of said flexible member relative to said wire.
An apparatus for guiding a catheter tube along a guidewire received therein, said apparatus comprising
- a generally elongated base;
- a body attached to said base;
- guidewire attaching means for selectively attaching said guidewire to said apparatus such that said catheter tube can be moved relative to said guidewire while said guidewire remains stationary with respect to said base;
- and
- a slot in said body adapted to receive said catheter tube and said guidewire to guide said catheter tube during movement thereof.
A catheter insertion and removal system for use with a guidewire having a proximal end and a distal end in which said distal end is inserted into the body of a patient and said proximal end remains extending out of said body of said patient, said system comprising
- a first catheter tube having a passage therethrough and a longitudinal axis, a proximal end, and a distal end, said passage being adapted to receive said guidewire therethrough;
- a guide catheter tube having a passage therethrough and a longitudinal axis, a proximal end, and a distal end, said distal end of said guide catheter being inserted into said body of said patient and said proximal end extending out of said body of said patient, wherein said guidewire extends through said guide catheter passage, and said guide catheter passage is adapted to receive said first catheter tube therein;
- an elongated track having a proximal end and a distal end, and further having base and a body, said body being made of a resilient material and having a slot formed therein adapted to receive said first catheter tube and said portion of said guidewire that extends out of the body of said patient;
- and
- guidewire attaching means for selectively attaching said guidewire to said proximal end of said track when said guidewire is positioned in said slot of said track and said distal end of said track is positioned adjacent to said body of said patient, whereby said catheter tube can be slidingly inserted into or removed from said body of said patient along said guidewire and within said guide catheter without causing buckling of said guidewire or longitudinal movement of said guidewire relative to said body of said patient.
A catheter insertion and removal system for use with a guidewire having a proximal end and a distal end in which said distal end is inserted into the body of a patient and said proximal end remains extending out of said body of said patient, said system comprising
- a selectively attachable guidewire extension having a proximal end which is adapted to attach coaxially to said guidewire, and a distal end;
- a first catheter tube having a passage therethrough and a longitudinal axis, a proximal end, and a distal end, said passage being adapted to receive said guidewire and said guidewire extension therethrough;
- a guide catheter tube having a passage therethrough and a longitudinal axis, a proximal end, and a distal end, said distal end of said guide catheter being inserted into said body of said patient and said proximal end extending out of said body of said patient, wherein said guidewire extends through said guide catheter passage, and said guide catheter passage is adapted to receive said first catheter tube therein;
- an elongated track having a proximal end and a distal end, and further having base and a body, said body being made of a resilient material and having a slot formed therein adapted to receive said first catheter tube and said guidewire extension, and
- guidewire attaching means for selectively attaching said guidewire extension to said proximal end of said track when said guidewire is positioned in said slot of said track;
- whereby said guidewire extension is pre-loaded in said first catheter tube and said first catheter tube is positioned in said slot with said guidewire extension attached to said track by said guidewire attaching means such that when insertion or removal of said first catheter tube into or out of said patient is desired, said guidewire extension is attached to said guidewire thereby enabling said first catheter tube to be slidingly inserted into or removed from said body of said patient along said guidewire and within said guide catheter without causing buckling of said guidewire or longitudinal movement of said guidewire relative to said body of said patient.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.