Method and apparatus for catheter exchange by guide wire-captivation

A method for operating an angioplasty catheter system to limit guide wire movement, the method comprising the steps of:

• a. providing a guide catheter having a first end and a second end with a lumen defined therebetween;
• b. providing a catheter guide wire within the lumen of the guide catheter;
• c. providing an angioplasty balloon catheter within the lumen of the guide catheter slidably disposed relative to the guide wire;
• d. providing means for selectively engaging the guide wire to the guide catheter, said means for selectively engaging including a wire-captivation wire having a loop portion within the guide catheter for receiving the guide wire;
• and,
• e. manipulating the means for engaging to force the guide wire against an inner portion of the guide catheter.

A method for exchanging a first over-the-wire catheter on a guide wire in a patient's vascular system for a second over-the-wire catheter on the guide wire, wherein the guide wire extends through and past a distal end of a guide catheter, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a guide wire-captivation wire within the guide catheter;
• holding a proximal end of the guide wire outside of the vascular system to maintain position of the guide wire longitudinally relative to the guide catheter and the vascular system;
• moving the first over-the-wire catheter on the guide wire into the guide catheter to a position proximal of an open
• portion of the wire-captivation wire;
• closing the open portion of the wire-captivation wire whereby movement of the guide wire longitudinally relative to the guide catheter is limited;
• releasing the proximal end of the guide wire;
• withdrawing the first over-the-wire catheter from a proximal end of the guide wire;
• installing the second over-the-wire catheter onto the proximal end of the guide wire;
• moving the second over-the-wire catheter to a position just proximal of the closed open portion of the wire-captivation wire;
• holding the proximal end of the guide wire outside of the vascular system to maintain position of the guide wire longitudinally relative to the guide catheter and the vascular system;
• reopening the open portion of the wire-captivation wire to release the guide wire from its fixed position relative to the guide catheter;
• and
• moving the second over-the-wire catheter distally of the open portion of the wire-captivation wire.

An angioplasty catheter system, comprising:

• a. a guide wire;
• b. a balloon catheter including an elongated tubular shaft with a balloon connected at a distal end thereof, the shaft including a guide wire lumen receiving the guide wire therethrough;
• c. an elongated tubular guide catheter defining a guide lumen having a proximal end and a distal end and receiving the balloon catheter therethrough;
• d. means, nearer the distal end of the guide catheter than the proximal end, for selectively engaging the guide wire to the guide catheter to restrict longitudinal movement of the guide wire relative to the guide catheter, said means for selectively engaging including means for urging a portion of the guide wire against an inner portion of the guide catheter, wherein said means for urging includes an inflatable restriction balloon, within the distal end of the guide lumen, designed to engage the guide wire relative to the guide catheter when inflated, and means, coupled to the inflatable restriction balloon, for inflating the inflatable restriction balloon, the inflation of which restricts longitudinal movement of the guide wire relative to the guide catheter;
• and,
• e. said inflatable restriction balloon is carried at a distal end of an elongated tubular flexible shaft, the shaft is adapted for insertion within the guide catheter to position the inflatable restriction balloon proximate to the distal end of the guide catheter and an inflation lumen is defined through said shaft to provide a means for inflating the inflatable restriction balloon.

An angioplasty catheter system, comprising:

• a. a guide wire;
• b. a balloon catheter including an elongated tubular shaft with a balloon connected at a distal end thereof, the shaft including a guide wire lumen receiving the guide wire therethrough;
• c. an elongated tubular guide catheter defining a guide lumen having a proximal end and a distal end and receiving the balloon catheter therethrough;
• d. means, nearer the distal end of the guide catheter than the proximal end, for selectively engaging the guide wire to the guide catheter to restrict longitudinal movement of the guide wire relative to the guide catheter, said means for selectively engaging including means for urging a portion of the guide wire against an inner portion of the guide catheter, wherein said means for urging includes an inflatable restriction balloon, within the distal end of the guide lumen, designed to engage the guide wire relative to the guide catheter when inflated, and means, coupled to the inflatable restriction balloon, for inflating the inflatable restriction balloon, the inflation of which restricts longitudinal movement of the guide wire relative to the guide catheter;
• and,
• e. said means for inflating further including a tube with an inflation lumen which is separate from the guide catheter.

An angioplasty catheter system, comprising:

• a. a guide wire;
• b. a balloon catheter including an elongated tubular shaft with a balloon connected at a distal end thereof, the shaft including a guide wire lumen receiving the guide wire therethrough;
• c. an elongated tubular guide catheter defining a guide lumen having a proximal end and a distal end and receiving the balloon catheter therethrough;
• d. means, nearer the distal end of the guide catheter than the proximal end, for selectively engaging the guide wire to the guide catheter to restrict longitudinal movement of the guide wire relative to the guide catheter, said means for selectively engaging including means for urging a portion of the guide wire against an inner portion of the guide catheter, wherein said means for urging includes an inflatable restriction balloon, within the distal end of the guide lumen, designed to engage the guide wire relative to the guide catheter when inflated, and means, coupled to the inflatable restriction balloon, for inflating the inflatable restriction balloon, the inflation of which restricts longitudinal movement of the guide wire relative to the guide catheter;
• and,
• e. said means for urging includes means for carrying the inflatable balloon separate from the guide catheter.

An angioplasty catheter system, comprising:

• a guide wire;
• an elongated tubular guide catheter defining a guide lumen having a proximal end and a distal end;
• a balloon catheter received in the guide lumen of the guide catheter, the balloon catheter including an elongated tubular shaft with a balloon connected at a distal end thereof, the guide wire being slidably disposed through a guide wire lumen defined through said shaft;
• and
• a movable captivation catheter which is separate from the guide wire and received in the lumen of the guide catheter, the captivation catheter including an elongated tubular shaft with a captivation balloon connected at a distal end thereof, the captivation balloon designed to selectively engage the guide wire relative to the guide catheter when inflated within the lumen of the guide catheter at a position distal to the distal end of the balloon catheter.

A method for operating an angioplasty catheter system to limit guide wire movement, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a guide catheter having a proximal end and a distal end with a lumen defined therebetween;
• providing a catheter guide wire within the lumen of the guide catheter;
• providing an angioplasty balloon catheter within the lumen of the guide catheter slidably disposed relative to the guide wire, the balloon catheter having a proximal end and a distal end;
• providing a movable captivation catheter within the lumen of the guide catheter, which includes an elongated tubular shaft with a captivation balloon connected at a distal end thereof;
• advancing the captivation catheter through the lumen of the guide catheter until the captivation balloon is positioned distal to the distal end of the balloon catheter and proximal to the distal end of the guide catheter;
• and
• inflating the captivation balloon to force the guide wire against an inner wall of the lumen in the guide catheter.