Variable tip catheter

A therapeutic catheter for increasing myocardial blood perfusion, having a longitudinal axis and comprising:

• an inner shaft having a proximal region and a distal region;
• a therapeutic tip disposed on said inner shaft distal region;
• an outer shaft having a distal region and having said inner shaft disposed within;
• and
• an atraumatic distal tip disposed proximate said outer shaft distal region, said atraumatic distal tip having said inner shaft distal region disposed within, said atraumatic distal tip having a first configuration having a first radial dimension and a second configuration having a second radial dimension greater than said first radial dimension, said atraumatic distal tip being sufficiently expandable to change from said first configuration to said second configuration in response to a proximally directed longitudinal force against said atraumatic tip, such that said tip is longitudinally foreshortened and radially expanded in response to being longitudinally forced against an obstacle.

A therapeutic catheter for increasing myocardial blood perfusion, having a longitudinal axis and comprising:

• an inner shaft having a proximal region and a distal region;
• a therapeutic tip disposed on said inner shaft distal region;
• an outer shaft having a distal region and having said inner shaft disposed within;
• and
• an atraumatic distal tip disposed proximate said outer shaft distal region, said atraumatic distal tip having said therapeutic tip disposed within, said atraumatic distal tip having a first, unconstrained configuration having a first radial dimension and a second, constrained configuration having a second radial dimension less than said first radial dimension, said atraumatic distal tip being sufficiently flexible and elastic to change from said first configuration to said second configuration in response to a being disposed within a third shaft having an inner diameter less than said first radial dimension, and to change from said second configuration to said first configuration in response to being freed from inside said third shaft.

A therapeutic catheter for increasing myocardial blood perfusion, having a longitudinal axis and comprising:

• an inner shaft having a proximal region and a distal region;
• a therapeutic tip disposed on said inner shaft distal region;
• an outer shaft having a distal region, a distal end, and having said inner shaft disposed within;
• an inflation lumen disposed within said outer shaft;
• and
• an inflatable atraumatic distal stop disposed proximate said outer shaft distal region and proximal of said outer shaft distal end and having an interior in fluid communication with said inflation lumen, said atraumatic distal stop having a first configuration having a first radial dimension when uninflated and a second configuration having a second radial dimension when inflated, said second radial dimension being greater than said first radial dimension.

A therapeutic catheter for increasing myocardial blood perfusion, having a longitudinal axis and comprising:

• an outer elongate shaft having a longitudinal axis, a distal end, and a lumen therethrough;
• an inner elongate shaft disposed within said outer shaft lumen and having a therapeutic distal tip;
• a plurality of expandable members affixed to said outer shaft distal end, said expandable members having a first, unexpanded position having a first transverse profile and a second, expanded position having a second transverse profile greater than said first transverse profile;
• and
• means for urging said expandable members from said first position to said second position.

A therapeutic catheter for increasing myocardial blood perfusion, having a longitudinal axis and transverse planes transverse to said longitudinal axis, comprising:

• a shaft having a proximal region and a distal region;
• a therapeutic tip disposed on said shaft distal region and having means for penetrating said myocardium;
• and
• an atraumatic distal tip disposed proximate said shaft distal region, said atraumatic distal tip having a first configuration having a first transverse profile and a second configuration having a second transverse profile greater than said first transverse profile.