Self-aligning medical device
AssigneeSciMed Life Systems, Inc.
InventorsFernando Di Caprio, Brett Allyn Williams
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A self-centering or alignment system for catheter or other medical treatment devices. The system includes magnets on interacting elongate devices to separate and align the elongate devices for use. The interactive elongate devices can include a guide catheter and treatment catheter or a treatment catheter and guide wire. The system of the present invention facilitates insertion and placement of medical devices at a treatment site and provides enhanced maneuverability and insertability for treatment devices.
Claims22
A catheter system, comprising:
- a first elongate body configured for insertion into a body lumen having a longitudinal dimension along an elongate length and a radial dimension;
- and
- a second elongate body configured for insertion through a lumen of the first elongate body having a longitudinal dimension along an elongate length and a radial dimension;
- a magnet assembly coupled to the first and second elongate bodies and having a polarity to provide a radial centering force between the first and second elongate bodies in a radial direction.
A method of treating a body vessel with an insertable catheter device comprising steps of:
- inserting an elongate member into the body vessel including a magnet;
- inserting a treatment catheter, having a magnet, along the elongate member;
- and
- radially centering the treatment catheter relative to the elongate member by interaction of magnetic fields provided by the magnet on the elongate member and the magnet on the treatment catheter.
A catheter system comprising:
- first and second flexible elongate members configured for insertion into a body lumen having a longitudinal dimension and a radial dimension;
- and
- radial centering means coupled to the first and second elongate members, for radially centering the first and second elongate members relative to one another.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.