Methods and apparatus for aspiration and priming of inflatable structures in catheters
AssigneeMercator MedSystems, Inc.
InventorKirk Patrick Seward
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An aspiration baffle comprises an outer tube and an inner core wire. Microholes are provided in the outer tubular member to permit passage of gas but inhibit the passage of liquids. The aspiration baffle is used in a catheter having a balloon or other inflatable structure to assist in priming of the structure. After evacuating the inflatable structure by applying a vacuum, the aspiration baffle can collect and trap residual gas which remains during the priming of the inflatable structure.
Claims32
An aspiration baffle for purging gas from a liquid-filled chamber in a catheter, said baffle tube comprising:
- a tubular member having a distal end, a proximal end, and an interior volume extending between said ends, wherein the tubular member is sealed except for a plurality of microholes;
- wherein the microholes remain open when a vacuum is applied to the interior volume;
- said tubular member adapted to be disposed axially in the catheter so that the microholes are present in the liquid filled chamber to permit passage of gas from said chamber into the interior while substantially preventing the passage of liquid from said chamber into the interior.
A catheter comprising:
- a catheter body having a proximal end, a distal end, and an inflation lumen;
- an inflatable chamber on the catheter body disposed to receive an inflation medium from the inflation lumen;
- and
- an aspiration baffle disposed in the catheter body, said baffle defining a sealed interior volume open to an interior of the inflatable chamber through a plurality of microholes only;
- wherein the interior volume of the aspiration baffle is evacuated through the microholes when a vacuum is applied to the interior of the inflatable chamber through the inflation lumen so that residual gas may pass from the inflatable chamber into the interior volume of said aspiration baffle tube when the inflatable chamber is subsequently filled with liquid.
A catheter comprising:
- a catheter body having a proximal end, a distal end, and an inflation lumen;
- an inflatable chamber on the catheter body disposed to receive an inflation medium from the inflation lumen;
- an aspiration baffle disposed in the catheter body, said baffle defining a sealed interior volume open to an interior of the inflatable chamber through a plurality of microholes only;
- a needle carried by the inflatable chamber;
- and
- wherein the interior volume of the aspiration baffle is evacuated through the microholes when a vacuum is applied to the interior of the inflatable chamber through the inflation lumen so that residual gas may pass from the inflatable chamber into the interior volume of said aspiration tube when the inflatable chamber is subsequently filled with liquid.
A catheter comprising:
- a catheter body having a proximal end, a distal end, and an inflation lumen;
- an inflatable chamber on the catheter body disposed to receive an inflation medium from the inflation lumen;
- an aspiration baffle disposed in the catheter body, said baffle defining a sealed interior volume open to an interior of the inflatable chamber through a plurality of circular microholes only;
- an expandable tubular prosthesis carried by the inflatable chamber;
- and
- wherein the interior volume of the aspiration baffle is evacuated through the microholes when a vacuum is applied to the interior of the inflatable chamber through the inflation lumen so that residual gas may pass from the inflatable chamber into the interior volume of said aspiration baffle when the inflatable chamber is subsequently filled with liquid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.