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US 7,094,243 B2Granted
Catheter with an expandable end portion
AssigneeSalviac Limited
InventorsPatrick Mulholland, Gerard O'Carroll, Dominic Conlon, David Vale, Eamon Brady
Life of this patent
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AssigneeSalviac Limited
InventorsPatrick Mulholland, Gerard O'Carroll, Dominic Conlon, David Vale, Eamon Brady
Estimating the term…
A catheter (2) is used in medical applications, for example for the retrieval of a sample from a patient or the insertion or retrieval of medical devices such as filters, stents (3) to and from the patient. The catheter (2) includes an expandable tip (6) at a leading portion of a catheter tube portion (5). This expandable tip (6) can retrieve or deliver samples, medical devices, etc. (3), which are slightly larger than the dimensions of a main catheter tube (5) inserted into the patient. The expandable tip (6) can also include extension members (10) which provide axial support to the expandable tip (6) but which still allow expansion in the radial direction.
A catheter comprising a catheter tube portion and a tip extending axially from the catheter tube portion, the tip being flexible relative to the catheter tube portion, characterized in that the catheter includes a reinforcement to enhance the axial strength of the tip while facilitating radial expansion of the tip to accommodate an article in the tip, the reinforcement comprising an extension extending from the catheter tube portion, the tip including a free distal end and the extension terminating at a position that is axially spaced back from a free end of the tip, the extension comprising at least one extension member extending from said catheter tube portion into the tip, the at least one extension member being tapered toward a leading portion of the tip.
A catheter comprising a catheter tube portion and a tip extending axially from the catheter tube portion, the tip being flexible relative to the catheter tube portion, characterized in that the catheter includes a reinforcement to enhance the axial strength of the tip while facilitating radial expansion of the tip to accommodate an article in the tip, the reinforcement comprising an extension extending from the catheter tube portion, the extension comprising at least one extension member extending from said catheter tube portion into said tip, said at least one extension member being tapered toward a leading portion of said tip.
A catheter comprising a catheter tube portion and a tip extending axially from the catheter tube portion, the tip being flexible relative to the catheter tube portion, characterized in that the catheter includes a reinforcement to enhance the axial strength of the tip while facilitating radial expansion of the tip to accommodate an article in the tip, the reinforcement comprising an extension extending from the catheter tube portion, the extension comprising a plurality of extension members extending from said catheter tube portion into said tip, said plurality of extension members being tapered toward a leading portion of said tip.
A catheter comprising a catheter tube portion and a tip extending axially from the catheter tube portion, the tip being flexible relative to the catheter tube portion, characterized in that the catheter includes a reinforcement to enhance the axial strength of the tip while facilitating radial expansion of the tip to accommodate an article in the tip, the reinforcement comprising an extension extending from the catheter tube portions, the extension comprising a plurality of extension members extending from said catheter tube portion into said tip, said plurality of extension members being tapered toward a leading portion of said tip, said plurality of extension members each including a radiused tip.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.