Coaxial guide catheter for interventional cardiology procedures

A system for use with interventional cardiology devices adapted to be insertable into a branch artery, the system comprising:

• a guide catheter having a continuous lumen extending for a predefined length from a proximal end at a hemostatic valve to a distal end adapted to be placed in the branch artery, the continuous lumen of the guide catheter having a circular cross-section and a cross-sectional inner diameter sized such that interventional cardiology devices are insertable into and through the continuous lumen of the guide catheter;
• and
• a device adapted for use with the guide catheter, including:
• an elongate structure having an overall length that is longer than the predefined length of the continuous lumen of the guide catheter, the elongate structure including:
• a flexible tip portion defining a tubular structure and having a circular cross-section that is smaller than the circular cross-section of the continuous lumen of the guide catheter and a length that is shorter than the predefined length of the continuous lumen of the guide catheter, the flexible tip portion having a cross-sectional outer diameter sized to be insertable through the cross-sectional inner diameter of the continuous lumen of the guide catheter and defining a coaxial lumen having a cross-sectional inner diameter through which interventional cardiology devices are insertable;
• a reinforced portion proximal to the flexible tip portion;
• and
• a substantially rigid portion proximal of, connected to, and more rigid along a longitudinal axis rail than the flexible tip portion and defining a structure without a lumen having a maximal cross-sectional dimension at a proximal portion that is smaller than the cross-sectional outer diameter of the flexible tip portion, such that when at least a distal portion of the flexible tip portion is extended distally of the distal end of the guide catheter with at least proximal portion of the reinforced portion remaining within the continuous lumen of the guide catheter, at least a portion of the proximal portion of the substantially rigid portion extends proximally through the hemostatic valve in common with interventional cardiology devices that are insertable into the guide catheter.

A system, comprising:

• a guide catheter configured to be advanceable through a main blood vessel to a position adjacent an ostium of a coronary artery, the guide catheter having a lumen extending from a hemostatic valve at a proximal end of the guide catheter to a distal end of the guide catheter that is adapted to be positioned adjacent the ostium of the coronary artery;
• and
• a guide extension catheter configured to be partially advanceable through the guide catheter and into the coronary artery, the guide extension catheter having a length such that a distal end of the guide extension catheter is extendable through the lumen and beyond the distal end of the guide catheter, and a proximal end of the guide extension catheter is extendable through the hemostatic valve at the proximal end of the guide catheter,
• the guide extension catheter including, in a proximal to distal direction, a substantially rigid segment, a segment defining a side opening, and a tubular structure defining a lumen coaxial and in fluid communication with the lumen of the guide catheter, the lumen of the tubular structure having a length that is shorter than the length of the lumen of the guide catheter and having a uniform cross-sectional inner diameter that is not more than one French size smaller than the cross-sectional inner diameter of the lumen of the guide catheter, the side opening extending for a distance along a longitudinal axis of the segment defining the side opening and accessible from a longitudinal side defined transverse to the longitudinal axis, and the side opening and the lumen of the tubular structure configured to receive one or more stents or balloon catheters when the segment defining the side opening and a proximal end portion of the tubular structure are positioned within the lumen of the guide catheter and the distal end of the guide extension catheter extends beyond the distal end of the guide catheter;
• wherein a material forming the segment defining the side opening is more rigid than the tubular structure.

A system, comprising:

• a guide catheter configured to be advanceable through a main blood vessel to a position adjacent an ostium of a coronary artery, the guide catheter having a lumen extending from a hemostatic valve at a proximal end of the guide catheter to a distal end of the guide catheter that is adapted to be positioned adjacent the ostium of the coronary artery;
• and
• a guide extension catheter configured to be partially advanceable through the guide catheter and into the coronary artery, the guide extension catheter having a length such that a distal end of the guide extension catheter is extendable through the lumen and beyond the distal end of the guide catheter, and a proximal end of the guide extension catheter is extendable through the hemostatic valve at the proximal end of the guide catheter,
• the guide extension catheter including, in a proximal to distal direction, a substantially rigid segment, a segment defining a side opening, and a tubular structure defining a lumen coaxial and in fluid communication with the lumen of the guide catheter, the lumen of the tubular structure having a length that is shorter than the length of the lumen of the guide catheter and having a uniform cross-sectional inner diameter that is not more than one French size smaller than the cross-sectional inner diameter of the lumen of the guide catheter, the side opening extending for a distance along a longitudinal axis of the segment defining the side opening and accessible from a longitudinal side defined transverse to the longitudinal axis, and the side opening and the lumen of the tubular structure configured to receive one or more stents or balloon catheters when the segment defining the side opening and a proximal end portion of the tubular structure are positioned within the lumen of the guide catheter and the distal end of the guide extension catheter extends beyond the distal end of the guide catheter;
• wherein the segment defining the side opening comprises a portion of the guide extension catheter that is more rigid than a distal end portion of the tubular structure.

A system, comprising:

• a guide catheter configured to be advanceable through a main blood vessel to a position adjacent an ostium of a coronary artery, the guide catheter having a lumen extending from a hemostatic valve at a proximal end of the guide catheter to a distal end of the guide catheter that is adapted to be positioned adjacent the ostium of the coronary artery;
• and
• a guide extension catheter configured to be partially advanceable through the guide catheter and into the coronary artery, the guide extension catheter having a length such that a distal end of the guide extension catheter is extendable through the lumen and beyond the distal end of the guide catheter, and a proximal end of the guide extension catheter is extendable through the hemostatic valve at the proximal end of the guide catheter,
• the guide extension catheter including, in a proximal to distal direction, a substantially rigid segment, a segment defining a side opening, and a tubular structure defining a lumen coaxial and in fluid communication with the lumen of the guide catheter, the lumen of the tubular structure having a length that is shorter than the length of the lumen of the guide catheter and having a uniform cross-sectional inner diameter that is not more than one French size smaller than the cross-sectional inner diameter of the lumen of the guide catheter, the side opening extending for a distance along a longitudinal axis of the segment defining the side opening and accessible from a longitudinal side defined transverse to the longitudinal axis, and the side opening and the lumen of the tubular structure configured to receive one or more stents or balloon catheters when the segment defining the side opening and a proximal end portion of the tubular structure are positioned within the lumen of the guide catheter and the distal end of the guide extension catheter extends beyond the distal end of the guide catheter;
• wherein the tip portion includes an atraumatic bumper formed from a flexible material and having a lumen continuous with the lumen of the tubular structure;
• and
• wherein the tubular structure includes a reinforcing braid or coil, and wherein the tip portion includes a marker band positioned distal to the distal end of the reinforcing braid or coil.

A system, comprising:

• a guide catheter configured to be advanceable through a main blood vessel to a position adjacent an ostium of a coronary artery, the guide catheter having a lumen extending from a hemostatic valve at a proximal end of the guide catheter to a distal end of the guide catheter that is adapted to be positioned adjacent the ostium of the coronary artery;
• and
• a guide extension catheter configured to be partially advanceable through the guide catheter and into the coronary artery, the guide extension catheter having a length such that a distal end of the guide extension catheter is extendable through the lumen and beyond the distal end of the guide catheter, and a proximal end of the guide extension catheter is extendable through the hemostatic valve at the proximal end of the guide catheter,
• the guide extension catheter including, in a proximal to distal direction, a substantially rigid segment, a segment defining a side opening, and a tubular structure defining a lumen coaxial and in fluid communication with the lumen of the guide catheter, the lumen of the tubular structure having a length that is shorter than the length of the lumen of the guide catheter and having a uniform cross-sectional inner diameter that is not more than one French size smaller than the cross-sectional inner diameter of the lumen of the guide catheter, the side opening extending for a distance along a longitudinal axis of the segment defining the side opening and accessible from a longitudinal side defined transverse to the longitudinal axis, and the side opening and the lumen of the tubular structure configured to receive one or more stents or balloon catheters when the segment defining the side opening and a proximal end portion of the tubular structure are positioned within the lumen of the guide catheter and the distal end of the guide extension catheter extends beyond the distal end of the guide catheter;
• wherein a material forming the segment defining the side opening is more rigid than the tubular structure;
• wherein a flexural modulus of the substantially rigid segment is greater than a flexural modulus of the tubular structure.