Importance

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Abstract

The curving tip catheter is adapted to be inserted into and through the lumen of a blood vessel in a network of branching blood vessels in a body and is manipulatable therethrough to a desired blood vessel branch within the network of branching blood vessels. The catheter includes an elongate tubular body having a distal end and a proximal end, and a flexible tubular tip portion located at the distal end of the elongate tubular body. The catheter further includes at least first and second elongate passageways within the tubular body and at least first and second elongate lumens within the flexible tip portion and which mate with the first and second respective elongate passageways of the tubular body. The tubular body includes braided wire embedded into the wall of the tubular body, or an inner tubular lining within the tubular body situated between the tubular body and the first and second elongate passageways, both of which provide torsional stiffness to the tubular body. A wire is situated within the first passageway of the tubular body and the first lumen of the flexible tip portion and which is coupled to the distal end of the flexible tip portion and the wire having its proximal end connected to a mechanism for pulling the wire in order to cause the tip member to bend or flex accordingly. The catheter further includes a mechanism located at the proximal end of the catheter for introducing or withdrawing a fluid material into or from the second passageway in the tubular body whereby the catheter can be guided by bending the flexible tip member through a branching network of blood vessels of a body to a site in the body for delivering the fluid or withdrawing the fluid from the site in the body.

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First Claim