Importance

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Abstract

The present invention is directed to a toposcopic dilatation catheter system utilizing a dilatation balloon in combination with an everting tube in a miniature catheter of a scale sufficiently small to negotiate a blood vessel for therapeutic as well as diagnostic purposes. The catheter system utilizes a primary catheter shaft provided with multiple lumen or passageways extending the length thereof. The dilatation balloon lumen provides access to a balloon carried at the distal end of the primary catheter shaft. The dilatation balloon may be expanded as required to aid in advancing the catheter system to the site requiring therapy. A secondary catheter tube is coaxially carried within the primary catheter shaft. The leading end of the secondary catheter tube includes an everting tube which everts from the leading end of the primary catheter shaft. The everting tube advances under fluid pressure in advance to the leading end of the primary catheter shaft. In an alternate embodiment, thumb actuated actuator wire is carried in a third lumen extending along the length of the primary catheter shaft. The actuator wire enables the leading end of the primary catheter shaft to be guided into a blood vessel branch or along a narrow tortuous blood vessel. In another alternate embodiment, a secondary dilatation balloon is carried on the distal end of the secondary catheter in advance of the everting tube. The secondary tube may be used to canalize, dislodge and remove a blood clot.

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First Claim