Intramed Laboratories, Inc.

Alan J Schempp

Stephen A Sosnowski

John H Parrish

A percutaneous access catheter is employed for examining and treating internal body cavities and organs via an access tract. For example, the catheter can be employed for examining and treating the gallbladder via a transhepatic tract. The examination may employ endoscopic, fluoroscopic, ultrasonic, or other techniques; the treatment may employ surgical, chemical, or physical modalities. The catheter includes two inflation elements. These inflation elements control hemorrhaging and leakage of fluids from the internal body cavity or organ and reduce migration of the catheter within the internal body cavity or organ during the examination and/or treatment. The first inflation element is a toroidal elastic balloon located at the distal end of the device which serves to restrict the accidental or unintended removal of the distal end from the internal body cavity or organ. The second inflation device is an inflatable nondistensible sleeve which serves to anchor the device to the access tract during the medical procedure. The two inflation elements can act cooperatively so as to anchor the internal body cavity or organ to the access tract and so as to reduce the migration of the distal end of the device within the internal body cavity or organ. The inflation of the inflatable nondistensible sleeve can also serve to control hemorrhaging from the access tract by the application of tamponage without causing unwanted dilation thereof.

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San Clemente, CA, United States of America

Alan J Schempp