Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.

Boyd Colvin

Changqing Li

Mark L Adams

Laurence D Brenner

Patrice A Weststrate

Donald C Hovey

Ken Brown

Alan Sundheimer

A catheter assembly including a medical catheter and an internal bolster. In a preferred embodiment, the catheter is an elongated, tubular structure preferably made of a flexible, biocompatible material. The catheter is shaped to include a generally cylindrical wall terminating in a first end and in a second end, the wall coaxially surrounding and defining a longitudinal bore preferably used to convey fluids, such as food and/or medications, to a patient in need thereof. The internal bolster is an elongated, semi-tubular structure preferably made of a flexible, biocompatible material. The bolster is resiliently and reversibly transformable between a generally planar shape, when at rest, and a straightened shape, when forcibly unfurled. The bolster has an inner end and an outer end, the inner end being generally centrally located. The inner end of the bolster is insert-molded around the first end of the catheter, with the catheter and the bolster being oriented relative to one another so that the longitudinal axis of the catheter extends generally perpendicularly to the plane of the bolster in its coiled state, with the open, semi-tubular structure of the bolster facing away from the catheter.

Catheter assembly including coiled internal bolster

A method for percutaneously implanting a medical catheter, such as a gastrostomy feeding tube, and a medical catheter implanting assembly. In one embodiment, the implanting assembly includes a gastrostomy feeding tube, an inner sheath and an outer sheath. The feeding tube has an internal bolster integrally formed at its distal end. The inner sheath includes a bore extending distally from its proximal end to a point prior to its distal end and a transverse window communicating with the bore. The outer sheath includes a proximal end, a distal end and a longitudinal bore. The outer sheath is inserted over the inner sheath, and the feeding tube is inserted into the inner sheath, with the internal bolster being folded and tucked into the window and retained therein by the outer sheath. Movement of the outer sheath relative to the inner sheath to expose the window allows the bolster to decompress.

Method for percutaneously implanting a medical catheter and medical catheter implanting assembly

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Indianapolis, IN, United States of America

Boyd Colvin