Medtronic, Inc.

David S Brin

John B Horrigan

Peter A Lunn

Stuart R MacDonald

A catheter adapted for placement within a living anatomy, such as the human coronary arterial system, comprises a proximal portion, a first arcuate portion, a second arcuate portion, and a distal tip. The catheter is shaped so that with the distal tip engaged in the coronary ostium, the ellipsoidal shaped second arcuate portion is in contact with the contralateral wall of the aorta, the catheter thus resisting forces tending to displace the distal tip from the ostium.

Multi-purpose curve

A therapeutic catheter and used in percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty with the catheter comprising a shaft (5) a soft tip assembly. The assembly consists of a transition tube (15), a soft tip tube (20), and plug tube (25). The assembly is surrounded by a shrink wrap means. An infrared source (45) is applied to the interface of the shaft (5) and transition tube (15) with the heat being propagated to the transition tube (15) and the soft tip tube (20). The transition tube (15) is formed of materials having a tensile strength of at least 150% of the materials comprising the soft tip tube (20).

Method of catheter segment attachment

The invention includes an exchange system, a guidewire anchoring means and a method of use for catheters exchangeable over a guidewire (55). The guidewire anchoring means restricts movement between the guidewire (55) and the anchoring means. The anchoring means comprises a shaft (35) with a longitudinal lumen (80) therethrough, the lumen (80) being in fluid communication with a balloon (25 or 30) disposed on the distal end of the shaft (35). A tubular split housing (5 or 10) surrounds the distal end of the shaft (35) and adheres to the balloon (25 or 30), the balloon (25 or 30) being sized to expand to a larger size than the inside diameter of the split housing (5 or 10). The inside diameter of the split housing (5 or 10) is sized to slidably receive a catheter, while the outside diameter of the split housing (5 or 10) is sized to slidably fit within a guide catheter (50 ).

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West Newbury, MA, United States of America

David S Brin