Exchange accessory for use with a monorail catheter

Abstract

An exchange accessory useful with monorail and other types of catheters has a hollow, elongated sleeve for insertion into a Tuohy-Borst connector or the like, and an enlarged head at its proximal end to restrain the sleeve from advancing with the catheter into the connector. The sleeve is slidably mounted on the catheter shaft so that it may be interposed between a sealing member within the connector and the catheter. The internal diameter of the sleeve is greater than and complementary with the external diameter of the catheter shaft to define a space about the catheter shaft sufficient to allow backbleed of blood therethrough in a controlled manner. In one embodiment, the sleeve has a slotted head to accommodate a guidewire which may extend in parallel to the catheter shaft, for example, when used with a monorail type catheter. The slot permits the guidewire to extend proximal to the connector without bending or kinking. In another embodiment, the exchange accessory may be assembled onto a conventional catheter shaft. As a modification to these embodiments, an aperture may be provided for selectively engaging the catheter by closing the connector on the sleeve with the aperture aligned with a sealing member of the connector.