The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 16, 1999
Filed:
Feb. 27, 1998
Mukesh Gupta, Owensboro, KY (US);
Other;
Abstract
Diagnostic and guiding catheter assemblies (28, 82) are provided which include an elongated tubular body (30) having a proximal end (32) and a preformed open distal end (34). An expandable distal positioning balloon structure (36) is operatively coupled with the tubular body (30) adjacent to the distal end (34). The tubular body (30) includes wall structure defining a main passageway (48) and a pressurizing tube passageway (46) extending between the proximal and distal ends (32, 34). A pressurizing tube (70) is positioned within the pressurizing tube passageway (46), and is in open communication with the distal balloon interior (66). The pressurizing tube (70) is configured for passing a pressurizing fluid from a source thereof into the distal balloon interior (66) for expanding the distal balloon structure (36). In an expanded state, the distal balloon structure (36) is configured for locating the distal end (34) within a first vessel (18) adjacent to an ostium of a second blood vessel (20), and for positioning the distal end (34) at a selected distance from the second vessel ostium. An alternative catheter apparatus (82) further includes an expandable biasing balloon structure (84) operatively coupled to the exterior of the body (30) between the proximal end (32) and the distal balloon structure (36). The biasing balloon structure (84) is configured for biasing the distal end (34) in a direction toward the second vessel ostium. Selected expansion of the balloon structures (36, 84) allows the physician to precisely position distal end (34) for angiography for PTCA.