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:
Oct. 09, 2001
Filed:
Aug. 18, 1992
Kent D. Harrison, Brooklyn Park, MN (US);
Scott P. Thome, Waite Park, MN (US);
Peter T. Keith, Fridley, MN (US);
Daniel O. Adams, Orono, MN (US);
William H. Penny, St. Anthony, MN (US);
SciMed Life Systems, Inc., Maple Grove, MN (US);
Abstract
An apparatus and method for exchanging a first intravascular catheter of the over-the-wire type, such as an angioplasty balloon dilation catheter, with a second intravascular catheter of the over-the-wire type while leaving a guide wire in position in a desired vascular site. The apparatus is used in conjunction with a conventional guide catheter, a guide wire, and an interventional catheter that can be positioned intravascularly through a lumen of the guide catheter over the guide wire and past a distal end of the guide catheter to a desired vascular site. The apparatus includes an elongate shaft that can be removably positioned in the lumen of the guide catheter and has an actuation capability therein. A trapping member is located at a distal portion of the elongate shaft for releasably fixing the relative position of the guide wire with respect to the guide catheter. The fixing and releasing of the trapping member is effected by the actuation capability from outside the body of the patient so that a first interventional catheter can be exchanged for a second interventional catheter by trapping the guide wire position relative to the guide catheter while withdrawing the first interventional device and replacing it with another.