Single lumen balloon catheter apparatus

Abstract

A catheter useful for non-surgical entry into a uterus to dispense a diagnostic fluid therein. The catheter includes a tubular body having a lumen extending from a first end thereof to a second end thereof. The lumen includes an external opening adjacent the first end for dispensing a diagnostic fluid into the interior of a subject uterus, and a balloon disposed marginally adjacent to the first end of the body for fluid sealing the interior of the subject uterus. The lumen further includes a second opening in fluid communication with the interior of the balloon for inflation thereof with the diagnostic fluid. In most applications, the catheter can be combined with a syringe to form a catheter apparatus.

1 . A catheter useful for non-surgical entry into a uterus to dispense a diagnostic fluid therein, the catheter comprising: 
 a tubular body having a single lumen extending from a first end thereof to a second end thereof, the lumen having an external opening adjacent the first end for dispensing a diagnostic fluid into the interior of a subject uterus; and    a balloon disposed marginally adjacent to the first end of the body for fluid sealing the interior of the subject uterus;    the lumen having a second opening in fluid communication with the interior of the balloon for inflation thereof with the diagnostic fluid;    wherein the external opening adjacent the first end generates a back-flow within the lumen which causes the fluid to enter and inflate the balloon through the second opening.    
     
     
         2 . The catheter according to  claim 1 , wherein the body is flexible.  
     
     
         3 . The catheter according to  claim 2 , further comprising a movable sheath that can be moved to a first position to cover a portion of the body to add rigidity thereto thus aiding in the insertion of the catheter, and which can be moved to a second position to uncover the portion of the body thus allowing it to bend and flex freely.  
     
     
         4 . The catheter according to  claim 1 , wherein the balloon can be sequentially inflated into first and second predetermined shapes.  
     
     
         5 . The catheter according to  claim 4 , wherein the first predetermined shape is substantially elliptical and the second predetermined shape is substantially spherical.  
     
     
         6 . The catheter according to  claim 4 , wherein the balloon is made from polyurethane.  
     
     
         7 . The catheter according to  claim 1 , wherein the balloon is made from polyurethane.  
     
     
         8 . The catheter according to  claim 1 , wherein the second opening prevents fluid back-flow in the lumen to maintain inflation of the balloon.  
     
     
         9 . A catheter apparatus useful for non-surgical entry into a uterus to dispense a diagnostic fluid therein, the catheter apparatus comprising: 
 a catheter;    a syringe for delivering the diagnostic fluid into the catheter;    the catheter having a balloon disposed marginally adjacent to a first end thereof for fluid sealing the interior of the subject uterus, a single lumen extending from the first end to a second end of the catheter, the lumen having an external opening adjacent the first end for dispensing the diagnostic fluid into the interior of a subject uterus and a second opening in fluid communication with the interior of the balloon for inflation thereof with the diagnostic fluid;    wherein the external opening adjacent the first end generates a back-flow within the lumen which causes the fluid to enter and inflate the balloon through the second opening.    
     
     
         10 . The catheter apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the second opening prevents fluid back-flow in the lumen to maintain inflation of the balloon.  
     
     
         11 . The catheter apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the catheter is flexible.  
     
     
         12 . The catheter apparatus according to  claim 11 , further comprising a movable sheath that can be moved to a first position to cover a portion of the body to add rigidity thereto thus aiding in the insertion of the catheter, and which can be moved to a second position to uncover the portion of the body thus allowing it to bend and flex freely.  
     
     
         13 . The catheter apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the balloon can be sequentially inflated into first and second predetermined shapes.  
     
     
         14 . The catheter apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the first predetermined shape is substantially elliptical and the second predetermined shape is substantially spherical.  
     
     
         15 . The catheter apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the balloon is made from polyurethane.  
     
     
         16 . The catheter apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the balloon is made from polyurethane.  
     
     
         17 . A method for making a catheter which is useful for non-surgical entry into a uterus to dispense a diagnostic fluid therein, the method comprising the steps of: 
 providing a tubular body having a single lumen extending from a first end thereof to a second end thereof,    creating an external opening adjacent the first end of the body, the external opening for dispensing a diagnostic fluid into the interior of a subject uterus;    attaching a balloon marginally adjacent to the first end of the body, the balloon for fluid sealing the interior of the subject uterus; and    creating a second opening in the lumen which is in fluid communication with the interior of the balloon for inflation thereof with the diagnostic fluid.    
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17 , further comprising the step of providing a syringe that delivers the diagnostic fluid into the catheter, the syringe and the catheter forming a catheter apparatus.  
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the second opening prevents fluid backflow in the lumen to maintain inflation of the balloon.  
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the catheter is flexible.  
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 20 , further comprising the step of providing a movable sheath that can be moved to a first position to cover a portion of the body to add rigidity thereto thus aiding in the insertion of the catheter, and which can be moved to a second position to uncover the portion of the body thus allowing it to bend and flex freely.  
     
     
         22 . The catheter according to  claim 1 , wherein the external opening has a predetermined area and the second opening has a predetermined area, the predetermined area of the second opening being greater than the predetermined area of the external opening.  
     
     
         23 . The catheter apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the external opening has a predetermined area and the second opening has a predetermined area, the predetermined area of the second opening being greater than the predetermined area of the second opening.