Rapid exchange catheters usable with embolic protection devices

Abstract

Catheters, assemblies, and methods for delivering and recovering embolic protection devices. Catheters are provided that can be advanced over single length guide wires and which can be retracted over single length wire shafts of distal embolic protection devices. One catheter is a two-port catheter having two sidewall ports, a distal end port, and a proximal end port. The two-port catheter can be advanced over a guide wire threaded between the distal end port and the distal sidewall port. An embolic protection device wire shaft can be back loaded into the distal end port and out the proximal sidewall port. A three-port catheter includes a distal end port, and distal, intermediate, and proximal sidewall ports. The distal sidewall port can be dimensioned to accept passage of a filter body through the port. The distal end port can be dimensioned to accept only a guide wire to provide a smooth transition from the guide wire to the small profile distal end. The guide wire can extend between the distal end port and the intermediate port while the filter body shaft can extend through the proximal port, to be distally urged through the distal sidewall port. Another catheter embodiment is a slotted catheter, including a biased, normally open slot over most of its length. The slot can be sufficiently small to resist unwanted transverse movement of a wire through the slot. The slotted catheter can be retracted over a wire by forcing the wire through the resilient slot.

1 . A sheath for deployment of a medical device comprising:
 an elongate tubular member having a proximal end, a distal end, and a lumen therebetween;   a first opening in the lumen at the distal end of the tubular member;   a second opening in the lumen proximal the distal end of the tubular member;   wherein the first opening and the second opening are adapted to pass an elongate member therethrough; and   a third opening in the lumen proximal the second opening in the lumen.   
   
   
       2 . The sheath of  claim 1 , wherein the second opening is a short distance proximal to the distal end and the third opening is a short distance proximal to the second opening. 
   
   
       3 . The sheath of  claim 1 , wherein the first opening and the third opening is adapted to pass a support wire therethrough. 
   
   
       4 . The sheath of  claim 3 , wherein the support wire further comprises an expandable filter mounted on a distal end of the support wire. 
   
   
       5 . The sheath of  claim 4 , wherein the support wire and filter are positioned within the lumen of the elongate tubular member. 
   
   
       6 . The sheath of  claim 1 , further comprising an endoluminal medical device. 
   
   
       7 . The sheath of  claim 6 , wherein the endoluminal medical device is selected from the group consisting of an angioplasty catheter, a stent-deployment catheter, an atherectomy catheter, an intravascular ultrasound catheter, a filter catheter, a guidewire, and an aspiration catheter. 
   
   
       8 . The sheath of  claim 1 , wherein the proximal end of the elongate tubular member includes a hemostatic valve. 
   
   
       9 . The sheath of  claim 1 , wherein the second opening is located 50 centimeters or less from the distal end. 
   
   
       10 . The sheath of  claim 1 , wherein the elongate member passed through the first opening and the second opening is a guidewire. 
   
   
       11 . A sheath for deployment of a medical device comprising:
 an elongate tubular member having a proximal end, a distal end, and a lumen therebetween;   a first opening in the lumen at the distal end of the tubular member;   a second opening in the lumen proximal the distal end of the tubular member; and   a guidewire that passes through the second opening, through the lumen of the elongate tubular member, and through the first opening; and   a support wire having a proximal end and a distal end, the support wire being positioned within at least a portion of the lumen of the elongate tubular member.   
   
   
       12 . The sheath of  claim 11 , wherein the support wire is adapted to receive an endoluminal medical device. 
   
   
       13 . The sheath of  claim 11 , further comprising a third opening in the lumen proximal the second opening in the lumen. 
   
   
       14 . The sheath of  claim 13 , wherein the second opening is a short distance proximal to the distal end and the third opening is a short distance proximal to the second opening. 
   
   
       15 . The sheath of  claim 11 , wherein the second opening is located 50 centimeters or less from the distal end. 
   
   
       16 . The sheath of  claim 11 , wherein the second opening is located 10 centimeters or less from the distal end. 
   
   
       17 . A sheath for deployment of a medical device comprising:
 an elongate tubular member having a proximal end, a distal end, and a lumen therebetween;   a first opening in the lumen at the distal end of the tubular member;   a second opening in the lumen proximal the distal end of the tubular member;   wherein the second opening is proximal the distal end of the tubular member by a distance of 50 centimeters or less; and   wherein the first opening and the second opening are adapted to pass an elongate member therethrough.   
   
   
       18 . The sheath of  claim 17 , further comprising a third opening in the lumen proximal the second opening in the lumen, wherein the third opening is a short distance proximal to the second opening.