Means for securing a catheter into a vessel

Abstract

An electrophysiology catheter, e.g., a coronary sinus catheter, for insertion into a cardiac vessel, such as the coronary sinus, includes a handle and a catheter shaft coupled at one end to the handle. The catheter shaft has a distal end and an anchor is associated with the catheter shaft and is movable between a deployed position and a collapsed position. In the deployed position, the anchor extends radially outward from an outer surface of the catheter shaft for contacting a wall and temporarily anchoring the catheter shaft within the coronary sinus. The catheter also includes an actuator for causing deployment and collapsing of the anchor upon manipulation of the actuator.

1 . An electrophysiology catheter for insertion into a cardiac vessel comprising:
 a handle;   a catheter shaft coupled at one end to the handle, the catheter shaft having a distal end, an anchor associated with the catheter shaft and movable between a deployed position and a collapsed position, wherein in the deployed position, the anchor extends radially outward from an outer surface of the catheter shaft for contacting a wall of the cardiac vessel and temporarily anchoring the electrophysiology catheter shaft within the cardiac vessel; and   an actuator for causing deployment and collapsing of the anchor within the cardiac vessel.   
     
     
         2 . The catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the electrophysiology catheter comprises a coronary sinus catheter and the cardiac vessel comprises a coronary sinus. 
     
     
         3 . The catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the anchor comprises a mesh structure. 
     
     
         4 . The catheter of  claim 3 , wherein the mesh structure is formed of wires that are electrically isolated from electrodes that are disposed along the catheter shaft. 
     
     
         5 . The catheter of  claim 1 , further including a plurality of electrodes that are disposed along the catheter shaft, wherein the anchor is disposed between a first set of electrodes and a second set of electrodes. 
     
     
         6 . The catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the actuator is operatively coupled to the anchor with a mechanical attachment member. 
     
     
         7 . The catheter of  claim 6 , wherein the mechanical attachment member comprises a flexible elongated mandrel that extends within the catheter shaft and is coupled at one end to the actuator and at an opposite end to the anchor. 
     
     
         8 . The catheter of  claim 7 , wherein the opposite end is connected to a slidable collar that is disposed about the outer surface of the catheter shaft, wherein a proximal end of the anchor is fixedly attached to the catheter shaft and a distal end of the anchor is attached to the collar such that when the collar moves in a proximal direction, the distal end of the anchor moves in a proximal direction and the anchor is deployed by extending radially outward relative to the catheter shaft. 
     
     
         9 . The catheter of  claim 6 , wherein the actuator is a slide actuator disposed within the handle and coupled to an elongated mandrel that comprises the mechanical attachment member, wherein a sliding action of the actuator is translated through the mandrel to the anchor being moved between the deployed position and the collapsed position. 
     
     
         10 . The catheter of  claim 9 , further including an actuator lock mechanism for locking the actuator in first and second positions that correspond respectively to the anchor being in a fully deployed position and a fully collapsed as well as intermediate positions therebetween. 
     
     
         11 . The catheter of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the anchor is electrically connected to an electronic amplifier to permit the anchor to function as a recording electrode. 
     
     
         12 . The catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the catheter shaft includes a proximal section and a distal section that is slidably movable relative to the proximal section and the actuator is operatively connected to the distal catheter section such that movement of the distal section is translated into movement of the anchor between the deployed and collapsed positions. 
     
     
         13 . The catheter of  claim 12 , wherein the anchor comprises a mesh structure that has a proximal end fixedly attached to the proximal section and a distal end fixedly attached to the distal section. 
     
     
         14 . The catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the anchor comprises a plurality of splines that are disposed within an interior of the catheter shaft and project through openings formed in the catheter shaft when in the deployed position. 
     
     
         15 . The catheter of  claim 14 , wherein each spline is disposed within a lumen that is formed within the catheter shaft, the splines being operatively coupled to the actuator such that movement of the actuator is translated into the splines moving between the deployed position where the splines move through the openings and extend radially outward from the catheter shaft and the collapsed position where the splies lie within the lumens. 
     
     
         16 . The catheter of  claim 14 , further including a plurality of flexible membranes that extend along the outer surface of the catheter shaft and cover the openings formed in the catheter shaft, wherein in the deployed position, the splines push the membranes radially outward. 
     
     
         17 . The catheter of  claim 14 , wherein the splines comprise wires. 
     
     
         18 . An electrophysiology catheter for insertion into a cardiac vessel comprising:
 a handle;   a catheter shaft coupled at one end to the handle, the catheter shaft having a distal end,   an inflatable balloon disposed along an outer surface of the catheter shaft in a location proximal to the distal end, the balloon being inflatable between a deployed position and a collapsed position, wherein in the deployed position, the balloon extends radially outward from the outer surface of the catheter shaft for contacting a wall and temporarily anchoring the catheter shaft within the cardiac vessel; and   an actuator for causing deployment and collapsing of the anchor;   wherein the catheter shaft has an entrance port formed at the distal end that forms an entrance into a conduit that passes through the inflatable balloon and at least one exit port that is formed proximal to the balloon and in communication with the conduit such that the entrance port is formed on one side of the inflatable balloon and the exit port is formed on the other side of the inflatable balloon, whereby when the inflatable balloon is fully deployed, blood flows into the entrance port through the conduit and out the exit port.   
     
     
         19 . The catheter of  claim 18 , wherein the conduit comprises a shunt tube. 
     
     
         20 . The catheter of  claim 18 , wherein the electrophysiology catheter comprises a coronary sinus catheter and the cardiac vessel comprises a coronary sinus. 
     
     
         21 . An electrophysiology catheter for insertion into a cardiac vessel comprising:
 a handle;   a catheter shaft coupled at one end to the handle, the catheter shaft having a distal end, the catheter shaft having at least two windows formed therein and open along an outer surface of the catheter shaft and at least one internal lumen that is in fluid communication with the at least two windows; and   an inflatable balloon disposed about an outer surface of the catheter shaft overlying the at least two windows, the inflatable balloon being in fluid communication with the internal lumen to permit inflation of the balloon at least in areas where the windows are present.   
     
     
         22 . The catheter of  claim 21 , wherein the balloon has an ovoid shape. 
     
     
         23 . The catheter of  claim 21 , wherein each window comprises an elongated slot formed in the catheter shaft. 
     
     
         24 . The catheter of  claim 21 , wherein each window has its own corresponding lumen. 
     
     
         25 . The catheter of  claim 21 , wherein the balloon is securely attached to the outer surface of the catheter shaft in regions surrounding the windows, these regions being areas where the balloon is collapsed even when the balloon is inflated in regions overlying the windows.