Catheter With Embedded Core Wires

Abstract

A kink-resistance catheter has at least a first pair of core wires residing in the catheter body on opposed side of a catheter lumen. The core wires have relatively stiff proximal ends but taper toward their distal ends. The tapered construction provides the core wires with a degree of distal flexibility that helps the catheter advance along a vasculature to a site of interest without kinking. Moreover, the core wires greatly improve the torsional rigidity of the catheter so that rotation of the catheter's proximal end translates into a substantially equivalent rotation at the distal end. If desired, shaping ribbons are provided in the catheter body adjacent to the distal ends of the core wires. The shaping ribbons can be pre-bent before a surgical procedure to help the physician advance the catheter along the vasculature. Finally, the core wires provide the ability to push the catheter through the vasculature without the need for the catheter to go over a guidewire already in-situ in the vasculature.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A catheter, comprising:
 a) a catheter body comprising an outer wall extending longitudinally from a catheter proximal end to a catheter distal end;   b) a first catheter lumen extending through the catheter body to the catheter proximal and distal ends; and   c) at least a first core wire residing in the catheter body, wherein the first core wire has a first core wire proximal end disposed adjacent to but spaced from the catheter proximal end and a first core wire distal end disposed adjacent to but spaced from the catheter distal end.   
     
     
         2 . The catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the first core wire has at least one first tapered portion intermediate a first proximal cylindrical portion and a first distal cylindrical portion. 
     
     
         3 . The catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the first core wire has at least one first tapered portion intermediate a first proximal cylindrical portion and a first distal ribbon-shaped portion. 
     
     
         4 . The catheter of  claim 3 , wherein a first shaping ribbon resides in the catheter body adjacent to the first distal ribbon-shaped portion, the first shaping ribbon being disposed adjacent to but proximal the catheter distal end. 
     
     
         5 . The catheter of  claim 4 , wherein the first shaping ribbon has an atraumatic tip. 
     
     
         6 . The catheter of  claim 1 , wherein a second core wire resides in the catheter body, the second core wire comprising a second core wire proximal end disposed adjacent to but spaced from the catheter proximal end and a second core wire distal end disposed adjacent to but spaced from the catheter distal end. 
     
     
         7 . The catheter of  claim 3 , wherein a second core wire resides in the catheter body, the second core wire comprising at least one second tapered portion intermediate a second proximal cylindrical portion and a second distal ribbon-shaped portion, and wherein a second shaping ribbon resides in the catheter body adjacent to the second distal ribbon-shaped portion. 
     
     
         8 . The catheter of  claim 7 , wherein the first distal ribbon-shaped portion has a greater length than the second distal ribbon-shaped portion. 
     
     
         9 . The catheter of  claim 7 , wherein the first shaping ribbon has a greater axial length than the second shaping ribbon. 
     
     
         10 . The catheter of  claim 7 , wherein the first and second distal ribbon-shaped portions of the first and second core wires and their corresponding first and second shaping ribbons are aligned parallel to each other. 
     
     
         11 . The catheter of  claim 7 , wherein the first distal ribbon-shaped portion of the first core wire and its corresponding first shaping ribbon are aligned perpendicular to the second distal ribbon-shaped portion of the second core wire and its corresponding second shaping ribbon. 
     
     
         12 . The catheter of  claim 4 , wherein the first core wire and its corresponding shaping ribbon are housed inside a first helically-wound coil spring extending from a proximal end of the first core wire to a distal end of the first shaping ribbon. 
     
     
         13 . The catheter of  claim 4 , wherein the first core wire and its corresponding first shaping ribbon are provided with a polymeric coating so that the first core wire and the first shaping ribbon have a uniform coated diameter extending from a proximal end of the first core wire at least part-way toward a distal end of the first shaping ribbon. 
     
     
         14 . The catheter of  claim 13 , wherein the first core wire and its corresponding first shaping ribbon are provided with the polymeric coating extending from the first core wire proximal end part-way along a length of the first core wire, and wherein a helically-wound coil spring extends from a distal end of the polymeric coating to a distal end of the first shaping ribbon. 
     
     
         15 . The catheter of  claim 13 , wherein the polymeric coating is selected PTFE and polyimide. 
     
     
         16 . The catheter of  claim 6 , wherein the first core wire comprises at least a first tapered portion intermediate a first proximal cylindrical portion and a first distal ribbon-shaped portion and the second core wire comprises at least a second tapered portion intermediate a second proximal cylindrical portion and a second distal ribbon-shaped portion, and wherein the first proximal cylindrical portion has a greater cross-sectional diameter than the second proximal cylindrical portion, and the first distal ribbon-shaped portion has a greater cross-sectional diameter than the second ribbon-shaped portion. 
     
     
         17 . The catheter of  claim 6 , wherein the catheter lumen is intermediate the first and second core wires. 
     
     
         18 . The catheter of  claim 6 , wherein the first and second core wires are diametrically opposed to each other. 
     
     
         19 . The catheter of  claim 1 , wherein a second catheter lumen extends through the catheter body to the catheter proximal and distal ends. 
     
     
         20 . The catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the catheter body is of a primary polymeric material selected from the group of Nylon, PEBAX®, PET, silicone, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polyimide and liquid crystal polymers. 
     
     
         21 . A catheter, comprising:
 a) a catheter body comprising an outer wall extending longitudinally from a catheter proximal end to a catheter distal end;   b) a first catheter lumen extending through the catheter body to the catheter proximal and distal ends;   c) a first pair of core wires residing in the catheter body, the first pair comprising a first core wire and a second core wire on opposite sides of the catheter lumen; and   d) a second pair of core wires residing in the catheter body, the second pair comprising a third core wire and a fourth core wire on opposite sides of the catheter lumen,   e) wherein the first, second, third and fourth core wires are spaced at 90° intervals about a circumference of the catheter lumen.   
     
     
         22 . The catheter of  claim 21 , wherein:
 a) the first core wire comprises at least a first tapered portion intermediate a first proximal cylindrical portion and a first distal ribbon-shaped portion, a first shaping ribbon residing in the catheter body adjacent to the first distal ribbon-shaped portion;   b) the second core wire comprises at least a second tapered portion intermediate a second proximal cylindrical portion and a second distal ribbon-shaped portion, a second shaping ribbon residing in the catheter body adjacent to the second distal ribbon-shaped portion;   c) the third core wire comprises at least a third tapered portion intermediate a third proximal cylindrical portion and a third distal ribbon-shaped portion, a third shaping ribbon residing in the catheter body adjacent to the third distal ribbon-shaped portion; and   d) the fourth core wire comprises at least a fourth tapered portion intermediate a fourth proximal cylindrical portion and a fourth distal ribbon-shaped portion, a fourth shaping ribbon residing in the catheter body adjacent to the fourth distal ribbon-shaped portion.   
     
     
         23 . The catheter of  claim 22 , wherein the first, second, third and fourth distal ribbon-shaped portions of the first, second, third and fourth core wires and their corresponding first, second, third and fourth shaping ribbons are aligned parallel to each other. 
     
     
         24 . The catheter of  claim 22 , wherein the first pair of core wires comprising the first and second distal ribbon-shaped portions of the first and second core wires and their corresponding first and second shaping ribbons are aligned parallel to each other, and wherein the second pair of core wires comprising the third and fourth distal ribbon-shaped portions of the third and fourth core wires and their corresponding third and fourth shaping ribbons are aligned parallel to each other, and wherein the first pair of core wires are aligned perpendicular to the second pair of core wires.