Manipulatable delivery catheter for occlusive devices

Abstract

This is in the general field of surgical instruments and is specifically a delivery catheter with a flexible, proximally-manipulated hinge or joint region. The inventive catheter may have a balloon region. The catheter may have a shaft of varying flexibility which contains several lumen. The inner, or delivery, lumen generally may be used with a guidewire to access target sites within the body via the flexible, small diameter vessels of the body. The delivery lumen may be also used for placement of occlusive materials, e.g., in an aneurysm. Inflation of the micro-balloon, located near the distal tip of the catheter, is effected using the inflation lumen. The push/pull wire lumen contains a wire, which when manipulated, flexes the catheter's distal tip. The push/pull wire tubing may have a variable thickness to aid in adjusting the degree of flexibility. Moreover, the delivery catheter may be capable of twisting in a helical or corkscrew-like manner for traversing certain vasculature. This may be accomplished by winding the push/pull wire within the catheter and fixedly attaching it. The catheter may further include an entry in the catheter wall to allow for the insertion of a guidewire; this may facilitate the rapid exchange of catheter devices as desired by the user.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A catheter section, comprising:
 a flexible joint region disposed within said catheter section, said catheter section having a distal end and a proximal end and defining an axis therebetween; and   a wire comprising a distal end and a proximal end and a length therebetween, said wire being configured to move said catheter section distal end about said flexible joint region;   said wire distal end being attached in said catheter section such that a portion of said wire length is angularly disposed in relation to said catheter section axis.   
     
     
         2 . The catheter section of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a balloon region comprising a distal end and a proximal end and defining an axis therebetween; and   an inflatable member disposed in said balloon region.   
     
     
         3 . The catheter section of  claim 1 , wherein said portion of wire length is partially wound about said catheter section axis. 
     
     
         4 . The catheter section of  claim 3 , wherein said portion of wire length is wound about 180° about said catheter section axis. 
     
     
         5 . The catheter section of  claim 1 , wherein said catheter section is configured such that imparting a force to said wire rotates said catheter section about said axis into a helical shape. 
     
     
         6 . The catheter section of  claim 1 , wherein said portion of wire length is angularly disposed in a right-handed orientation about said catheter section axis. 
     
     
         7 . The catheter section of  claim 1 , wherein said portion of wire length is angularly disposed in a left-handed orientation about said catheter section axis. 
     
     
         8 . The catheter section of  claim 1 , wherein said wire moves said catheter section distal end about said flexible joint region up to about 90°. 
     
     
         9 . The catheter section of  claim 1 , wherein said flexible joint region comprises a coil member. 
     
     
         10 . The catheter section of  claim 2  wherein the inflatable member comprises a material selected from the group consisting of elastomers and thermoplastic polymers. 
     
     
         11 . The catheter section of  claim 10  wherein said elastomer is selected from the group consisting of silicone rubber, latex rubber, natural rubber, butadiene-based co-polymers, EPDM, polyvinyl chloride, and complex co-polymers. 
     
     
         12 . The catheter section of  claim 11 , where the elastomer comprises styrene-ethylene butylene-styrene co-polymers. 
     
     
         13 . The catheter section of  claim 10  wherein thermoplastic polymer is selected from polyethylene, polypropylene, and Nylon. 
     
     
         14 . A catheter section, comprising:
 a balloon region comprising a distal end and a proximal end and defining an axis therebetween;   an inflatable member disposed in said balloon region;   a flexible joint region disposed within said balloon region;   a tubing member further disposed in said balloon region, said tubing member having a distal end and a proximal end and an axis therebetween, said tubing member having a variable wall thickness; and   a wire configured to move said distal end about said flexible joint region, said wire being disposed within said tubing member.   
     
     
         15 . The catheter section of  claim 14 , wherein said tubing member comprises a first wall thickness at a location proximal of said distal end and a second wall thickness at said distal end, said first wall thickness being greater than said second wall thickness. 
     
     
         16 . The catheter section of  claim 14 , wherein said tubing member further comprises a plurality of consecutive tube sections, said tube sections each having a wall thickness less than an adjacent proximal tube section. 
     
     
         17 . The catheter section of  claim 14 , where said tubing member has a tapered wall. 
     
     
         18 . A catheter section, comprising:
 a flexible joint region disposed within said catheter section, said catheter section having a distal end and a proximal end and defining an axis therebetween; and   a wire comprising a distal end and a proximal end and a length therebetween, said wire being configured to move said catheter section distal end about said flexible joint region, said wire distal end being attached in said catheter section such that a portion of said wire length is angularly disposed in relation to said catheter section axis;   said catheter section defining an entry through which a guidewire is inserted.   
     
     
         19 . The catheter section of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 a balloon region comprising a distal end and a proximal end and defining an axis therebetween; and   an inflatable member disposed in said balloon region.   
     
     
         20 . The catheter section of  claim 18 , wherein said entry is proximal of said flexible joint region. 
     
     
         21 . The catheter section of  claim 18 , wherein said portion of wire length is partially wound about said catheter section axis. 
     
     
         22 . The catheter section of  claim 21 , wherein said portion of wire length is wound about 180° about said catheter section axis. 
     
     
         23 . A catheter section, comprising:
 a flexible joint region disposed within said catheter section, said catheter section having a distal end and a proximal end and defining an axis therebetween; and   a wire comprising a distal end and a proximal end and a length therebetween, said wire being configured to move said catheter section distal end about said flexible joint region;   said wire being further configured to move said catheter section distal end about said catheter section axis.   
     
     
         24 . The catheter section of  claim 23 , further comprising:
 a balloon region comprising a distal end and a proximal end and defining an axis therebetween; and   an inflatable member disposed in said balloon region.