Exit Path Connector for Catheter Assembly

Abstract

A catheter assembly includes an outer shaft having an outer shaft body forming an outer shaft bore that receives an inner shaft. The outer shaft has a wire transition section. The catheter assembly includes an exit path connector coupled to the outer shaft body at the wire transition section. The exit path connector has a rigid body section separate and discrete from the outer shaft body and coupled to the outer shaft body. The body section defines an exit path connector bore that receives the inner shaft. The body section has a side exit port at a side of the body section being open to the exit path connector bore. The catheter assembly includes a catheter wire passing through the side exit port from an interior to an exterior of the cable exit port.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An exit path connector for a catheter assembly including an inner shaft, an outer shaft, and a catheter wire extending between a distal end and a proximal end of the catheter assembly, the exit path connector comprising:
 a front joining section having front joining features and front openings between the front joining features, the front joining features configured to engage an inner layer of the outer shaft and the front openings configured to receive polymer material of an outer layer surrounding the inner layer and the front joining features;   a rear joining section having rear joining features and rear openings between the rear joining features, the rear joining features configured to engage an inner layer of the outer shaft and the rear openings configured to receive polymer material of an outer layer surrounding the inner layer and the rear joining features; and   a body section between the front joining section and the rear joining section, the body section having an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface defining an exit path connector bore configured to receive the inner shaft, the exit path connector bore extending along a bore axis, the body section having a side exit port at a side of the body section configured to receive the catheter wire, the side exit port extending between the inner surface and the outer surface at an angle transverse to the bore axis.   
     
     
         2 . The exit path connector of  claim 1 , wherein the body section includes a handle mount configured to be coupled to a handle of the catheter assembly. 
     
     
         3 . The exit path connector of  claim 2 , wherein the body section includes a front hub and a rear hub, the front hub having a larger diameter than the rear hub, a shoulder formed between the front hub and the rear hub, the side exit port passing through the shoulder. 
     
     
         4 . The exit path connector of  claim 1 , wherein the body section of the exit path connector is manufactured from a different material than a material of the outer shaft body. 
     
     
         5 . The exit path connector of  claim 1 , of  claim 1 , wherein the body section of the exit path connector is stainless steel. 
     
     
         6 . The exit path connector of  claim 1 , wherein the body section of the exit path connector is a 3D printed body section