Patent ID: 9439723
Filing Date: 2016-09-13
CPC Classification: A61B,A61M

Claim Text:
1. A variable stiffness catheter for use within the vasculature of the human body, the catheter comprising: a) a catheter body having a proximal portion, a distal portion, and a distal tip at one end of said distal portion; b) a flexible outer cylindrical tubing forming an exterior surface of said catheter body and an inner catheter body lumen; c) an elongated supporting core within said flexible outer cylindrical tubing, said supporting core situated along a central axis of said catheter body; and, d) an elongated inner tubing capable of receiving a circulating fluid within said inner catheter body lumen, e) a first temperature sensitive sleeve disposed within and substantially concentric with said outer cylindrical tubing; f) a second temperature sensitive sleeve disposed within and substantially concentric with said outer cylindrical tubing, said second temperature sensitive sleeve at least partially overlapping said first temperature sensitive sleeve; wherein said first and second temperature sensitive sleeves are each comprised of a temperature sensitive polymer; wherein said first sleeve has a first stiffness at a first temperature and said second sleeve has a second stiffness at a first temperature, said second stiffness being different from said first stiffness, thereby allowing different regions of said catheter to have different stiffnesses at the same temperature;