Patent ID: 6623449
Filing Date: 2003-09-23
Classification: A61M

Abstract:
A method of manipulating the shape of a combination catheter in a human body comprising:inserting a catheter tube having an internal lumen into a human body, said catheter tube having a proximal end and a distal end portion, said catheter tube further including a first curve controllably formed in the distal end portion, said first curve having a first radius of curvature; disposing an inner medical element at least partially in the lumen of the catheter tube to thereby form a combination catheter, said inner medical element having a longitudinal axis and a second curve controllably formed therein having a second radius of curvature; the most proximal of the first and second curves in operation being a direction defining curve, the longitudinal axis of the catheter tube immediately proximal the direction defining curve defining an up-going direction and an opposite down-going direction, the up-going direction being parallel to the longitudinal axis immediately proximal the direction defining curve and being that direction in which any fluid flowing through the catheter tube immediately proximal the direction defining curve would flow if the fluid were passing from the proximal to the distal end of the catheter tube; varying the shape of a distal end portion of the combination catheter to form both up-going and down-going catheter configurations during a single medical procedure, the shape of the distal end portion of the combination catheter being varied at least in part by relative rotation of the curved catheter tube and the inner medical element; the first curve being disposed a distance from the extreme distal tip of the catheter tube not substantially greater than three times the smaller of the first and second radii of curvature, and said second curve being disposed a distance from the extreme distal tip of the inner medical element not substantially greater than three times the smaller of the first and second radii of curvature.