Patent ID: 6119030
Filing Date: 2000-09-12
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
A catheter assembly, comprising:an elongate catheter body defining a longitudinal axis between proximal and distal ends thereof;a plurality of loop-shaped spline elements attached to the distal end of the catheter body, the spline elements defining a generally spherical shape, each spline element having a midpoint between first and second ends thereof, the respective first and second ends of the spline elements being attached to the catheter body, with the respective midpoints of the spline elements intersecting along the longitudinal axis and being spaced apart from one another along the longitudinal axis, the spline elements being directable between contracted and expanded conditions; anda substantially flexible distal tip member molded to the respective midpoints of the spline elements, each of the spline elements being substantially isolated from one another within the tip member, the tip member resiliently yielding when the spline elements are directed between the contracted and expanded conditions.