Patent ID: 8753312
Filing Date: 2014-06-17
Classification: A61B,A61M

Abstract:
1. A catheter assembly for accessing a destination vessel branching from a coronary sinus of a patient's heart, the catheter assembly comprising: an outer catheter having an open lumen and a pre-formed distal end defined by a plurality of curved sections and a generally straight distal tip section, all of the curved sections in the pre-formed distal end being oriented so as to assume the same general direction of curvature, the generally straight distal tip section extending from a distal-most curved section in a direction defined by the curvature of the distal-most curved section, the outer catheter further including an occlusion balloon attached to the distal end; an inner catheter having a lumen and a pre-formed distal end, the pre-formed distal end including at least two adjacent longitudinal sections of varying stiffness and a stiffness transition region between the at least two adjacent longitudinal sections of varying stiffness, at least a portion of the inner catheter including a braid covered by an exterior jacket, the inner catheter movably disposed within the open lumen of the outer catheter, the inner catheter movably disposed within the open lumen of the outer catheter, the pre-formed distal end of the inner catheter extendable beyond the preformed distal end of the outer catheter, wherein the inner and outer catheters are operable to be rotated and translated relative to one another such that the distal end of the outer catheter can assume a selectable plurality of shapes appropriate for accessing the coronary sinus.