Patent ID: 8388628
Filing Date: 2013-03-05
Classification: A61B,A61F,A61M

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for delivering a guidewire through an occlusion in a body lumen, comprising: a catheter extending from a proximal end thereof to a distal end thereof, the catheter including a lumen, an intermediate region, a distal region, and a taper between the intermediate region and the distal region such that the distal region has a smaller cross-section than the intermediate region, the lumen of the catheter extending distally from the proximal end and through the intermediate region to terminate in an outlet port located on a sidewall of the catheter in proximity to the taper and no greater than approximately 50mm from the distal end of the catheter, and the distal region extending distally from the outlet port to the distal end of the catheter; and two adjacent tubular bodies connected together along their lengths, a first of the tubular bodies being fitted tightly around and attached to the catheter along an exterior surface of the distal region thereof, and a second of the tubular bodies forming an entirety of an expandable sheath, the sheath being expandable from a contracted condition to an enlarged condition, at which enlarged condition the sheath defines a sheath lumen that extends along the exterior surface of the distal region of the catheter around which the first tubular body is tightly fitted, the sheath including a proximal end and a distal terminal end, the proximal end of the sheath being bonded around the outlet port of the lumen of the catheter, such that the sheath lumen communicates therewith, and the distal terminal end of the sheath being separable from the distal region of the catheter, when the sheath is expanded to the enlarged condition, such that the distal terminal end of the sheath surrounds and defines a distal opening of the sheath lumen, the distal opening being located proximal to the distal end of the catheter and facing toward the distal end.