Patent ID: 7686800

Claim:
A catheter for use in performing a medical procedure comprising: an elongated tubular structure having a proximal end and a distal end; said tubular structure having an external diameter of no greater than about 4 French; and said distal end of said tubular structure having, on an end of a tip section, an elastic restrictor that, when operable, changes in size in response to a change in fluid flow through said tubular structure to provide a variable amount of fluid force restriction as fluid flows through said elastic restrictor, said distal end of said tubular structure further having, on a sidewall of said tubular structure, a plurality of openings, wherein at least one of said openings is formed on said sidewall at an acute angle with respect to a longitudinal axis of said distal end of said tubular structure that contains said sidewall, and wherein said openings are arranged such that forces resulting from fluid flow out of said openings and from fluid flow out of said elastic restrictor are substantially balanced in both axial and radial directions, with respect to said longitudinal axis of said distal end of said tubular structure, during performance of said medical procedure.