Patent ID: 8657777

Claim:
A catheter comprising: an elongated catheter body comprising a proximal end and a distal end, wherein a longitudinal axis extends between the proximal end and the distal end, and wherein the catheter body comprises a proximal body section and a distal body section, wherein a distal end of the proximal body section is attached to a proximal end of the distal body section at a transition section of the catheter body; an exhaust lumen located within the catheter body, the exhaust lumen being aligned with the longitudinal axis of the catheter body, wherein the exhaust lumen comprises a proximal cross-sectional area on a proximal side of the transition section that is larger than a distal cross-sectional area on a distal side of the transition section; one or more protrusions extending into the exhaust lumen in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the catheter body; a fluid jet emanator located in the distal body section of the catheter body; a fluid delivery tube attached to the fluid jet emanator, the fluid delivery tube extending through at least a portion of the proximal body section of the catheter body, wherein the fluid delivery tube passes from the proximal body section into the distal body section through the transition section; and a guidewire tube located within only a portion of the catheter body, wherein the guidewire tube comprises a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the guidewire tube comprises a guidewire lumen extending from a proximal port at the proximal end of the guidewire tube to a distal port at the distal end of the guidewire tube, and wherein the distal port of the guidewire lumen opens into the exhaust lumen at a location proximal to the fluid jet emanator.