Patent ID: 7223254

Claim:
A multilumen vascular catheter for treatment of patients by insertion of said vascular catheter in a venous blood vessel by means of a guide-wire, said vascular catheter comprising: a proximal connection portion; a distal end-portion which is terminated by a guide-wire opening; a flexible catheter tube arranged between the proximal connection portion and the distal end-portion, said catheter comprising a first lumen for extraction of fluid such as untreated blood from the vessel and a second lumen for introducing fluid such as treated blood to the vessel; one or more suction openings communicating with said first lumen, said suction openings being located upstream of one or more outlet openings, which in turn communicate with said second lumen, said suction openings and outlet openings being located at said distal end-portion, wherein said distal end-portion is permanently bulbous and exhibits a first, widening section starting from said catheter tube with a gradually increasing external cross-section in the direction toward said guide-wire opening, said first section transiting downstream via a shoulder with a maximum external diameter into a second, narrowing section having a gradually decreasing external cross-section in the direction toward said guide-wire opening, and wherein said one or more suction openings are located in said first, widening section of said distal end-portion, whilst said one or more outlet openings are located in said second, narrowing section of said distal end-portion.