BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
The foregoing and other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form a part of the specification, further serve to explain the principles of the invention and to enable a person skilled in the pertinent art to make and use the invention. The drawings are not to scale.
FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic drawing illustrating the deployment of a balloon catheter within a patient's vasculature.
FIG. 2 is an enlarged diagrammatic drawing of a portion of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 illustrates a conventional catheter packaging hoop with a traditional catheter partially inserted into the hoop.
FIG. 4 illustrates the conventional catheter packaging hoop of FIG. 3 with the catheter fully inserted into the hoop.
FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 4.
FIG. 6 illustrates a person removing a catheter from the conventional catheter packaging hoop of FIG. 4.
FIG. 7 is an isometric view illustrating a catheter inserted into a conventional catheter packaging hoop coupled to a retainer in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 8 is an isometric view illustrating a luer having an inflation port.
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a retainer of the present invention.
FIG. 10 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a retainer of the present invention.
FIG. 11 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a retainer of the present invention.
FIG. 12 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a retainer of the present invention.
FIG. 13 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a retainer of the present invention.
FIG. 14 illustrates the luer of FIG. 8 inserted into the retainer of FIG. 12.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Specific embodiments of the present invention are now described with reference to the figures, where like reference numbers indicate identical or functionally similar elements. The terms “distal” and “proximal” are used in the following description with respect to a position or direction relative to the treating clinician. “Distal” or “distally” are a position distant from or in a direction away from the clinician. “Proximal” and “proximally” are a position near or in a direction toward the clinician.
As stated previously, to treat small diameter vessels remote from an entry point into a patient, a guiding catheter may be used to span the distance. For example, referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 which illustrates the deployment of a balloon catheter within a patient's vasculature, in PTCA or stent delivery, a catheter 20 is typically inserted into a large artery 22 near the patient's groin and is then advanced towards heart 24 to the entry opening or ostium of a diseased coronary artery. A luer 26 is provided and a proximal end of catheter 20, which conventional provides a lumen through which inflation fluid can be delivered to inflate a balloon and a guidewire lumen to track the catheter to the treatment site over a guidewire, such as guidewire 27.
Referring now to FIGS. 3-5, catheters are commonly packaged and stored in a packaging hoop 30 as shown in FIG. 3 in accordance with the teachings of the prior art. Packaging hoop 30 consists of coils of tubing 32 into which catheter 20 is inserted in the direction indicated by arrow 36. Clips 31 are coupled to tubing 32 to maintain the tubing 32 in the hoop configuration. Luer 26, located at the proximal end of catheter 20, has a distal hub 40 that fits into opening 42 of tubing 32, thus securing catheter 20 in hoop 30 as is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. Luer 26 includes a guidewire port 27, an inflation port 28, and a support 29, as is known in the art and shown in FIG. 8. Luer 26 also includes a distal nose 41, over which catheter 20 is disposed. As also shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a clip 34 is coupled to tubing 32 and to luer 26 to prevent luer 26 from moving relative to hoop 30 prior to removal by an operator.
As discussed above, catheter 20 generally includes a balloon (not shown) disposed at a distal portion thereof and a stent (not shown) mounted on the balloon. As shown in FIG. 6, when removing catheter 20 from packaging hoop 30, it is common for an operator to grasp luer 26 with one hand, grasp a proximal portion 44 of tubing 32 in the other hand, and pull luer 26 away from tubing 32. However, when grasping proximal portion 44 of tubing 32, pressure may be applied to tubing 32, causing opening 42 to lose its shape. As catheter 20 continues to be removed from tubing 32, the balloon and/or stent need to pass through opening 42. However, as opening 42 may be misshapen as described above, the balloon and/or stent may be damaged upon removal.
FIG. 7 shows a packaging assembly 100 in accordance with the present invention and a catheter 20 as described above. Catheter 20 includes a luer 26 as described above at a proximal end thereof. Packaging assembly 100 is similar to the packaging hoop 30 described above in that it includes tubing 102 maintained in a hoop configuration by clips 104. Additionally, a retainer 106 is disposed at a proximal end 107 of tubing 102. Retainer 106 is similar to retainer described in U.S. Published Application Publication No. 2005/0205446 A1, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. However, retainer 106 includes a keyway 108 adapted to receive the inflation port 28 of luer 26. Catheter 20 is shown almost fully inserted into packaging assembly 100.
FIG. 9 shows an embodiment of retainer 106. Retainer 106 comprises a generally tubular body 110 having a proximal port 112 and a distal port 114. Tubular body 140 includes a tapered region 116 wherein the cross section of a tubular body may transition from larger diameter at a proximal region 118 to a smaller diameter at a distal region 120. The tapered region 116 may also provide a transition between a first shaped cross section, such as oval, of proximal region 118, to a second shaped cross section, such as circular, at the distal region 120, as described in U.S. Published Application Publication No. 2005/0205446 A1. Proximal port 112 of tubular body 110 is configured so as to matingly receive luer 26. Distal region of tubular body 110 is generally cylindrical and sized so as to matingly receive therein proximal end 107 of tubing 102 (FIG. 7). While press fitting proximal end 107 of tubing 102 within distal port 114 of tubular body 110 should provide sufficient force to secure retainer 106 to the tubing 102 (FIG. 7), shrink wrap may be utilized to provide added security if desired.
Retainer 106 includes a hoop coil clip 122 attached to or formed integrally with distal region 120. Hoop clip 122 is preferably formed integrally with retainer 130. Hoop clip 122 is comprised of semi-circular channels 124 which are dimensioned to matingly receive tubing 102, for example, by press-fitting. As can be seen in FIG. 7, the coils of tubing 102 are secured or held in place by retainer hoop clip 122 and additional hoop clips 104.
Keyway 108 of retainer 106 is provided at a proximal end 126 of retainer 106. Keyway 108 is essentially a portion of tubular body 110 that is removed or not formed such as to appear to be a cut-out. Keyway 108 is shaped and sized to receive inflation port 28 of luer 26. In the embodiment of FIG. 9, keyway 108 includes and entry portion 128 and a nose portion 130. Nose portion 130 is narrower that entry portion 128, thereby providing a snap-fit around inflation port 28.
The embodiment of FIG. 9 also shows protrusions 132 on an outer surface of tubular body 110. Protrusions 132 minimize contact between an operator's hand and retainer 106 as retainer 106 is gripped. Protrusions 132 also may indicate the desired location for an operator to grip retainer 106 so as to prevent or minimize distortion of any lumen through which a balloon and/or stent of catheter 20 must pass. Protrusions 132 are shown as longitudinal, but they may take any shape and orientation and still achieve the desired functionality.
FIG. 10 shows an alternative embodiment of a retainer 106a which is similar to retainer 106 of FIG. 9. However, keyway 108a of retainer 106a does not include nose portion 130 of the embodiment of FIG. 9. A snap point 109a may be included at proximal end 126a of retainer 106a. Snap point 106a is dimensioned to be slightly smaller than the remainder of keyway 108a and slightly smaller than inflation port 28, such that a small force is required to pass inflation port past snap point 109a, thereby resulting in a snap-fit. Further, retainer 106a does not include protrusions 132, although they may be included.
FIG. 11 shows another embodiment of a retainer 106b. Retainer 106b is identical to retainer 106a of FIG. 10 except that it is longitudinally shorter. Keyway 108b is identical to keyway 108a of FIG. 10.
FIG. 12 shows another embodiment of a retainer 106c. Retainer 106c is similar to retainer 106 of FIG. 9, except that entry portion 128c of keyway 108c is longer than entry portion 128 of keyway 108. A snap point 134 separates entry portion 128c of keyway 108c from nose portion 130c. A longer entry portion 128c allows more of luer 26 to be disposed within retainer 106c so as to provide additional protection of luer 26, as shown in FIG. 14. Snap point 134 is dimensioned such that keyway 108c at snap point 134 is smaller than entry portion 128c and nose portion 130c, and also smaller than the diameter of inflation port 28 of luer 26. Accordingly, a force is required to pass inflation port past snap point 134, thereby resulting in a snap fit.
FIG. 13 shows another embodiment of retainer 106d. Retainer 106d is similar to retainer 106c of FIG. 12, except that a second snap point 138 is provided. Only proximal portion 118d of retainer 106d is shown in FIG. 13 for convenience. Keyway 108d of retainer 106d includes an entry portion 128d beginning at proximal end 126d. First snap point 138 separates entry portion 128d from an intermediate portion 136 of keyway 108d. Second snap point 134d separates intermediate portion 136 of keyway 108d from nose portion 130d of keyway 108d.
Dimensions for the various features of the keyways 108 described above, such as the entry portions, nose portions, and snap points, may be determined by those of ordinary skill in the art based on the size of luer 26, and inflation port 29 thereof, and factors such as the desired force to insert the luer into the keyway, fit to retain the luer within the keyway, and the force required to remove the luer from the keyway. Provided for example only, when using an Endeavor™ bifurcate luer, a keyway 108c as shown in FIG. 12 may have a dimension 140 at snap point 134 of approximately 4.00 mm to 5.50 mm. Preferably, such a dimension is 4.50 mm to 5.00 mm. However, it would be apparent to persons skilled in the relevant art that these dimensions would change depending on various factors, and optimal dimensions can be obtained by routine experimentation.
The retainer described herein may be made of polypropylene or polyethylene (high or low density) or any other material suitable for use as packaging for a catheter, as would be apparent to persons skilled in the relevant art.
While several embodiments of the present invention have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of illustration and example only, and not limitation. It will be apparent to persons skilled in the relevant art that various changes in form and detail can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Further, it will be apparent to persons skilled in the relevant art that different features of the various embodiments may be combined with features of other embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, the breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the appended claims and their equivalents. It will also be understood that each feature of each embodiment discussed herein, and of each reference cited herein, can be used in combination with the features of any other embodiment. All patents and publications discussed herein are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.
Patent Application
20080006554
