Patent Application
20140155744
The present disclosure relates generally to a power injection catheter assembly, and more particularly to a power injection catheter assembly having multiple power injection hubs fluidly supplying a common power injection lumen.
Catheters are well known and used in a variety of different medical procedures, including the injection of contrast media into the bloodstream of a patient. The delivery of contrast media is most effective and efficient if the contrast media is delivered at specific flow rates. For example, a power injector may be configured to push the contrast media into and through the delivery catheter at controlled volumes and flow rates, which may be about two to three cubic centimeters capacity per second or higher. Conventional catheters may be unable to withstand the high flow rates required for power injection. As such, catheters particularly configured for power injection may exhibit improved catheter wall strength capable of withstanding high flow applications.
Depending on the particular application, catheters having multiple lumens are often selected to avoid repeated vascular access. However, utilizing a catheter having walls increased in geometry and/or durometer for use in the power injection applications described above may increase the stiffness of the catheter and may limit the number of catheter lumens. As should be appreciated, catheters having reduced size and increased flexibility are often desirable to ease navigation by the clinician and improve patient comfort. Thus, a typical power injection catheter, having strengthened catheter walls, will often have only one power injection lumen. If multiple power injection lumens are provided, there is usually a sacrifice relative to size and stiffness of the catheter.
An exemplary power injection catheter is shown in U.S. Patent Application Publication 2006/0149214 to Breiter et al. According to a particular embodiment, as shown in FIG. 14, a power injection catheter may include a single power injection lumen having two extension tubes in communication with the lumen via a manifold, with a first of the extension tubes being configured for low flow delivery and a second of the extension tubes being configured for high flow delivery. A tubing clamp may be used to selectively switch between a high flow application and a low flow application. Although the power injection catheter of Breiter et al. may be suitable for some applications, there is a continuing need for versatility in the field.
The present disclosure is directed toward one or more of the problems set forth above.
In one aspect, a power injection catheter assembly includes a power injection catheter having an elongate tubular body. The elongate tubular body has a proximal end and a distal end and defines a power injection lumen. A manifold is attached at the proximal end of the elongate tubular body and defines a first power injection channel extending from a first power injection port of the manifold to the power injection lumen, and a second power injection channel extending from a second power injection port of the manifold to the power injection lumen. A first power injection extension tube has a proximal end defining a first power injection hub and a distal end attached to the manifold at the first power injection port. A second power injection extension tube has a proximal end defining a second power injection hub and a distal end attached to the manifold at the second power injection port.
In another aspect, a method of power injecting fluids using the power injection catheter assembly includes steps of power injecting a first power injectable fluid through the first power injection extension tube and into the manifold and power injecting a second power injectable fluid through the second power injection extension tube and into the manifold. The first power injectable fluid and the second power injectable fluid are directed toward the power injection lumen using the manifold. The first and second power injectable fluids are then power injected through the power injection lumen and into a patient vessel.
Referring to
The power injection catheter 12 of the present disclosure is configured as a high strength catheter capable of withstanding the high flow rates and pressures of power injection. For example, the elongate tubular body 14 may be configured to withstand flow rates of at least about 1 cubic centimeter capacity per second and pressures of at least about 100 pounds per square inch. In particular, walls 22 defining the power injection lumen 16 are configured for power injection of a power injectable fluid, as described in greater detail below. Although materials and dimensions may vary depending on the particular application, the elongate tubular body 14, according to some embodiments may have an outer diameter d1 of less than about 12 French. As should be appreciated, the diameter d1 may be orders of magnitude smaller than the length l.
The elongate tubular body 14 may be made from any common medical tube material, such as, for example, a plastic, rubber, silicone, or Teflon® material, and may exhibit both stiffness, or firmness, and flexibility. According to some embodiments, the elongate tubular body 14 may be made from a thermoplastic elastomer, such as polyurethane. As should be appreciated, the catheter walls 22 may have an increased geometry and/or durometer, as compared to conventional catheters, to facilitate use in high flow, or power injection, applications. Alternatively and/or additionally, the elongate tubular body 14 may include a reinforcement to increase performance in high power applications. According to some embodiments, the power injection catheter 12 may be a peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC). However, the power injection catheter assembly 10, including alternative embodiments, disclosed herein may be applicable to a variety of procedures for establishing vascular or other access to a body of a patient.
The power injection catheter assembly 10 also includes a manifold 24 attached at the open proximal end 18 of the elongate tubular body 14. According to the exemplary embodiment of
The power injection catheter assembly 10 of
A first connecting device 48 is provided at the proximal end 40 of the first power injection extension tube 36 to define the first power injection hub, while a second connecting device 50 is provided at the proximal end 44 of the second power injection extension tube 38 to define the second power injection hub. According to some embodiments, one or both of the connecting devices 48 and 50 may be configured for engagement with a treatment device, such as, for example, a power injector. Clamps 52 and 54 may also be provided for selectively closing off fluid flow through a respective one of the power injection extension tubes 36 and 38 in a known manner. It should be appreciated that the power injection catheter assembly 10 may include additional devices, components, and/or features, as necessary, depending on the particular procedure being performed. For example, the manifold 24 may include a pair of suture wings 56 and 58 for securing a position of the manifold 24 relative to the patient. It should also be appreciated that connections or attachments between components of the power injection catheter assembly 10 may be made using attachment means known to those skilled in the art.
According to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a power injection catheter assembly 70 may include three power injection extension tubes 72, 74, and 76. In particular, a first power injection extension tube 72 has a proximal end 78 defining a first power injection hub and a distal end 80 attached to a manifold 82 at a first power injection port 84 of the manifold 82. A second power injection extension tube 74 has a proximal end 86 defining a second power injection hub and a distal end 88 attached to the manifold 82 at a second power injection port 90 of the manifold 82. A third power injection extension tube 76 has a proximal end 92 defining a third power injection hub and a distal end 94 attached to the manifold 82 at a third power injection port 96 of the manifold 82. According to the exemplary embodiment of
Turning now to
The power injection catheter assembly 130 also includes a manifold 144 defining a first power injection channel 146 extending from a first power injection port 148 of the manifold 144 to the power injection lumen 136 of the dual lumen power injection catheter 132 and a second power injection channel 150 extending from a second power injection port 152 to the power injection lumen 136. As shown, the first and second power injection channels 146 and 150 merge within the manifold 144 to direct fluids from the first and second power injection ports 148 and 152 toward the power injection lumen 136. The manifold 144 also defines a non-power injection channel 154 extending from a non-power injection port 156 to the non-power injection lumen 142. According to the exemplary embodiment, the non-power injection channel 154 of the manifold 144 is independent from and does not merge with the power injection channels 146 and 150 of the manifold 144. According to alternative embodiments, however, channel 154 of the manifold may also be rated for power injection, particularly if a catheter having multiple power injection lumens is used.
A first power injection extension tube 158 has a proximal end 160 defining a power injection hub and a distal end 162 attached to the manifold 144 at the first power injection port 148. A second power injection extension tube 164 has a proximal end 166 defining a power injection hub and a distal end 168 attached to the manifold 144 at the second power injection port 152. A non-power injection extension tube 170 has a proximal end 172 defining a non-power injection hub and a distal end 174 attached to the manifold 144 at the non-power injection port 156. The manifold 144 directs fluid flow from the power injection extension tubes 158 and 164 into the power injection lumen 136, and directs fluid flow from the non-power injection extension tube 170 into the non-power injection lumen 142. The power injection catheter assembly 130 of
The present disclosure is generally applicable to medical devices for use in percutaneous vascular procedures, or other procedures involving cavities, ducts, or canals of a patient. More specifically, the present disclosure is applicable to catheter assemblies used for injecting one or more fluids into the vascular system of a patient through a common lumen. Yet further, the present disclosure is applicable to catheter assemblies for power injecting a plurality of different liquids through a common lumen and into the patient vasculature.
Referring generally to
The power injection catheter assembly 10 may also include two power injection extension tubes 36 and 38. A first power injection extension tube 36 has a proximal end 40 defining a first power injection hub and a distal end 42 attached to the manifold 24 at the first power injection port 28. A second power injection extension tube 38 has a proximal end 44 defining a second power injection hub and a distal end 46 attached to the manifold 24 at the second power injection port 34. As shown, the first power injection channel 26 of the manifold 24 and the second power injection channel 32 of the manifold 24 converge within the manifold 24 to combine fluid flow from the first power injection extension tube 36 and the second power injection extension tube 38. According to alternative embodiments, such as the embodiment of
With particular reference to
The power injection catheter assembly 10 may also include a first power injector 200 operably connected to the first power injection hub and configured to deliver a first power injectable fluid 202 through the first power injection extension tube 36, the first power injection channel 26, and the power injection lumen 16. A second power injector 204 of the power injection catheter assembly 10 may be operably connected to the second power injection hub and configured to deliver a second power injectable fluid 206, which may be different than the first power injectable fluid 202, through the second power injection extension tube 38, the second power injection channel 32, and the power injection lumen 16. The first power injectable fluid 202 and the second power injectable fluid 206 are combined and directed toward the power injection lumen 16 using the manifold 24. Finally, the combined fluids 202 and 206 are power injected through the power injection lumen 16 and into the patient vessel V.
The power injection catheter assembly disclosed herein provides a means for power injecting multiple power injectable fluids into a common power injection lumen of a catheter. In particular, a manifold of the power injection catheter assembly includes converging channels for combining fluid flow from multiple power injection hubs and directing the combined power injectable fluids through the common power injection lumen.
It should be understood that the above description is intended for illustrative purposes only, and is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way. Thus, those skilled in the art will appreciate that other aspects of the disclosure can be obtained from a study of the drawings, the disclosure and the appended claims.
