Granted Patent B2

US 6,837,871 · App. 10/403,758 · Granted Jan 4, 2005

Abstract

Claims (32)

1. A catheter, comprising:

an elongate tube having a proximal end and a distal end;

an anchor disposed generally at the distal end of the tube and being moveable between an insertion position and a withdrawal position relative to the tube,

the anchor in the Insertion position having a low profile when the tube is moved distally,

the anchor in the withdrawal position having a low profile when the tube is moved proximally,

the anchor in the insertion position having a high profile when the tube is moved proximally,

said anchor further comprising a cap being movable relative to the tube to permit the anchor to move from the insertion position to the withdrawal position; and

a tension element attached to the cap for releasable holding the anchor in a fixed relationship with the tube.

2. The catheter recited in claim 1 , wherein the tension element has properties facilitating separation of the tension element to enable a space relationship between the tube and the cap in the withdrawal position.

3. A catheter, comprising:

an elongate tube having a proximal end and a distal end;

an anchor disposed of the distal end of the tube, the anchor having a first end and a second end;

means for attaching the first end of the anchor to the tube;

a tension member extending distally of the tube for releasably holding the second end of the anchor in a fixed relationship with the tube.

4. The catheter recited in claim 3 , wherein:

the anchor has the insertion state and a withdrawal state;

the first end of the anchor has a floating relationship with the tube in the insertion state; and

the second end of the anchor has a floating relationship with the tube in the withdrawal state.

5. The catheter recited in claim 3 , wherein:

the anchor has a high-profile state when the first end of the anchor has a proximate relationship with the second end of the anchor and

the anchor lies a tow-profile state when the first end of the anchor has a spaced relationship with the second end of the anchor.

6. The catheter recited in claim 3 , further comprising a stop included in the attaching means and having a fixed relationship with the tube.

7. The catheter recited in claim 3 , wherein the attaching means comprises a tension member.

8. The catheter incited in claim 7 , wherein the tension member extends between the first end of the anchor in a position in proximity to the proximal end of the tube.

9. The catheter recited in claim 8 , wherein the tension member is severable to release the second end of the anchor from the fixed relationship with the tube.

10. A method for withdrawing a catheter anchored through a body conduit in a body cavity, comprising the steps of:

providing the catheter with an elongate tube having an anchor at a distal end of the tube, the anchor having a distal tip held in proximity to the distal end of the tube by a tension element extending away from the distal end of the tube; and severing the tension element to release the distal tip of the anchor from the tube.

11. The method recited in claim 10 , wherein the tube has a proximal end and the severing step further comprises the step of:

cutting the tension element in proximity to the proximal end of the tube.

12. The method recited in claim 10 , further comprising the step of: attaching the anchor to the tube at other than the distal tip of the anchor.

13. The method recited in claim 10 , further comprising the step of:

withdrawing the tube and the anchor from the body cavity and through the body conduit in a low-profile state.

Assignments (6)