Catheters for electrolytically detachable embolic devices
Disclosed herein are catheters for electrolytically detachable vaso-occlusive devices. Also disclosed are vaso-occlusive assemblies comprising these catheters and methods of using these catheters and assemblies.
1 . A catheter for use in delivering electrolytically detachable vaso-occlusive devices, the catheter having a distal region, sidewalls and a lumen therethrough, wherein the sidewalls of the distal region comprise one or more apertures therein.
2 . The catheter according to claim 1 , wherein the apertures comprise one or more slots or holes.
3 . The catheter according to claim 1 , wherein the distal region of the catheter comprises a porous membrane.
4 . The catheter according to claim 2 , wherein the distal region of the catheter further comprises a porous membrane.
5 . The catheter according to claim 2 , wherein the apertures comprise longitudinal slots.
6 . The catheter according to claim 2 , wherein the apertures comprise axially aligned or staggered holes.
7 . A catheter according to claim 1 , wherein the lumen of the catheter further comprises an electrolyte solution.
8 . The catheter according to claim 7 , wherein the electrolyte solution comprises saline or phosphate buffered saline.
9 . A catheter for use in delivering electrolytically detachable vaso-occlusive devices, the catheter having a distal region, a lumen therethrough and means for maintaining current flow in the distal region of the catheter to obtain minimal resistive drop between the detachment site and the subject's blood.
10 . A vaso-occlusive assembly comprising
a vaso-occlusive device comprising an electrolytically detachable junction; and
a catheter according to claim 1 .
11 . The assembly according to claim 10 , wherein the apertures comprise one or more slots or holes.
12 . The assembly according to claim 10 , wherein the distal region of the catheter comprises a porous membrane.
13 . The assembly according to claim 11 , wherein the distal region of the catheter further comprises a porous membrane.
14 . The assembly according to claim 10 , wherein the apertures comprise longitudinal slots.
15 . The assembly according to claim 10 , wherein the apertures comprise axially aligned or staggered holes.
16 . The assembly according to claim 10 , wherein the lumen of the catheter further comprises an electrolyte solution.
17 . A vaso-occlusive assembly comprising
a vaso-occlusive device comprising an electrolytically detachable junction; and
a catheter according to claim 9 .
18 . A method of at least partially occluding an aneurysm, the method comprising the step of introducing a vaso-occlusive device into the aneurysm using the vaso-occlusive assembly according to claim 10 .
19 . A method of at least partially occluding an aneurysm, the method comprising the step of introducing a vaso-occlusive device into the aneurysm using the vaso-occlusive assembly according to claim 17 .