Deployment actuation system for intrafallopian contraception
View Patent ↗Contraceptive methods, systems, and devices generally improve the ease, speed, and reliability with which a contraceptive device can be deployed transcervically into an ostium of a fallopian tube. The contraceptive device may remain in a small profile configuration while a sheath is withdrawn proximally, and is thereafter expanded to a large profile configuration engaging the surrounding tissues, by manipulating one or more actuators of a proximal handle with a single hand. This leaves the other hand free to manipulate a hysteroscope, minimizing the number of health care professional required to deploy the contraceptive device.
1. A catheter for delivering a contraceptive device within a fallopian tube, the catheter comprising:
an elongate tubular catheter body having a proximal portion adjacent a proximal end, a distal portion adjacent a distal end, and at least one lumen;
a contraceptive device releasably disposed at least partially within the lumen of the catheter near the distal portion; and
a deployment member in detachable engagement with the contraceptive device for deploying the contraceptive device from the catheter; and
a coil disposed along the catheter body nearer the distal end than the proximal end and encircling the lumen;
wherein the distal portion has an increasing amount of flexibility toward the distal end, and the distal portion comprises an inner layer, a middle layer comprising the coil, and an outer layer.
2. A catheter as in claim 1 , wherein the distal portion of the catheter body includes a first segment and a second segment distal to the first segment, wherein the second segment is more flexible than the first segment.
3. A catheter as in claim 2 , wherein the distal portion comprises at least one polyurethane material.
4. A catheter as in claim 3 , wherein the at least one polyurethane material comprises two polyurethane materials for conferring varying levels of flexibility to the distal portion.
5. A catheter as in claim 4 , first segment comprises a polyurethane material having a Shore durometer of 73 A, and the second segment comprises a polyurethane material having a Shore durometer of 55 A.
6. A catheter as in claim 2 , first segment comprises a polyurethane material having a Shore durometer of 73 A, and the second segment comprises a polyurethane material having a Shore durometer of 55.
7. A catheter as in claim 1 , wherein the outer layer comprises at least one polyurethane material.
8. A catheter as in claim 7 , wherein the at least one polyurethane material comprises two polyurethane materials for conferring varying levels of flexibility to the distal portion.
9. A catheter as in claim 1 , wherein the proximal portion of the catheter body comprises at least one polyether block amide.
10. A catheter as in claim 1 , wherein the proximal portion of the catheter body includes at least one visualization marker near the distal portion for enhancing visualization of a proximal-most end of the distal portion.
11. The catheter as in claim 1 , wherein said coil is a ribbon coil.
12. The catheter as in claim 1 , wherein said inner layer comprises PTFE.
13. The catheter as in claim 1 , wherein said lumen extends along the proximal portion and distal portion of the elongate tubular catheter body.
14. The catheter as in claim 13 , wherein said lumen is inwardly tapered in the proximal portion of the elongate tubular catheter body.
15. A catheter comprising:
an elongate tubular catheter body having a proximal portion adjacent a proximal end, a distal portion adjacent a distal end, and at least one lumen; and
a coil disposed along the catheter body nearer the distal end than the proximal end and encircling the lumen;
wherein the distal portion of the catheter body includes a first segment comprising a first polyurethane material and a second segment comprising a second polyurethane material distal to the first segment, wherein the second segment is more flexible than the first segment, and the distal portion comprises an inner layer, a middle layer comprising the coil, and an outer layer.
16. The catheter as in claim 15 , wherein the first polyurethane material has a Shore durometer of 73 A, and the second segment comprises a Shore durometer of 55 A.
17. The catheter as in claim 15 , wherein the outer layer comprises the first polyurethane material and the second polyurethane material.
18. The catheter as in claim 15 , wherein the proximal portion of the catheter body comprises at least one polyether block amide.
19. The catheter as in claim 15 , wherein the inner layer comprises PTFE.
20. The catheter as in claim 15 , wherein the coil is a ribbon coil.
21. A catheter comprising:
an elongate tubular catheter body having a proximal portion adjacent a proximal end, a distal portion adjacent a distal end, and at least one lumen extending along the proximal portion and distal portion, wherein the lumen is inwardly tapered in the proximal portion; and
a coil disposed along the catheter body nearer the distal end than the proximal end and encircling the lumen;
wherein the distal portion has an increasing amount of flexibility toward the distal end, and the distal portion comprises an inner layer, a middle layer comprising the coil, and an outer layer.
22. The catheter as in claim 21 , wherein the distal portion of the catheter body includes a first segment and a second segment distal to the first segment, wherein the second segment is more flexible than the first segment.