Dialysis catheter assembly
View Patent ↗A catheter assembly includes an elongated main body defining two or more longitudinal lumens including distally positioned openings. One or more side-ports are defined in the main body communicating with at least one of the two or more longitudinal lumens. The catheter assembly also includes an inflatable balloon disposed around a portion of the main body. The inflatable balloon includes a distal end disposed substantially adjacent to a proximal side of one or more side-ports. The inflatable balloon in the inflated state is adapted to extend at partially over the one or more side-ports.
1. A method of dislodging tissue from a catheter, the method comprising:
providing a dialysis catheter comprising
an elongated main body defining a longitudinal axis and having a length along the longitudinal axis between a distal end and a proximal end, the elongated main body defining at least one internal lumen,
a side-port in fluid communication with the at least one internal lumen, and
an inflatable balloon disposed adjacent to the side-port on an outer surface of the elongated main body and configured to move from a deflated state to an inflated state; and
inflating the inflatable balloon to dislodge tissue from the elongated main body by expanding the inflatable balloon in a distal direction so that at least a distal portion of the inflatable balloon extends over at least a proximal portion of the side-port and moves material away from, or into, the side port as the inflatable balloon expands in the distal direction.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the inflatable balloon is disposed adjacent the distal end of the elongated main body.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the inflatable balloon is coated with a base polymer layer.
4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of inflating the inflatable balloon evenly around the elongated main body of the dialysis catheter.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the dialysis catheter further comprises a plurality of side-ports in fluid communication with a plurality of internal lumens.
6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of providing heparin to the side-port to clear the side-port by chemical reaction.
7. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing an end cap adapted to fluidly seal the at least one internal lumen.
8. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of sealing a distal end of the at least one internal lumen to enable inflation fluid to exert pressure into the inflatable balloon.
9. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of supplying saline to the inflatable balloon.
10. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of connecting the dialysis catheter to a medical device.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein the inflatable balloon is a drug eluting balloon.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein the drug eluting balloon elutes an anti-restenotic agent.
13. The method of claim 1 wherein the inflatable balloon includes pores.
14. The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of providing a pressure greater than 8 atmospheres to the inflatable balloon to open the pores.
15. The method of claim 1 wherein the inflatable balloon is configured to extend at least partially over the side-port when in the inflated state.
16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:
deflating the inflatable balloon; and
flowing fluid through the internal lumen and out the side-port to remove any tissue dislodged by the inflatable balloon into the side-port.