PUNCTURABLE CATHETER
A catheter provided with a guidewire catheter lumen having a thin covering that is easily punctured by a guidewire at virtually any desired point along the catheter length. The thin covering may be integral with the catheter shaft, or may be a separate component that covers only the portion of the catheter shaft immediately adjacent the outer portion of the guidewire lumen, or may be a thin tubular construct that surrounds the entire catheter shaft. The covering is preferably relatively translucent, allowing for good visualization of the location of the end of the guidewire to enable puncturing of the covering at the desired location along the length of the catheter shaft. The covering is also preferably tear resistant at puncture sites. The catheter shaft is preferably made of a material having a color that provides good visibility against an operating field, and more preferably is phosphorescent either entirely or in part. Materials suitable for the catheter shaft are polymeric materials well known in the art; the catheter shaft may optionally be provided with metallic stiffening components such as wires or hypotubes along all or part of the catheter length.
1 . A catheter assembly comprising a catheter shaft having a length and having at least one slot along at least a portion of the length of said catheter shaft, wherein said slot is provided with a cover comprising a multiplicity of filaments.
2 . A catheter assembly according to claim 1 wherein said multiplicity of filaments comprises metallic wire.
3 . A catheter assembly according to claim 2 wherein said wire is arranged in a braid.
4 . A catheter assembly according to claim 3 wherein said braid extends coaxially around the catheter shaft.
5 . A catheter assembly according to claim 2 wherein said wire is arranged in a helical wrap.
6 . A catheter assembly according to claim 1 wherein said filaments are polymeric filaments.
7 . A catheter assembly according to claim 6 wherein said polymeric filaments are porous expanded polytetrafluoroethylene filaments.
8 . A catheter assembly according to claim 6 wherein said filaments are arranged in a braid.
9 . A catheter assembly according to claim 8 wherein said filaments are arranged in a helical wrap.
10 . A catheter assembly comprising a catheter shaft having a length and having at least one slot along at least a portion of the length of said catheter shaft, wherein said slot is provided with a puncturable cover comprising a tubular form inserted into said slot.