INTRAVASCULAR LITHOTRIPSY CATHETER WITH RAPID EXCHANGE PORT
A method for manufacturing a catheter ( 102 ) including a rapid exchange port ( 157 ). The method can include the steps of creating a port ( 258 ) in a catheter shaft ( 210 ), inserting a port tube ( 360 ) into the port ( 358 ), skiving the port tube ( 360 ) so that it is flush with the catheter shaft ( 310 ), inserting a guidewire lumen ( 718 ) into the port tube ( 760 ), coupling the guidewire lumen ( 718 ) to the port tube ( 760 ), and skiving the guidewire lumen ( 718 ) so that it is flush with the catheter shaft. The method can also include the steps of inserting a port mandrel ( 462 ) into the port tube ( 460 ), inserting a catheter mandrel ( 464 ) into the catheter shaft ( 410 ), positioning a heat shrink ( 465 ) over a portion of the catheter shaft ( 410 ), applying heat to the heat shrink ( 465 ), removing the port mandrel ( 462 ) from the port tube ( 460 ), removing the catheter mandrel from ( 464 ) the catheter shaft ( 410 ), and sealing a gap between the guidewire lumen ( 718 ) and the port tube ( 760 ).
1 . A method for manufacturing a catheter including a rapid exchange port, the method comprising the steps of:
puncturing a port in a catheter shaft;
inserting a port tube into the port;
skiving the port tube so that it is flush with the catheter shaft;
inserting a guidewire lumen into the port tube;
coupling the guidewire lumen to the port tube; and
skiving the guidewire lumen so that it is flush with the catheter shaft.
2 . The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of inserting a port mandrel into the port tube.
3 . The method of claim 2 wherein the port mandrel is at least partially formed from a flexible material.
4 . The method of claim 2 wherein the port mandrel is at least partially curved.
5 . The method of claim 2 further comprising the step of removing the port mandrel from the port tube.
6 . The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of inserting a catheter mandrel into the catheter shaft.
7 . The method of claim 6 wherein the step of inserting the catheter mandrel into the catheter shaft includes positioning the port tube and the port mandrel in a curved portion of the catheter mandrel.
8 . The method of claim 6 further comprising the step of removing the catheter mandrel from the catheter shaft.
9 . The method of claim 6 wherein the catheter mandrel is substantially u-shaped.
10 . The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of positioning a heat shrink over a portion of the catheter shaft.
11 . The method of claim 10 wherein the heat shrink includes heat shrink tubing.
12 . The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of applying heat to the heat shrink.
13 . The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of sealing a gap between the guidewire lumen and the port tube.
14 . The method of claim 13 wherein the step of sealing the gap is completed using an adhesive.
15 . The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of inserting an energy guide into the catheter shaft so that the energy guide is substantially parallel to the guidewire lumen.
16 . The method of claim 15 wherein the energy guide is an optical fiber.
17 . The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the guidewire lumen and the catheter shaft is at least partially formed from a polymeric material.
18 . The method of claim 1 wherein the step of skiving the port tube is completed using a cutting tool.
19 . The method of claim 1 wherein the step of skiving the guidewire lumen is completed using a cutting tool.
20 . A catheter including a rapid exchange port, the catheter comprising:
an energy guide; and
a catheter shaft that is configured to receive the energy guide, the catheter shaft having (i) a shaft wall, and (ii) a port positioned on the shaft wall;
a port tube that is positioned within the port, the port tube having a tube end that is flush with the shaft wall;
a guide wire lumen that is positioned within the port tube, the guidewire lumen having a lumen end that is flush with the shaft wall and the tube end to form the rapid exchange port; and
an adhesive that couples the guidewire lumen to the port tube.