Self-centering catheter and method of using same

1. A self-centering vena cava filter catheter, comprising:

a catheter body with a distal end and a proximal end, the catheter body having a first opening in communication with a first lumen of the catheter body and a second opening in communication with a second lumen of the catheter body; and

an expansible vena cava filter member coupled to and circumferentially surrounding the catheter body such that the catheter body is generally centered within the vena cava filter member, the expansible vena cava filter member consisting essentially of a plurality of longitudinal struts forming a first cone co-axial with the catheter member and a second cone co-axial with the catheter member and extending in a direction opposite the first cone, the first cone being configured with a first open area sufficient to permit thrombus to pass into an area bounded by the plurality of longitudinal struts and the second cone being configured with a second open area sufficient to capture thrombus passing into the area bounded by the plurality of longitudinal struts, the first and second open areas having different sizes of open areas, one of the first cone or the second cone being circumferentially coupled in a fixed relation to the catheter body and the other of the first cone or the second cone being circumferentially and moveably coupled to the catheter body and movable relative to the fixed one of the first cone or second cone to accommodate expansion of the expansible vena cava filter member, the expansible vena cava filter member configured to center at least a portion of the catheter body within a blood vessel lumen.

2. The self-centering vena cava filter catheter of claim 1 , wherein the first opening passes through a wall of the catheter body and in communication with the first lumen and the second opening passes through a wall of the catheter body and in communication with the second lumen, the first and second openings being spaced apart from one another along the longitudinal axis of the catheter body and proximate the distal end of the catheter body.

3. The self-centering vena cava filter catheter of claim 2 , wherein one of the first and second openings are proximal the expansible member and the other of the first and second openings is distal the expansible member.

4. The self-centering vena cava filter catheter of claim 2 , further comprising at least one sensor operably associated with each of the first and second openings.

5. The self-centering vena cava filter catheter of claim 1 , wherein the catheter body_cooperates with the vena cava filter to provide proper apposition of the vena cava filter within the blood vessel lumen.

6. A self-centering catheter, comprising:

a catheter body having a first lumen and a second lumen;

a first opening in communication with a first lumen and a second opening in communication with a second lumen, the first and second opening being closer to a distal end of the catheter body than to a proximal end of the catheter body; and

an expansible member coupled to and around the catheter body and positioned generally intermediate the first opening and the second opening, wherein the expansible member is configured to be expanded in a blood vessel lumen to center at least a portion of the catheter body within the blood vessel lumen, the expansible member consists of a first plurality of longitudinal strut members configured to define a first generally conical shaped portion having a first apex and a second plurality of longitudinal strut members configured to define a generally conical shaped portion having a second apex, the first apex comprising a ring-like member that is coupled in a fixed relation to and generally circumferential and coaxial with the catheter body and the second apex being formed of ends of the second plurality of longitudinal strut members that is moveably coupled to and generally circumferential and coaxial with the catheter body such that movement of the second portion relative the first portion expands or contracts the expansible member.

7. The self-centering catheter according to claim 6 , further comprising a first and a second pressure transducers in fluid communication with the first and second openings, respectively.

8. The self-centering catheter according to claim 7 , further comprising a wireless transmitter communicating with the first and second pressure transducers and a wireless receiver remote from a patient's body to wirelessly receive data from the first and second pressure transducers.

9. The self-centering catheter according to claim 6 , further comprising a flow sensor in fluid communication with at least one of the first and second openings, wherein the flow sensor detects fluid flow velocities as the self-centering catheter is passed through an anatomical passageway.

10. The self-centering catheter according to claim 9 , further comprising a wireless transmitter communicating with the flow sensor and a wireless receiver remote from a patient's body to wirelessly receive data from the flow sensor.

11. The self-centering catheter according to claim 6 , wherein one or more septa further separate the first lumen from a guidewire lumen disposed along a central longitudinal axis through the catheter body.

12. The self-centering catheter according to claim 6 , wherein one or more septa further separate the first lumen from a third lumen disposed around the catheter body, and wherein at least one infusion port is associated with the third lumen.

13. The self-centering catheter according to claim 12 , wherein the at least one infusion port further comprises a plurality of infusion ports arrayed along a longitudinal axis and a circumferential axis of the catheter body and within an area bounded by the expansible member.

14. A self-centering catheter, comprising:

a catheter body having a plurality of lumens, a proximal portion and a distal portion and a diametric transition therebetween, and wherein the diametric transition has a radial depth corresponding to a radial thickness of an expansible member;

the expansible member consisting of a plurality of strut members configured into longitudinally opposing generally conical shapes and having first and second ends, at least one of the first and second ends being coupled in a fixed relation to the catheter body the first end having openings of sufficient dimension to permit thrombus to pass into an area bounded by the expansible member and the second end having openings of sufficient dimension to capture thrombus within the area bounded by the expansible member;

wherein the first end of the expansible member is immovably fixed to the catheter body and the second end is movably coupled to the catheter body;

wherein the expansible member further comprises a ring structure coupled intermediate to the first and second cone; and

wherein the expansible member is configured;

to be expanded to center at least a portion of the catheter body within a blood vessel lumen.

15. The self-centering catheter according to claim 14 , wherein the ring structure further comprises a generally sinusoidal-shaped member having a plurality of peaks and valleys.

16. The self-centering catheter according to claim 15 , wherein each of the first and second cones is connected to one of the plurality of peaks and valleys of the generally sinusoidal-shaped member.

17. The self-centering catheter according to claim 16 , wherein at least one of the plurality of peaks and valleys of the generally sinusoidal shaped member further comprises a generally U-shaped hinge member and one of the first and second cones is coupled to an apex of the generally U-shaped hinge member.

18. The self-centering catheter according to claim 14 , further comprising an introducer sheath through which the catheter body and the expansible member are introduced and delivered to a situs within a patient's body.

19. The self-centering catheter according to claim 18 , further comprising at least a first radio-opaque marker proximate a distal end of the introducer sheath and at least a second radio-opaque marker proximate a distal end of the catheter body.