Catheter system with balloon-operated filter sheath and fluid flow maintenance
View Patent ↗A catheter system includes an inflatable structural balloon and collapsible filter. The collapsible filter is deployable into an expanded configuration using the inflatable distal balloon. In the expanded configuration, one or more flow cells are formed between inflated portions of the balloon to provide continuous fluid flow between proximal and distal ends of the structural balloon. In the expanded configuration, the filter is configured to prevent particulates (e.g., dislodged thrombus, or other particulate material) from migrating beyond the filter. In the expanded configuration, the inflated structural balloon biases a perimeter of the filter toward or against a subject vessel wall.
1. A catheter system with an inflatable balloon and a collapsible filter, the catheter system comprising:
a catheter tube having a proximal portion and a distal portion;
an inflatable structural balloon, coupled to the catheter tube near the distal portion, wherein the structural balloon includes a plurality of inflatable arms, wherein each of the plurality of arms includes at least a first planar surface, wherein the first planar surface of a first inflatable arm is perpendicular to the first planar surface of a second inflatable arm; and
a filter sheath including a proximal end and a distal end, wherein at least a portion of the distal end of the filter sheath is directly attached to the structural balloon, the filter sheath having a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration, wherein:
in the collapsed configuration, the filter sheath is collapsed around the cathetertube, and
in the expanded configuration, the filter sheath is expanded according to inflation of the structural balloon, wherein one or more flow cells extend along plurality of inflatable arms and are configured to provide continuous fluid communication between proximal and distal ends of the structural balloon.
2. The catheter system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more inflatable arms includes a plurality of engagement locations coupled with the filter sheath, the one or more engagement locations at an outer edge of the structural balloon, and in the expanded configuration the one or more engagement locations biases the filter sheath toward a shape corresponding to the outer edge of the structural balloon.
3. The catheter system of claim 1 , wherein in the collapsed configuration, a portion of the filter sheath is collapsed around a portion of the structural balloon.
4. The catheter system of claim 3 , wherein particulate matter within the filter sheath or the flow cells in the expanded configuration is configured to be captured between the filter sheath and the catheter tube in the collapsed configuration.
5. The catheter system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more flow cells are non-occluded fluid passages extending substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the catheter tube.
6. The catheter system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more flow cells extends from a proximal portion of the structural balloon to a distal portion of the structural balloon.
7. The catheter system of claim 1 , wherein in the expanded configuration, the one or more inflatable arms of the structural balloon include ridges that extend radially from the catheter tube, the one or more flow cells between the ridges.
8. The catheter system of claim 7 , wherein the one or more flow cells are bounded by the ridges and the filter sheath, and wherein at least a portion of one or more of the ridges includes an apex configured to impinge on a subject vessel wall.
9. A catheter system with a collapsible distal filter, the catheter system comprising:
a catheter tube having a proximal portion and a distal portion;
an inflatable structural balloon, coupled to the catheter tube near the distal portion, wherein the structural balloon includes a plurality of inflatable arms, wherein each of the plurality of arms includes at least a first planar surface, wherein the first planar surface of a first inflatable arm is perpendicular to the first planar surface of a second inflatable arm;
one or more longitudinal fluid passages that extend along the structural balloon and are at least partially bounded by the structural balloon; and
a filter sheath including a proximal end and a distal end, wherein at least a portion of the distal end of the filter sheath is directly attached to the structural balloon, wherein the filter sheath is deployable according to inflation of the structural balloon, the filter sheath encapsulating an end of the one or more passages such that particulate matter carried by fluid along the one or more passages is configured to be captured within the passages between the structural balloon and the filter sheath.
10. The catheter system of claim 9 , wherein the structural balloon surrounds at least one of the longitudinal fluid passages about a longitudinal axis of the passage.
11. The catheter system of claim 9 , wherein the structural balloon has a cross shape.
12. The catheter system of claim 9 , wherein the filter sheath is coupled to the catheter tube both proximal and distal to the structural balloon, and wherein a proximal portion of the filter sheath has a void fraction that is greater than the void fraction of a distal portion of the filter sheath such that particulate matter passing through the proximal portion of the filter sheath is collected by the distal portion of the filter sheath.