An intraluminal guide wire may include an elongated shaft extending between a distal and a proximal end. The guide wire may include a user actuation segment positioned proximal to the proximal end of the shaft and configured for movement relative to the shaft. The guide wire may include a core wire affixed to the user actuation segment and the distal end of the shaft. The guide wire may also include an inner member having a proximal end situated at least partially within and fixed relative to the user actuation segment and a distal end situated partially within the shaft, the core wire passing through the inner member. The guide wire may be configured with a distal segment of the inner member within the shaft exhibiting a friction-based restraint on movement within the shaft. The friction-based restraint on movement may be a frictional force between the inner member and the shaft.

A system and method include operation of a device coupled to a base to hold a catheter to the base, the catheter defining a lumen in which a portion of an elongated medical device is disposed, and a portion of the catheter being disposed in a hemostasis valve, movement of the base relative to the hemostasis valve along a first path while the catheter is held to the base such that the catheter moves relative to the hemostasis valve, and operation of a mechanism coupled to the base to maintain a position of the elongated medical device within the lumen relative to the hemostasis valve while the base and the mechanism are moved along the first path and the catheter is held to the base.

Medical devices and methods for making and using medical devices are disclosed. An example medical device may include an elongate shaft having a proximal end region and a distal end region. A first lumen may be defined in the shaft. A second lumen may be defined in the shaft. The distal end region may include a common lumen region in fluid communication with the first lumen and the second lumen. A deflectable member may be disposed within the shaft. The deflectable member may be designed to shift between a first configuration where the deflectable member directs a first medical device disposed within the common lumen region into the first lumen and a second configuration where the deflectable member allows a second medical device to move between the common lumen region and the second lumen.

The subject guide catheter extension system with a micro-catheter delivery catheter includes an outer sheath, an inner member extending within the sheath, and a mechanism for engagement/disengagement of the inner member to/from the sheath. Several mechanisms of engagement/disengagement between the inner and outer members are provided including a friction mechanism, threaded mechanism, pull away sheath, and engagement/disengagement mechanism for pusher's handles. The sheath and the inner member are modified for different engagement/disengagement mechanisms operation. A micro-catheter delivery system provides for an improved atraumatic crossability to the treatment site in an expedited and simplified fashion. During a procedure, a guidewire along with a guide catheter are advanced to the vicinity of the treatment site within a blood vessel. Subsequent thereto, the subject guide catheter extension system is manipulated to advance the micro-catheter along the guidewire inside the guide catheter towards and beyond the site of interest. Once the micro-catheter is in place, the outer sheath slides along the micro-catheter until reaching the lesion, and then the inner member is removed from the sheath, and the sheath then is ready for passing the treatment catheter (stent/balloon) towards the lesion to be treated.

Disclosed are a multi-guidewire balloon dilatation catheter structure, a dilatation catheter mechanism and a medical device. The multi-guidewire balloon dilatation catheter comprises a balloon, a first guidewire channel, a second guidewire channel and a third guidewire channel. The first guidewire channel is at least partially passed through the balloon. The second guidewire channel is at least partially located at the distal end of the balloon. The third guidewire channel is at least partially located at the proximal end of the balloon. In the multi-guidewire balloon dilatation catheter structure of this embodiment, each guidewire channel can be used for accommodating the guidewire by providing the first guidewire channel and the second/third guidewire channel to assemble various devices on the single catheter of the present invention, thereby realizing simultaneous execution of device guidance, plaque cutting, guidewire anchoring, etc. The structure is simple and good in use effect.

A catheter delivery device includes a hollow longitudinal body, a fluidic bypass, and a hemostasis valve. The hollow longitudinal body includes a clamping portion and a guide catheter. The guide catheter has a distal end for access into a vessel of a patient and a proximal end coupled to the clamping portion. The clamping portion has a distal end coupled to the guide catheter, a proximal end coupled to the hemostasis valve, and a guidewire securing section. When the guidewire securing section of the clamping portion is securing the guidewire, the fluidic bypass maintains fluid communication between the guide catheter and the hemostasis valve. In some cases, the guidewire securing section and the fluidic bypass are separated by material within the hollow longitudinal body. In some cases, the fluidic bypass is separate from the guidewire securing section outside of the hollow longitudinal body.

A catheter can include a catheter main body and a sheath that covers the catheter main body and can move along the longitudinal axis with respect to the catheter main body. An operating unit can be disposed at a proximal end portion of the sheath and can move the sheath and the catheter main body with respect to one another. The catheter main body can include a slit on an outer peripheral surface of a distal end portion and can extend along the longitudinal axis from a slit distal end to a slit proximal end side. An outside diameter of the distal end portion of the catheter main body is larger than an inside diameter of a distal end portion of the sheath when the distal end portion of the catheter main body is housed in the sheath.

A treatment method involves introducing a catheter into a blood vessel in an arm of the patient and is advanced to position the distal end of the catheter in a blood vessel in a lower limb on one side of the patient's body. A treatment device is inserted into the catheter and advanced to a treatment target in the lower limb on the one side of the patient's body. The catheter is then moved to shift the distal end of the catheter from the blood vessel in the lower limb on the one side of the patient's body to a blood vessel in the lower limb on the other side of the patient's body. A treatment instrument can then be introduced into the catheter and advanced to carry out treatment on a treatment target in the lower limb on the other side of the patient's body.

An apparatus includes a hemostasis valve; a base having a clamp releasably coupling a catheter to the base; a base drive member moving the base relative to the hemostasis valve along a first path; and a mechanism maintaining the position of an elongated medical device relative to the hemostasis valve while the catheter is being moved along the first path.

An introducer assembly includes a catheter having a proximal end, a distal end extending to a distal tip of the introducer assembly, and an outer catheter wall. The catheter includes a medical device holding portion proximate the distal end, a guide wire lumen extending between the proximal and distal ends, and a side opening extending through the outer wall to the guide wire lumen. The side opening and the guide wire lumen are simultaneously open and the guide wire lumen and side opening are able to receive a guide wire therethrough. The catheter is flexible at least in the location of the side opening. The catheter also includes a plurality of one stiffening mandrel lumens extending from the proximal end and a plurality of stiffening mandrels.