Guide system with suction

Abstract

A guide catheter for use in treating sinuses, the catheter including a catheter shaft configured to provide suction about a balloon catheter and a distal portion shaped for navigating body anatomy. In one embodiment, the guide catheter includes a valve for sealing the balloon catheter and a vent for controlling suction.

1 . A guide catheter for guiding one or more flexible devices into a paranasal sinus of a patient and allowing for suction through the guide catheter, the guide catheter comprising:
 an elongate catheter shaft sized for advancement into a nostril of the patient, the catheter shaft comprising:
 a proximal portion; 
 a curved distal portion that is more flexible than the proximal portion; and 
 a lumen extending longitudinally through the proximal and distal portions; and 
   a hub assembly coupled with the proximal portion of the catheter shaft, the hub assembly comprising:
 an inner chamber in fluid communication with the catheter shaft lumen; 
 a one-way valve disposed inside the inner chamber, the valve having an opening sized to form a seal around a device advanced through the valve; 
 a suction port for coupling a suction source with the hub; and 
 a vent. 
   
     
     
         2 . The guide catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the lumen comprises:
 a first inner diameter in the proximal portion of the shaft, wherein the first inner diameter is sufficient to allow suction to be drawn proximally through the catheter shaft while a balloon catheter resides within the proximal portion lumen; and   a second inner diameter in the distal portion that is smaller than the first inner diameter.   
     
     
         3 . The guide catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the catheter has a proximal outer profile larger than a distal outer profile. 
     
     
         4 . The guide catheter of  claim 3 , wherein the catheter includes a tapering transition between the proximal outer profile and the distal outer profile. 
     
     
         5 . The guide catheter of  claim 1 , wherein a section of the proximal portion is formed from stainless steel. 
     
     
         6 . The guide catheter of  claim 1 , wherein a terminal end portion of the curved distal portion has a flexibility permitting it to expand when a flexible device is advanced therethrough. 
     
     
         7 . The guide catheter of  claim 6 , wherein the terminal end portion of the curved distal portion is formed from PEBAX. 
     
     
         8 . The guide catheter of  claim 6 , wherein the catheter includes a nylon section configured proximal to the terminal end portion of the curved distal portion formed from PEBAX. 
     
     
         9 . The guide catheter of  claim 1 , further comprising a beveled terminal end. 
     
     
         10 . The guide catheter of  claim 1 , further comprising a terminal end including wings. 
     
     
         11 . The guide catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the valve forms a seal about a flexible balloon catheter advanced through the guide catheter. 
     
     
         12 . The guide catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the hub assembly includes a gripping surface to allow a surgeon to grasp the hub assembly and cover the vent with fingers of one hand. 
     
     
         13 . The guide catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the vent comprises a passageway from an outer surface of the hub to an inner surface of the hub, and wherein the passageway is angled proximally from the inner surface to the outer surface, relative to the longitudinal axis of the guide catheter. 
     
     
         14 . The guide catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the suction port is angled proximally, relative to a longitudinal axis of the guide catheter. 
     
     
         15 . A guide catheter for guiding one or more flexible devices into a paranasal sinus of a patient and allowing for suction through the guide catheter, the guide catheter comprising:
 an elongate catheter shaft sized for advancement into a nostril of the patient, the catheter shaft comprising:
 a proximal portion; 
 a curved distal portion that is more flexible than the proximal portion; and 
 a lumen extending longitudinally through the proximal and distal portions; 
   a one-way valve disposed inside the lumen in the proximal portion, the valve having an opening sized to form a seal around a device advanced through the valve;   a suction port disposed along the shaft proximal portion for coupling a suction source with the guide catheter; and   a vent disposed along the shaft proximal portion.   
     
     
         16 . The guide catheter of  claim 15 , wherein the lumen comprises:
 a first inner diameter in the proximal portion of the shaft, wherein the first inner diameter is sufficient to allow suction to be drawn proximally through the catheter shaft while a balloon catheter resides within the proximal portion lumen; and   a second inner diameter in the distal portion that is smaller than the first inner diameter.   
     
     
         17 . A system for performing a procedure on or in a paranasal sinus, the system comprising:
 a guide catheter comprising:
 an elongate catheter shaft sized for advancement into a nostril of the patient, the catheter shaft comprising:
 a proximal portion; 
 a curved distal portion that is more flexible than the proximal portion; and 
 a lumen extending longitudinally through the proximal and distal portions; and 
 
 a hub assembly coupled with the proximal portion of the catheter shaft, the hub assembly comprising:
 an inner chamber in fluid communication with the catheter shaft lumen; 
 a one-way valve disposed inside the inner chamber, the valve having an opening sized to form a seal around a device advanced through the valve; 
 a suction port for coupling a suction source with the hub; and 
 a vent; and 
 
   a flexible device configured to pass through the guide catheter into a paranasal sinus to perform a procedure on or in the sinus.   
     
     
         18 . A system as in  claim 17 , wherein the flexible device comprises a flexible balloon catheter used to dilate an opening into the paranasal sinus. 
     
     
         19 . A system as in  claim 18 , further comprising a guidewire over which the balloon catheter is advanced. 
     
     
         20 . A system as in  claim 19 , wherein the guidewire comprises an illuminating guidewire capable of transilluminating a paranasal sinus. 
     
     
         21 . A system as in  claim 18 , further comprising an inflation device for inflating the balloon catheter. 
     
     
         22 . A system as in  claim 18 , further comprising an irrigation catheter for passing through the guide catheter after the dilation to irrigate the paranasal sinus. 
     
     
         23 . A system as in  claim 15 , wherein the lumen of the guide catheter comprises:
 a first inner diameter in the proximal portion of the shaft, wherein the first inner diameter is sufficient to allow suction to be drawn proximally through the catheter shaft while a balloon catheter resides within the proximal portion lumen; and   a second inner diameter in the distal portion that is smaller than the first inner diameter.   
     
     
         24 . A system as in  claim 15 , wherein a terminal end portion of the curved distal portion of the guide catheter has a flexibility permitting it to expand when a flexible device is advanced therethrough. 
     
     
         25 . A system as in  claim 15 , wherein the guide catheter further comprises a beveled terminal end. 
     
     
         26 . A system as in  claim 15 , wherein the valve of the guide catheter forms a seal about the flexible balloon catheter advanced through the guide catheter. 
     
     
         27 . A method for advancing a flexible device into a paranasal sinus, the method comprising:
 inserting a guide catheter into a head of a patient, wherein the flexible device is either preloaded into the guide catheter or advanced into the guide catheter during or after insertion into the patient's head;   generating a suction force proximally through the guide catheter, around the flexible device, via a suction source attached to the guide catheter; and   advancing the flexible device out of a distal end of the guide catheter into the paranasal sinus.   
     
     
         28 . A method as in  claim 27 , wherein the flexible device comprises a balloon dilation catheter. 
     
     
         29 . A method as in  claim 28 , further comprising performing a balloon dilation procedure using the balloon catheter to dilate an opening of the paranasal sinus. 
     
     
         30 . A method as in  claim 29 , wherein dilating the opening comprises dilating a natural ostium of the paranasal sinus. 
     
     
         31 . A method as in  claim 29 , further comprising creating an artificial opening into the paranasal sinus, wherein dilating the opening comprises dilating at least one of the artificial opening or a natural ostium of the paranasal sinus. 
     
     
         32 . A method as in  claim 28 , wherein the flexible device further comprises a guidewire, and wherein the method further comprises advancing the guidewire out of the distal end of the guide catheter into the paranasal sinus before the balloon catheter is advanced, wherein the balloon catheter is advanced over the guidewire. 
     
     
         33 . A method as in  claim 27 , wherein a distal portion of the guide catheter is flexible and further comprising advancing the flexible device through the distal portion thereby expanding the distal portion. 
     
     
         34 . A method as in  claim 27 , wherein the guide catheter includes a hub assembly including a proximal end portion and further comprising attaching an auxiliary device to the hub assembly.