Angled tip catheter

Abstract

A catheter having improved ability to cross body passage obstructions and that more easily allows backloading of a guidewire into the lumen of the catheter is comprised of a tip, a shaft, and a lumen. The distal end of the catheter tip is oriented at an angle other than 90° to the lengthwise axis of the catheter lip. A guidewire may be easily backloaded into the elongated catheter lumen at the location of the angled catheter tip.

1 - 32 . (canceled) 
     
     
         33 . A catheter comprising:
 an elongate shaft having proximal and distal ends, a length extending between the proximal and distal ends, a distal tip having a lengthwise axis and defining the distal end of the shaft, a distal opening defined by the distal end of the shaft, and a lumen extending proximally from the distal opening through the proximal end of the shaft,   wherein an entirety of the distal end of the shaft is oriented at an angle other than 90 degrees to the lengthwise axis of the distal tip, and   wherein the shaft has a bend at least from the distal tip to a location that is 10 percent of the shaft length proximal from the distal tip.   
     
     
         34 . The catheter set forth in  claim 33  in combination with a guidewire having proximal and distal ends, wherein the proximal end of the guidewire is insertable through the distal opening of the shaft and into the lumen and the shaft is advanceable along the guidewire. 
     
     
         35 . The catheter set forth in  claim 34 , wherein the bend of the shaft has a maximum concavity, and wherein the guidewire has a bend having a maximum convex curvature, the shaft configured to self-orient on the guidewire as the shaft is advanced along the guidewire such that the maximum concavity of the bend of the shaft aligns with the maximum convex curvature of the guidewire. 
     
     
         36 . The catheter set forth in  claim 35 , wherein the maximum concavity of the shaft is from 0.2 cm to 2 cm as measured over a length of 10 cm. 
     
     
         37 . The catheter set forth in  claim 36 , wherein the maximum concavity of the shaft is one of 0.4 cm, 0.6 cm, 0.8 cm, 1.0 cm, 1.2 cm, 1.4 cm, 1.6 cm, and 1.8 cm. 
     
     
         38 . The catheter set forth in  claim 37 , wherein the maximum concavity of the shaft is 0.4 cm. 
     
     
         39 . The catheter set forth in  claim 33 , wherein the shaft has a bend over an entirety of its length. 
     
     
         40 . The catheter set forth in  claim 33 , wherein the shaft has a bend at least from the distal tip to a midpoint of the shaft. 
     
     
         41 . The catheter set forth in  claim 33 , wherein the shaft has a bend at least from the distal tip to a point 25 percent of the shaft length proximal from the distal tip. 
     
     
         42 . The catheter set forth in  claim 33 , wherein the catheter comprises a balloon on the shaft.