Opening system for improving catheter delivery

Abstract

A ball-tipped mandrel, separate or integrated on a device delivery assembly, can be used to ease delivery and/or retrieval of an ancillary device within a body vessel having tortuous anatomy. A ball-tipped mandrel can be moved through a catheter as a part of a preparation procedure prior to insertion into a body vessel of a patient. A ball-tipped mandrel can be moved through a catheter during or after insertion into a body vessel of a patient in preparation for delivery of an ancillary device. A ball-tipped mandrel can be integrated onto the distal portion of a device to produce dilation during device delivery.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of treating a catheter, comprising:
 moving an enlarging member of an expander longitudinally within a lumen of a catheter, while the catheter is outside a patient, wherein an outer cross-sectional dimension of the enlarging member is between 1% and 3% larger than a first inner cross-sectional dimension of the lumen in an unrestrained condition.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising inserting the catheter into a body vessel of a patient. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the inserting occurs within 1 day after the moving. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the inserting occurs within 1 hour after the moving. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the moving comprises passing the enlarging member from a first location distal to a distal end of the catheter to a second location proximal to a proximal end of the catheter. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the enlarging member is coupled to a distal portion of a control wire. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the enlarging member has a circular cross-sectional shape. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the outer cross-sectional dimension of the enlarging member is between 0.0002″ and 0.0006″ larger than the first inner cross-sectional dimension of the lumen. 
     
     
         9 . A method of treating a catheter, comprising:
 moving an enlarging member of an expander longitudinally within a lumen of a catheter, while the catheter is outside a patient, wherein an outer cross-sectional dimension of the enlarging member is between 0.0002″ and 0.0006″ larger than a first inner cross-sectional dimension of the lumen in an unrestrained condition.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising, inserting the catheter into a body vessel of a patient. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the inserting occurs within 1 day after the moving. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the inserting occurs within 1 hour after the moving. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the moving comprises passing the enlarging member from a first location distal to a distal end of the catheter to a second location proximal to a proximal end of the catheter. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the enlarging member is coupled to a distal portion of a control wire. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the enlarging member has a circular cross-sectional shape. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the outer cross-sectional dimension of the enlarging member is between 1% and 3% larger than the first inner cross-sectional dimension of the lumen. 
     
     
         17 . A system for treating a catheter, comprising:
 a catheter having a lumen with an inner cross-sectional dimension; and   an expander comprising an enlarging member having an outer cross-sectional dimension;   wherein an outer cross-sectional dimension of the enlarging member is (i) between 0.0002″ and 0.0006″ larger than a first inner cross-sectional dimension of the lumen in an unrestrained condition and/or (ii) between 1% and 3% larger than the first inner cross-sectional dimension of the lumen.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the enlarging member is positioned distal to a distal end of the catheter. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the expander comprises the enlarging member coupled to a distal region of a control wire. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the control wire extends from the enlarging member to a location proximal to a proximal end of the catheter.