DEVICES AND METHODS FOR CROSSING CHRONIC TOTAL OCCLUSIONS

摘要

Devices and methods for crossing total chronic occlusions in body lumens (e.g., blood vessels, etc.). The devices and methods may involve guidewire assisted delivery of a device designed to both traverse a chronic total occlusion (CTO) and create a passageway through the CTO for a treatment device (e.g., an angioplasty balloon, stent, etc.). Some devices of the present invention may include an expandable sleeve constructed of material that expands in response to temperature changes. In other devices, an expandable sleeve may be provided in which two or more interlocking cylindrical sections can be arranged such that the cylindrical sections have a first, smaller diameter at which the expandable sleeve can be inserted through a CTO. The expandable sleeve also has a second, larger diameter that can be achieved by moving the two or more interlocking cylindrical sections relative to each other such that the expandable sleeve moves from the first diameter to the second diameter when the expandable sleeve is located across the CTO. In other aspects, a guide catheter may include a friction-enhanced outer surface to assist in maintaining the guide catheter in a selected location during use. The friction-enhanced property may be provided using, e.g., materials with an increased coefficient of friction, adding features to the surface of an otherwise smooth guide catheter, etc.