STIFFENING SUPPORT CATHETER AND METHODS FOR USING THE SAME

摘要

A support catheter that can puncture a heart septum with a guidewire without buckling and that can access difficult to reach arteries such as carotid or renal arteries from the aorta under difficult circumstances is provided. The support catheter comprises a catheter body having a proximal end, a distal end, and an interior wall surface defining a first lumen extending from the proximal end toward the distal end. A second lumen is disposed between the interior wall surface and an outer surface of the catheter body. A plurality of stiffening members is disposed around the second lumen, the plurality of stiffening members being engageable to selectively stiffen the catheter body. In another configuration, the catheter further comprises a second plurality of stiffening members disposed between the first lumen and the second lumen.