CATHETER WITH DISRUPTABLE GUIDEWIRE CHANNEL

摘要

The present invention is a catheter device (36) that includes a disruptable guidewire channel (30). The guidewire channel is configured to provide trackability of the catheter along the guidewire (40) during introduction of the catheter to a treatment site. Once treatment is completed, the guidewire channel (30) can then be disrupted so as to free the guidewire from the catheter in situ. The apparatus of the present invention provides advantages over existing over-the-wire and rapid exchange catheter introduction methods, including the ability to achieve much faster treatment in series, the ability to maintain multiple treatment implements simultaneously at a treatment site using a single guidewire (40).