COMPOSITE GUIDE CATHETER WITH SHAPING ELEMENT

摘要

A guide catheter is formed from a combination of a tubular member with a large central lumen to accommodate working catheters, and one or more shape limiting rods insertable and movable longitudinally within the tubular member. The tubular member is resiliently flexible with a shape memory which imparts a curvature to the tubular member when it is relaxed. A reversible tensioning mechanism, operable from the proximal end of the tubular member, is used to straighten the tubular member prior to use. The shape limiting rod contains both permanently curved and flexible segments and causes the tubular member to retain a portion of its curvature when under tension. The location of this retained portion is determined by the position of the shape limiting rod inside the tubular member.