Abstract: A catheter for insertion in a body orifice or blood vessel comprising an elongated tubular body with a soft, symmetrically deformable member on the distal end thereof for decreasing the likelihood of injury to body tissue upon the insertion and removal thereof. In one embodiment, the tip member comprises a toroidally shaped inflatable and non-distensible expandable "balloon" mounted on the end of the otherwise relatively rigid tip of the catheter. The catheter has a lumen extending the length thereof and communicating with the tip member whereby a fluid may be introduced to control the size, shape and firmness of the tip member. In a second embodiment, the soft deformable tip member comprises an annular plastic or rubber sleeve surrounding the otherwise rigid tip of the catheter and normally extending there beyond by a predetermined distance. The thickness or composition of the sleeve is varied about a circumferential ring so as to provide a preferred location for the collapse of the sleeve.

Abstract: A catheter assembly or catheter attachment for use in treatment of coronary artery disease resulting from atheromatous lesions whereby stenotic lesions can be dilated without interruption to the blood supply distal to the stenotic lesion being treated, the catheter further allowing blood pressure distal to the site to be measured throughout the treatment procedure. In one form of the invention, the catheter assembly comprises first and second coaxial telescoping tubes, the outer tube having a pattern of perforations through its side wall proximate the distal end thereof and an inelastic expander member sealed to its outer surface at spaced apart locations so as to span the pattern of perforations. The patient's own blood may be perfused through the lumen of the outer tube between the outer surface of the inner tube and the inner surface of the outer tube and through the pattern of perforations to uniformly expand the inelastic expander member.

Abstract: A catheter assembly or catheter attachment for use in treatment of coronary artery disease resulting from atheromatous lesions whereby stenotic lesions can be dilated without interruption to the blood supply distal to the stenotic lesion being treated, the catheter further allowing blood pressure distal to the site to be measured throughout the treatment procedure. In one form of the invention, the catheter assembly comprises first and second coaxial telescoping tubes, the outer tube having a pattern of perforations through its side wall proximate the distal end thereof and an inelastic expander member sealed to its outer surface at spaced apart locations so as to span the pattern of perforations. The patient's own blood may be perfused through the lumen of the outer tube between the outer surface of the inner tube and the inner surface of the outer tube and through the pattern of perforations to uniformly expand the inelastic expander member.