Abstract: A catheter, such as an angioplasty catheter is provided with a distal tip segment having a helical slit. The helical slit has a proximal end and a distal end that extends fully to and intersects the rim of the tip segment that defines the distal outlet orifice. The helically slit tip segment can be unrolled partly or fully from its helical configuration and may be attached directly to an indwelling guidewire at any location along the exposed length of the guidewire. The catheter includes a guidewire lumen thereby enabling the catheter to be placed on a guidewire in conventional or in monorail fashion. Additionally, when placed on a guidewire in monorail fashion, the guidewire lumen of the catheter may be used to infuse liquids, take pressure measurements or the like.

Abstract: A tissue manipulator is provided which is insertable through an endoscopic tube to enable a surgeon to manipulate tissue inside a body cavity. The endoscopic tissue manipulator includes an expandable tissue manipulating frame adapted to expand transversely through a longitudinal slot in a support tube to provide a spatula-shaped platform which can be manipulated by rotation of the support tube about its longitudinal axis to engage and displace large body organs away from a desired surgical site in a body cavity. The frame consists of a plurality of flexible frame members or wires adapted to flex laterally outward through the longitudinal slot in the support tube into a bow-shaped configuration overlapping the other frame members or wires of the spatula-shaped platform. The instrument can be provided with a single tissue manipulating frame or a pair of frames which are expandable through separate longitudinal slots in the support tube to provide a pair of spatula-shaped platforms to engage the tissue.