US 12,004,770 B2
Catheter design for use in treating pleural diseases
Anthony Looper, Lake Zurich, IL (US); John A. Krueger, Muskego, WI (US); and Jeffrey Schmitt, Trumbull, CT (US)
Assigned to CAREFUSION 2200, INC., San Diego, CA (US)
Filed by CAREFUSION 2200, INC., San Diego, CA (US)
Filed on Oct. 12, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/068,593.
Application 17/068,593 is a continuation of application No. 13/696,555, granted, now 10,799,263, previously published as PCT/US2011/035545, filed on May 6, 2011.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/332,547, filed on May 7, 2010.
Prior Publication US 2021/0022761 A1, Jan. 28, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A61B 17/3207 (2006.01); A61M 16/04 (2006.01); A61M 25/00 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 17/3207 (2013.01) [A61M 16/0406 (2014.02); A61M 25/0068 (2013.01); A61M 2025/006 (2013.01); A61M 2025/0096 (2013.01); A61M 2210/101 (2013.01)] 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of removing fluid and performing mechanical pleurodesis comprising:
inserting a catheter into a patient's pleural cavity, the catheter comprising a lumen and an outer wall at least partially surrounding the lumen with an external surface extending from a proximal end of the catheter to an opening of the lumen at a distal most tip of the catheter, wherein a distal end portion of the external surface of the catheter comprises a plurality of protrusions thereon;
using the lumen of the catheter to remove pleural fluid from the patient's pleural cavity; and
performing mechanical pleurodesis by irritating tissue of the pleural cavity to promote the creation of fibrous adhesions between visceral layers of the pleural cavity, wherein the mechanical pleurodesis is performed by moving the distal end portion of the catheter within the pleural cavity to cause contact between the plurality of protrusions and tissue of the pleural cavity.