Patent attributes
The present invention is directed to an apparatus for anchoring a tubular element, preferably in the form of a catheter, within a passageway formed in a mammalian body, such as in a vessel, artery, duct, channel, or the like. The apparatus comprises a tubular element having a flexible, elongated, hollow tubular outer lumen with a central longitudinal axis extending therethrough, the outer lumen having a proximal end and a distal end. The apparatus further comprises deployment means positioned within the outer lumen and slidable with respect to the outer lumen. The deployment means has a proximal end and a distal end. The apparatus further comprises a plurality of resilient anchoring members preferably formed of a pseudoelastic material. The anchoring members are coupled to the distal end of the deployment means and extend longitudinally beyond the distal end of the deployment means. Each anchoring member is reversibly movable by the deployment means between a first position and a second position. In the first position, at least a portion of each anchoring member is retracted within the outer lumen of the tubular element. In the second position, at least a portion of each of the anchoring members is deployed exteriorly to the outer lumen of the tubular element, so as to engage an inner wall of the mammalian passageway and anchor the tubular element in a selected position within the passageway.
