1. A method of advancing a guide catheter, comprising the steps of:
providing a guide catheter having a proximal hub, a distal tip and a lumen extending therebetween, the guide catheter further having an electrode disposed at the distal tip;
advancing the guide catheter distally to a first location within a blood vessel having a wall; and
applying an electrical impulse through the electrode to the blood vessel to cause the blood vessel to dilate at the first location.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, subsequent to the step of applying the electrical impulse, the step of advancing the guide catheter to a second location distal of the first location.
3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of applying an electrical impulse through the electrode to the blood vessel to cause the blood vessel to dilate at the second location.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the guide catheter further comprises a second electrode at the distal tip of the catheter and wherein the step of applying the electrical impulse further includes the step of applying the electrical impulse through the second electrode.
5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of advancing a balloon catheter distally through the guide catheter.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein the first location is immediately proximal of a location to be treated by the use of the balloon catheter and wherein the step of advancing the balloon catheter is subsequent to the step of applying the electrical impulse.
7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of observing the blood vessel.
8. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of observing the blood vessel includes the step of observing the blood vessel fluoroscopically.
9. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of advancing the distal tip of the guide catheter to a location immediately proximal of an observed vasospasm and wherein this location is the first location.
10. The method of claim 6, wherein the guide catheter further includes a third electrode spaced proximally from the distal tip and further including the steps of moving the guide catheter so that the third electrode is near an observed vasospasm and applying an electrical impulse through the third electrode to the blood vessel to cause the blood vessel to dilate at the location of the observed vasospasm.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein the guide catheter is slowly advanced distally while applying the electrical impulse.
12. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrode is in contact with the wall of the blood vessel during the step of applying an electrical impulse.
13. A method of treating a region of a blood vessel comprising the steps of:
providing a guide catheter having a proximal end and a distal end and an electrode near the distal end;
advancing the guide catheter into the blood vessel such that the electrode is in the blood vessel proximate the region to be treated;
providing an elongate member having a proximal end and a distal end and an electrode near the distal end;
advancing the elongate member through a second blood vessel that is near the blood vessel to be treated and positioning the elongate member electrode in the second blood vessel such that the guide catheter electrode and the elongate member electrode can function together as a bipolar electrode system; and
applying an electrical impulse through the bipolar electrode system to cause the blood vessel to dilate at the region to be treated.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein the elongate member electrode is at the distal end of the elongate member.
15. The method of claim 13, wherein the guide catheter further comprises a plurality of electrodes spaced along its length, further comprising the step of selecting an electrode of the plurality of electrodes to function with the elongate member electrode as the bipolar electrode system.
16. The method of claim 13, wherein the blood vessel is the aorta and the second blood vessel is the vena cava.
17. A method of performing an intravascular therapeutic procedure comprising the steps of:
providing a guide catheter having a distal end and a lumen and an electrode disposed near the distal end;
advancing the guide catheter through a blood vessel to a location proximal of a region to be treated;
applying an electrical impulse through the electrode to constrict the blood vessel around the guide catheter;
providing a therapeutic instrument and advancing the therapeutic instrument through the guide catheter to the region to be treated; and
performing a therapeutic procedure with the therapeutic instrument.
18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of applying an electrical impulse through the electrode to dilate the blood vessel subsequent to the step of applying an electrical impulse to constrict.
19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of applying a second electrical impulse to constrict the blood vessel subsequent to the step of applying an electrical impulse to dilate.
20. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of applying an electrical impulse to constrict prevents blood flow past the guide catheter electrode.
21. The method of claim 17, wherein the guide catheter includes a second electrode.
22. A guide catheter system comprising:
a guide catheter having a proximal end, a distal end, an outer wall and a first, second and third electrode wherein the first, second and third electrodes are spaced longitudinally apart from each other on the outer wall of the catheter; and
an electrical impulse generator connected to the guide catheter wherein the electrical impulse generator includes a circuit for selecting an adjacent pair of electrodes to use as a bipolar electrode system to send an electrical impulse.
23. The guide catheter system of claim 22, wherein the electrical impulse generator includes a circuit for selecting the characteristics for an electrical impulse.
24. The guide catheter system of claim 22, wherein the electrical impulse generator includes a circuit for selecting a preloaded set of characteristics for an electrical impulse.
25. The guide catheter system of claim 22, further includes a first tip electrode disposed at the distal tip of the catheter and spaced longitudinally apart from the first, second and third electrodes.
26. The guide catheter system of claim 25, further including a second tip electrode at the distal tip of the catheter.
27. The guide catheter system of claim 22, further including a fourth and fifth electrode disposed on the outer wall of the catheter wherein the first, second, third, fourth and fifth electrodes are spaced longitudinally apart from each other.
28. A guide catheter system comprising:
a guide catheter having a proximal end and a distal end and a first electrode disposed at the distal end, the first electrode electrically connected to a pin proximate to the proximal end of the guide catheter; and
a second electrode.
29. The guide catheter system of claim 28, wherein the second electrode is at the proximate end of the guide catheter.
30. The guide catheter system of claim 28, wherein the second electrode is at the distal end of the guide catheter.
31. The guide catheter system of claim 28, wherein the second electrode is on a guide wire.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A crimping tool adapter apparatus for alignment and installation of coaxial cable connector nut rotation aid comprising:
a plate;
said plate configured with a longitudinal alignment element having a central axis point coincident with an axis defined by a coaxial cable connector placed by a ram and a stop of a crimping tool; and,
said plate configured to couple with said crimping tool and configured to support a coaxial cable connector nut rotation aid in alignment with said axis.
2. The crimping tool adapter apparatus of claim 1 wherein said longitudinal alignment element comprises a longitudinal groove that comprises an arc-shaped cross-section.
3. The crimping tool adapter apparatus of claim 1 wherein said longitudinal alignment element comprises a V-shaped groove.
4. The crimping tool adapter apparatus of claim 1 wherein said longitudinal alignment element comprises a groove wherein cross-section of said groove comprises a polygon.
5. The crimping tool adapter apparatus of claim 1 wherein said longitudinal alignment element comprises at least one longitudinal finger element.
6. The crimping tool adapter apparatus of claim 1 wherein said plate comprises at least one slotted hole.
7. A method for adapting a crimping tool for alignment and installation of coaxial cable connector nut rotation aid comprising:
forming a plate having a longitudinal alignment element having a central axis point coincident with an axis defined by a ram and a stop of a crimping tool; and,
coupling said plate to a crimping tool.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein said forming said plate further comprises forming a longitudinal groove in said longitudinal alignment element wherein said longitudinal groove comprises an arc-shaped cross-section.
9. The method of claim 7 wherein said forming said plate comprises extruding said plate.
10. The method of claim 7 wherein said forming said plate further comprises forming a V-shaped groove in said longitudinal alignment element.
11. The method of claim 7 wherein said forming said plate further comprises forming a polygon groove in said longitudinal alignment element.
12. The method of claim 7 wherein said forming said plate further comprises forming at least one longitudinal finger element in said longitudinal alignment element.
13. The method of claim 7 wherein said forming said plate further comprises forming at least one slotted hole in said plate.
14. A crimping tool adapter apparatus for alignment and installation of coaxial cable connector nut rotation aid comprising comprising:
means for forming a plate having a longitudinal alignment element having a central axis point coincident with an axis defined by a ram and a stop of a crimping tool; and,
means for coupling said plate to a crimping tool.
15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said means for forming said plate further comprises means for forming a longitudinal groove in said longitudinal alignment element wherein said longitudinal groove comprises an arc-shaped cross-section.
16. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said means for forming said plate comprises means for extruding said plate.
17. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said means for forming said plate further comprises means for forming a V-shaped groove in said longitudinal alignment element.
18. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said means for forming said plate further comprises means for forming a polygon groove in said longitudinal alignment element.
19. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said means for forming said plate further comprises means for forming at least one longitudinal finger element in said longitudinal alignment element.
20. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said means for forming said plate further comprises means for forming at least one slotted hole in said plate.